Application Modernization or how to bridge the gap between Client Server applications and Cloud Computing?

Why I am interested in this topic?
Topic of Application Modernization is topic that occupies my mind in past few years, especially in the light of the continuous need for business to implement innovations in their day-to-day work.
From the IT perspective two areas are becoming more important to implement innovation and agility in different organizations: mobile and cloud computing.
I am starting series of articles that will cover topic of Application Transformation/Modernization that I will base on the projects on which I am currently working and that are based on Hewlett Packard, SAP and Microsoft platforms/technologies.

Today most businesses in the world owns or outsource some kind of Line of Business (LOB) applications. Most of the LOB applications that are today in use have been developed in Client/Server or web "era" and (from the business point of view) they are well suited for the job for what they were developed for.

So, main question is: why change anything?
Of course, there are several answers, but the most relevant answers (from the business point of view) are:
1. It is hard to change those legacy applications
2. They are expensive to maintain
3. Legacy applications represent "ball-and-chain" for organizations
All of above answers can be related for both development and infrastructure point of view and I and my colleagues will focus on both areas.

Of course, those are fine answers, but I would bet that most of the CIO's major reason for application modernization is "to support the business" (and according to Forbes and Forrester Consulting - 59% of CIO's agrees with this statement).

In following articles I will write about creating the strategy, planning and implementing application modernization, both from my team perspective and successful projects that were done by big and small organizations.
I will talk about the concepts but also about very specific implementations either as Infrastructure as a Services (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) or Software as a Service (SaaS). Because my background is Microsoft platforms and tools I will mostly talk about Microsoft public (Windows Azure) and Microsoft private cloud computing, but all article will have part that will deal with interoperability component with either different mobile platforms (Windows 8/Phone, Android, IOS) or with legacy applications.

Applied for sessions at Microsoft WinDays in Croatia and MS NetWork 3 Conference in B&H

After very succesful Global Microsoft MVP Summit in Redmond, I have applied on two important regional Microsoft conferences: Microsoft WinDays in Croatia and MS NetWork 3 Conference in B&H.

Both conferences will announce agenda, speakers and schedule after March 15th, when me and my collegues will know will we speak about SQL Server, Business Intelligence, Power View, Microsoft Kinect for Windows Development, Office 365 Edu, Cloud Computing ...

Microsoft WinDays will be held on April 22-26, while MS NetWork 3 Conference will be on April 3-4.

See you there!

Business Intelligence vNext or How Cloud Computing is (not) Changing the Way We Do BI

Mobility Day 2012 Conference, Sept 27, 2012, Hotel Antunovic Zagreb

My dear collegue, Microsoft MVP Andrej Radinger and I are organizing 6. in a row www.MobilityDay.com Conference on September 27th, 2012 in Hotel Antunovic, Zagreb.

Mobility Day 2012 Conference, is targeting business decision makers and IT professionals who are involved in business and technical aspects of mobile solutions.

Highlight of this year is Mobile Solutions and Smart Devices Connected through the Cloud Computing!

Business track

Regional Microsoft MVP CEE & Italy Summit + KulenDayz - Regional MS Community & INETA Europe Conference

This weekend will be long and interesting! Starting from tomorrow, I am involved in organization of two Community Events:
a) Regional Microsoft MVP CEE & Italy Summit (August 31st)
b) KulenDayz - Regional MS Community & INETA Europe Conference (August 31st-September 2nd)

Regional Microsoft MVP CEE & Italy Summit (August 31st) 

The event is more like a social event, an opportunity to meet other MVPs from the Region, networking and mingling with each other, and get to know the Microsoft vision for the next Fiscal Year (FY13, which started on July, 1st). 

