{"id":13909,"date":"2012-12-18T20:48:40","date_gmt":"2012-12-18T20:48:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aidanfinn.com\/?p=13909"},"modified":"2016-10-03T17:09:37","modified_gmt":"2016-10-03T16:09:37","slug":"a-beginners-guide-to-the-mvp-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aidanfinn.com\/?p=13909","title":{"rendered":"A Beginners Guide To The MVP Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post was edited\/updated on 27\/August\/2014.<\/em><\/p>\n

For the past few years I\u2019ve been sending my \u201cGuide to the MVP Summit\u201d to friends who were newly minted MVPs. This year, I thought I\u2019d share my guide (with hush-hush stuff removed) so everyone could get an idea of what goes on.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s an MVP?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A Microsoft Valuable Professional is, according to Microsoft<\/a>:<\/p>\n

MVPs are independent experts who are offered a close connection with people at Microsoft. To acknowledge MVPs\u2019 leadership and provide a platform to help support their efforts, Microsoft often gives MVPs early access to Microsoft products, as well as the opportunity to pass on their highly targeted feedback and recommendations about product design, development, and support.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"MVP_BlueOnly\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There are around 4,200 of us around the world with all sorts of expertise<\/a>. For example, there are around 14 of us in Ireland, and I am in the Cloud & Datacenter Management (CDM) expertise – note the the program now allows an MVP to have more than 1 exptertise. There are other Irish MVPs have the Cloud and Datacenter expertise, as well as other expertises from across the Microsoft portfolio.<\/p>\n

We vary from Xbox experts, Office365 gurus, and Windows Server wizards. Our community can be found on forums, writing books, delivering training, blogging, podcasting, updating wikis, speaking at road shows, presenting at launch events, and running user groups. And from time to time, we work too \"Smile\"<\/p>\n

There are no exams to become an MVP.\u00a0 After making contributions to the community over time, people get recognised by other MVPs or Microsoft employees.\u00a0 A person is nominated and evaluated.\u00a0 If they\u2019re lucky they are awarded with MVP status.\u00a0 And that status is good for 1 year.\u00a0 At the 9-10 month mark, the whole evaluation begins again based on our contributions over the past year.\u00a0 There is no sitting on your laurels when you are an MVP; you don\u2019t want to lose your status and lose access to the MVP Summit.<\/p>\n

What is the MVP Summit?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We get a number of benefits as MVPs but this is the crown jewel. The MVP Summit<\/a> is a conference, held usually in Microsoft HQ at Redmond and in nearby Bellevue, where MVPs and members of product groups get together for several days. The contents of the conference are under NDA \u2026 it\u2019s kind of like Fight Club: the first rule is not to talk about Summit, and the second rule is not to talk about Summit.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The sessions we attend are mixed, from general content to focused sessions with the folks who helped create the product that we are experts in. I can\u2019t talk much more about it \u2026. but these sessions can be amazing.\u00a0 We can learn a lot from the makers of the product.\u00a0 Why would Microsoft do this at their expense?\u00a0 Simple: we\u2019re out there talking about their product in markets that they cannot reach.\u00a0 For example, I have used my education to teach Microsoft partners in Ireland, to blog here, to write a book, and to speak at many events and podcasts, and author whitepapers.\u00a0 We are independent (VMware folks might say different about me, but I get a lot of heat from time to time for my \u2026 \u2026 independence) so people value what we have to say, instead of listening to the same old canned presentations from Microsoft marketing.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just a 1-way flow of information. It is alleged that Steve Ballmer once said that MVPs were people who asked questions with exclamations at the end, e.g. \u201cWill we get NIC teaming in Windows Server vNext!!!!!\u201d \"Smile\" We tend to bring lists of feature requests and feedback. A lot of what’s in Windows Server 2016 was because of MVP feedback (I wish I could say what bits!).\u00a0 The cool thing is that the program managers welcome our feedback, either because it’s unexpected or because it provides them with the metrics to support something that they’ve been pushing for.<\/p>\n

One of the great things is the networking.\u00a0 We MVPs get to meet each other and our friends from other countries. I\u2019ve gotten to know developers, Office 365 experts, System Center people, and the list goes on. This proves useful for that \u201cquick question\u201d. One hand washes the other: sometimes we find work opportunities for each other. And yes, you make all kinds of friends. Some of the best people I know I met at the Summit, and they’re the sort of close friends that I was delighted to invite to my wedding.<\/p>\n

Where is It?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Your life during this week will centre around Bellevue and Redmond.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There are a number of conference hotels. The big three are:<\/p>\n