First of all I would like to wish everybody a healthy and successful 2014! Let’s hope that all of your and your families whishes may come true!
Like every year I want take this moment to look back at another exceptional System Center and community year!
The year 2013 was again a superb year for me, it was the year of….
- January: In January I released my first PowerShell script, using the native Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 cmdlets. In almost a year the “How to cleanup in AD deleted devices via Powershell in ConfigMgr 2012 SP1” script has been downloaded more than 1260 times. In January Service Pack 1 of Configuraiton Manager 2012 was also released to the public. Many new and nice features were covered in my top 10 blog series. (started in January and ended in June, oops 😉 )
- February: My first MVP summit in Seattle, met a lot of great fellow MVP’s and peers from within Microsoft. What a great week! February was also the month of Setup Commander almost being released and a quick overview how you are able to manage which device with Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 (and later R2).
- March: The start of March 2013 was great, I was able to present a session together with Kenneth van Surksum at Techdays Netherlands 2013. During our session we shared notes from the field about the implementation of Configuration Manager 2012 Service Pack 1. With the AppInASnap template I released a Windows 8 app which can be used to read my blogs from a real modern Windows 8 app. 🙂
- April: Again very honored to be re-awarded as a Microsoft MVP, this time with a new name, Enterprise Client Management. (Configuration Manager and Windows Intune. Also attended the last Microsoft Management Summit ever (?), I will miss this great event in 2014. April was also the month that we have introduced the Windows Management User Group Netherlands, with the user group we want to provide a platform for the IT-Pro’s to share their knowledge about Managing Windows. The first of April was also the date that I joined IT-Concern five years ago, five years ago I was able to there when IT-Concern came to life! What an adventure it was and how nice to see where we are now. 🙂
- May: May is always a nice time of the year with a lot of birthdays 🙂 But also the month I ran into a couple of “issues” I shared via this blog. Read here, here, here, here and here 🙂 Also our first User Group meeting was there!
- June: In June I said yes to commit in writing a book again. In April 2014 the book Mastering System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager from Sybex will be released. Pre-order it here 🙂 Very busy times but so cool to write a book again, this time six chapters. Also Configuration Manager 2012 R2 and Windows Intune with many enhancements were announced at TechEd US. Our second User Group meeting with Wally Mead was there and during this meeting Setup Commander was finally released to the public!
- July: In July my “dream” came thru, the invitation to present at TechEd Australia and TechEd New Zealand was been received. Together with James Bannan 3 sessions, WAUW! July also the month of many writing hours, so unfortunately less blogging hours. If you want to know how to get rid of a CAS, check this 🙂
- August: Besides writing also a lot of preparing of the sessions in Australia and New Zealand was done and we learned about Reassigning distribution points in ConfigMgr 2012 R2.
- September: TechEd Australia and TechEd New Zealand, what an experience! Two weeks back to back, two TechEd’s and meeting a lot of very nice people Down Under! Did a presentation in English for the first time on the other side of the world. But with the support of my fellow MVPs James Bannan and Kent Agerlund it was a nice experience, hopefully this year we get another go! Also you are able to preorder the Mastering System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager book 🙂 The rest of the month was spend in Spain, enjoying a well deserved holiday.
- October: Let the fun begin, the release of Configuration Manager 2012 R2! Also preparing another session for Experts Live, the community event of the year that will be held in November. Also released a second PowerShell script (How to migrate approved software updates from WSUS to ConfigMgr 2012).
- November: For the second time this year we were able to host Wally Mead at our Windows Management User Group. During the Friday Afternoon Drink we learned all the latest about the new features in Configuration Manager 2012 R2 and Windows Intune. As from now also the Android Company Portal for Windows Intune and Configuration Manager 2012 was released. (yes, more on this later this year 😉 ) Experts Live , the community event of the year was being held, was nice being part of the organization, the keynote and with a session part of the great list of speakers. Already looking forward to the next edition of Experts Live. November was also the month of the second official MVP Summit in Seattle, for the fifth time in a year a week from home.
- December: December is always a busy month with new goodies, the book is almost finished we are in the stage of production editing and work and I had a look at the Ironkey Secure USB key together with Windows To Go and Configuration Manager 2012 R2 (part1, part2 and part3). A nice combination if you ask me. Hopefully my new Facebook comment plugin will do its work better than the old one because there was no notification available which caused that I missed a lot of comments or saw them way to late, also moved this blog to Windows Azure!
2013 what a year! I was able to be very busy with a lot of nice Configuration Manager 2012 projects, the nice trips and again writing a book. 2014 is going to be again an exiting year! My book will be released in April, lots of Configuration Manager projects and work on the roll!
Again happy New Year to you all, stay healthy!
Thanks for reading my blogs and giving feedback, hope to see you again this year! The ConfigMgr community rocks!
Cheers,
Peter