The event will be an event inside another event. KulenDayz is one of the most popular community-oriented event in the Region and it was the best place to organize OUR event inside it. The event will take place in Osijek and Beli Manastir, Croatia, a beautiful town right in the middle of the Region. The public event will held from August 31st to September the 2nd. While the Regional CEE & Italy MVP Summit will happen from Friday the 31st of August till Sunday the 2st of September

More info: http://www.kulendayz.com/mvpsummit/

KulenDayz - Regional MS Community & INETA Europe Conference (August 31st-September 2nd)

Microsoft Community Osijek together with Microsoft Croatia with support from INETA, Hupro, MIC Varaždin and Mreža are organizing the regional community conference KulenDayz 2012. Conference is bringing together leading IT Experts from the region with local IT Community and giving them a chance to spend a weekend filled with attractive sessions presented by top speakers and relaxing at Kopacki Rit Nature Park and enjoying unspoiled nature.

Personally, I will speak at Kulendayz Keynote as INETA Europe Vice President as well as Microsoft Regional Director & MVP

More info: http://www.kulendayz.com

Welcome to all attendees and see you there!

How to use the same user profile and settings on different devices that are using Windows 8? [in Croatian]

This is my article published on April 14 as introduction to Dobrisa Adamec (MVP) and my WinDays 2012 session "How to use the same user profile and settings on different devices that are using Windows 8?"

Even it is in Croatian, by using bing/google translate you can read it in your language :-)

Enjoy!  

Kako imati isti korisnički profil na više računala koja koriste Windows 8?  

Zašto isti korisnički profil na različitim računalima?

Windows 8 operativni sustav dolazi sa opcijom da se korisnik prijavi sa svojim Windows Live ID korisničkim računom i na taj način čitav svoj korisnički profil, koji uz podatke o korisniku, postavkama za spajanje i ostalim podacima, može uključivati i popis aplikacija, jezik korisničkog sučelja i regionalne postavke, pozadinu s radnog stola (desktopa), da li je uključena tipkovnica koja se pokazuje na ekranu, da li je uključeno prepoznavanje govora, postavke grafičke okoline poput Aero opcije, kako je podešena Windows traka s alatima (taskbar), postavke Windows Explorer-a, miša, mrežne postavke, snimljene postavke prava pristupa web odredištima (saved website credentials) itd.

Gore navedeno se „stručno“ (od strane Microsofta) zove: Windows 8 User Profile Roaming with Windows Live. Razlog zašto se Microsoft odlučio za implementaciju navedenog mehanizma je dvojak: korisnici žele koristiti svoje korisničke račune na različitim računalima/uređajima i drugi je da više korisnika koristi isto računala i to u 72% slučaja na stolnim računalima i 46% slučajeva na prijenosnim računalima. Istraživanja su pokazala da, u SAD-u, u 36% domaćinstva postoji 2 i više računala/uređaja.

Primjer scenarija korištenja sinkronizacije postavki operativnog sustava Windows 8 korištenjem Windows Live servisa

Primjer jednog scenarija korištenja prijenosa korisničkog profila sa jednog na drugo računalo dan je u nastavku teksta:

Prilikom završetka postavljanja operativnog sustava na 2. Računalu, korisnik mora samo upisati svoj Windows Live ID korisnički račun, te nakon toga i lozinku.

Nakon toga, Windows 8 se spaja na servis u oblaku i priprema računalo, kao što se vidi na slijedećoj slici.

Nakon nekoliko trenutaka se pojavljuje početni ekran, a sustav je spreman za rad. Naravno, sinkronizacija podataka o korisniku se dešava u pozadini kako ne bi ometala trenutačnu korisnikovu aktivnost.

Postavke se pojavljuju pomalo, kako se skidaju, pa tako nakon nekoliko sekundi je vidljiva slika korisnika koja je odabrana za taj profil:

Isto tako se pojavljuju ostali podaci, poput npr. web odredišta koja smo priboli na početni ekran:

Kao i ako korisnik ode u Internet Explorer, vide se npr. sva ona web odredišta koja često posjećuje, plus ona koja je korisnik prikvačio:

Kao i Windows postavke poput isključenja zvuka pri tipkanju na tipkovnicu koja se prikazuje na ekranu:

A ako korisnik ode na neku od aplikacija koje je odabrao na drugom računalu, takve aplikacije, poput ove za pregled video sadržaja s Microsoft Build konferencije, pamte koji je video korisnik gledao i gdje je stao s pregledavanjem video zapisa:

Osim toga, sve druge postavke, poput npr. svih RSS feed-ova koje je korisnik odabrao na drugom računalu, automatski se prenose na novo/drugo računalo i dostupne su korisniku:

A ako korisnik zaključa računalo i na taj način ode do početnog ekrana, vidjeti će da je prenijeta i pozadina na tom ekranu, umjesto inicijalne zelene pozadine.

Popis svih mogućnosti sinkronizacije postavki vezanih uz Windows Live ID

Osim navedenog scenarija, potpuna lista mogućnosti sinkronizacije podataka između različitih računala/uređaja, korištenjem Windows Live ID korisničkog računa, je slijedeća:

1. Moguće je povezati većinu postavki unutar Windows 8 operativnog sustava sa Windows Live ID korisničkim računom, te prijavom s tim korisničkim računom na drugo Windows 8 računalo prenijeti postavke vezane s tim korisničkim profilom (računom)
2. Moguće je jednostavno prenijeti svoje METRO aplikacije na druga Windows 8 računala, zajedno s njihovim postavkama i trenutnim stanjem (npr. nastaviti gledati video na drugom računalu ili pisati e-mail)
3. Moguće je snimiti sve pristupne korisničke račune i lozinke u korisnički profil povezan s Windows Live ID korisnika, pa onda omogućiti automatsku prijavu na razne aplikacije i web odredišta, bez potrebe za ponovnom prijavom sa korisničkim računom/lozinkom (single sign-in)
4. Omogućiti jednostavnom prijavom na operativni sustav i automatsku prijavu na sve aplikacije i web servise koje koriste Windows Live ID korisnički račun

Nažalost, navedene mogućnosti nije moguće koristiti s „starim“, odnosno aplikacijama koje nisu razvijene za METRO sučelje.

Važno je napomenuti da svaki korisnik Windowsa može sam odrediti da li uopće želi sinkronizaciju s Windows Live servisima ili ne želi (npr. korisnik je dio poslovne domene). Isto tako, ako odluči koristiti sinkronizaciju postavki, korištenjem Windows Live sinkronizacijskog mehanizma, korisnik je u mogućnosti odabrati koje postavke želi sinkronizirati i da li uopće želi išta sinkronizirati, za slijedeće grupe postavki:

• Personalizacija
• Teme
• Lakoća pristupa (ease of access)
• Postavke jezika
• Aplikacije
• Web browser
• Druge stvari
• Lozinke

Naravno, od ostalih Windows Live servisa tu je i mogućnost integracije s Skydrive servisom (već opisanim na ovom portalu), te Hotmail i Messanger servisima.

Sigurnost podataka

Što se tiče sigurnosti, sve potrebne mjere su poduzete kako bi se zaštitili:

a) Windows Live ID korisničko ime i lozinka
b) Windows Live ID korisnički profil
c) Postavke i podatke koje je korisnik odabrao za sinkronizaciju

Vezano za korisničko ime i lozinku, uz zahtjeve da lozinka bude dovoljno komplicirana da je netko ne može (lako) dokučiti, omogućena je i provjera identiteta s dodatnim pitanjima/odgovorima o korisniku. Isti podaci služe u slučaju da je korisnik zaboravio lozinku i želi da mu se ona ponovo generira, bez gubitka podataka na računalu.

Svaka aplikacija koja želi pristupiti Windows Live ID korisničkom profilu u računalnom oblaku, mora prvo eksplicitno zatražiti pristanak od korisnik, te tek onda može pristupiti podacima. Naravno, svaka Windows 8 METRO aplikacija može pohraniti i svoje podatke, no postoji za njih limit koliko postavke mogu biti velike.

Sama komunikacija između računala i računalnog oblaka je sigurna jer se koristi SSL/TLS, a osjetljivi podaci poput korisničkih računa i lozinki za razne aplikacije i servise, te njihovi podaci se dodatno šifriraju na samom računalu korisnika i tako prenose do računalnog oblaka. Takvi podaci nisu dostupni ostalim Microsoft servisima u računalnom oblaku ili drugim aplikacijama, a da bi se mogli koristiti na drugom računalu potrebno je da se (kod prvog spajanja) uspostavi „povjerenje“ (trust) s tim drugim računalima, pružanjem dodatnih dokaza o identitetu korisnika. Takav npr. dokaz može biti slanje SMS poruke na broj mobilnog uređaja zapisan u profilu korisnika.

Ukoliko se radi o računalu koje je dio korporativne mreže, administratoru računala je omogućeno da potpuno sinkronizaciju ili pojedine opcije.

Vrlo je važno napomenuti da sve postavke i podaci koji su na gore opisani način spremljeni u računalni oblak su dostupni jedino i isključivo kroz mehanizam Windows 8 User Profile Roaming with Windows Live.

Navedeni mehanizam bi trebao olakšati kako migraciju sa jednog na drugo računalo, tako i sinkronizaciju između različitih računala/uređaja u svakodnevnom radu, te sinkronizaciju stanja i podataka METRO aplikacija.

MVP's in action: How to provide mentor's, education and internship for IT pupils and students?

I am very happy to announce that I have been invited to deliver lecture at Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Banja Luka to students about the possibility to have summer internship, education and mentors for their first "real" IT projects! This project is part of the USAID "Partnership in Innovation" initiative and it will be implemented by Innovation Center Banja Luka, with other public and private partners like Microsoft, Lanaco, etc. (more below in the poster designed by Microsoft Student Partner Nikola Cupic from Banja Luka).

This kind of internship is something "regular" in western world, but it is still "exception" for the South Eastern Europe Countries.

Ii actually connects pupils/students, companies and schools/Universities to provide so needed experience and complimentary education that is based on the cutting edge technology and so-much needed skills like team work, problem solving, project management etc.

Part of the technical part of the program will be supported and delivered by experienced IT experts, some of them Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP's).

I would like to say thank you to people that helped to organize this lecture:

a) Radenko Zec, Microsoft MVP and INETA User Group Leader of Developers.ba in Banja Luka
b) Jelena Miodragovic, Microsoft Student Partner
c) Nikola Cupic, Microsoft Student Partner

High Schools in Banja Luka, Faculties in Banja Luka and other partners!

Also, we will provide live broadcasting of meeting using Microsoft Live Meeting!

It was great WinDays 2012 Conference!

I have been whole week in Rovinj @ WinDays 2012 Conference, speaking, networking and enjoying to meet old and some new friends!

Also, I have received an award as WinDays Speaker, as well as Conference Content Expert my colleagues MVP's and me has been acknowledged by Microsoft at Keynote session.

We have organized Community dinner ("Sea Rapshody") at our own, and more then 50 people attended this dinner.

Several pictures with descriptions are here:

I am Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) again (8 year in a row)!

After a long and frutefull year which included more than 86 lectures in 12 countries, community contribution, working with product group, doing a lot of development/SQL Server evangelism and community building within INETA Europe Board, I have been re-awarded to be an Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) again!

I would like to thank's to Communities and my collegues in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, .... hole Europe that provided me oportunity to share my knowledge!

Thank you Alessandro Teglia for his great support of MVP Communitiy as well as support of INETA and GITCA Communities!

Congratulations to all "old" and new MVP's, that (I hope that), once again I will meet many of "old" MVP's, as well as new MVP's at MVP Global Summit on late Fabruary in Redmond!

What a Year it was! 4 Gold Medals, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze for Innovation, "Golden kuna" award,

Year 2011 is almost finished, but I am still under impression that it passed as quickly as few minutes.

But it was so fruitful that I don't know where to start, so I will look at my calendar and try to summarize it like this:

We have long history of innovation in our company and we have been awarded for our products from 2005 till today, so in 2011 we have received following awards:
1. My team won 3 Gold Medals for Innovations in Software for our product Conference@Net (INPEX Pittsgurgh USA, ARCA Croatia, INOVA Croatia), 1 Silver medal (CIGIF KOREA), 1 Bronze medal (INST Taiwain)
2. Our product Innovation@Net has been announced as "The Best Croatian Showcase" at INOVA Croatia.
3. Our company CITUS won "Golden kuna" award, as a best small innovative company in Croatia-Zagreb region http://www.raza-tpz.hr/Default.aspx?sid=5239
4. We won award Croatian Quotient of Innovation Potential http://www.raza-tpz.hr/Default.aspx?sid=4827

We have been in media (on-line, paper, TV):
1. Poslovni Dnevnik & Jutarni List: http://www.raza-tpz.hr/Default.aspx?sid=5213

ASP.NET MVC3 & Web Camps

For those who did not (yet) look at the ASP.NET MVC programming model there is good news: trainers, Microsoft Regional Directors and MVP's are delivering series of WebCamps that brings newly developed content for developers to help them start with this "new" technology.

ASP.NET MVC 3 is a framework for developing Web applications that are very easy testable and maintainable, by leveraging the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. This approach allow developers to maintain a clear separation of concerns among the responsibilities of the application – the UI logic using the view, user-input handling using the controller, and the domain logic using the model. Installation of their framework is available a package that includes templates and tools for Visual Studio 2010. ASP.NET MVC framework is built on ASP.NET 4, which means that developers can take advantage of existing ASP.NET features like authentication and authorization, profile settings, localization, and so on.

Web Camps are trainings that are suitable not just for the hard-core Microsoft developers, but also for the developers that have been using other platforms and tools. Also, it is possible to start developing using freely available tools like Visual Studio 2010 Express or WebMatrix.

After I have successfully delivered Web Camp in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am planning to deliver it again in Tuzla, but this time based on the recently announced new version of ASP.NET MVC3. Also, I am planing to deliver it in Croatia and other nearby countries as well, I will send notifications using this blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

More info about ASP.NET MVC, WebMatrix, Razor and WebCamps can be found here http://webcamps.ms/

Windows Phone 7 Series - is it able to compete with iPhone? (III)

(addition to my previous 2 articles):

After I have played with Windows Phone 7 (and being iPhone user for 3 generations of iPhone) I must say: I am impressed!

So impressed that I am developing Windows Phone 7 App, and I am not talking about that 2-day app's that most of the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace are offering, but a real, professionally produced application that will be using "cloud" services and be usefully to users :-)

I will try to produce serious of articles and training materials that will be used in events and workshops like www.mobilitybootcamp.com, www.mobilitydays.com and similar.

So take an eye on my blog :-)

I am Microsoft MVP once again! Happy New Year!

I received great New Year gift: I have been re-awarded to be an Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) again!

I would like to thank's to Communities and my collegues in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, .... hole Europe that provided me oportunity to share my knowledge!

Also, I would like to say big **thank you** to ALead: Alessandro Teglia for his great contribution to our MVP Communities as well to INETA and GITCA Communities!
Congratulations to all "old" and new MVP's Alessandro published at his blog: http://belead.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/microsoft-mvp-award-january-2011-awards/

I am especially very, very happy to see my long-term friend and collegue Catalin Gheorghiu, or by alias: MrSmesh from Romania is new MVP Device Application Development: http://itboard.ro/blogs/catalins_blog/archive/2011/01/02/acuma-pot-face-mai-mult.aspx

Congratulation!

I hope that (once again) I will meet many of "old" MVP's, as well as new MVP's at MVP Global Summit on late Fabruary in Redmond!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2011!

Dear friends and colleagues!

I wish you happy, successful and productive New Year and more time for your family and friends!

Tom

INETA supported Open Community Track on Sinergija 10 and my 3 Breakout Sessions on Wednesday