While some details about SharePoint Server 2016’s first feature pack and the hybrid SharePoint roadmap have already come out of Ignite, there are plenty of sessions at this year’s European SharePoint Conference in Vienna you won’t want to miss. Below are the top eight must-see sessions hosted by Microsoft execs and MVPs that will help you get the scoop on what else is coming in the new year, how to implement hybrid scenarios in your organization, and how to get the most out of what you’ve already invested in.
SharePoint Server 2016 Sessions
- Explore Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016 and Beyond
When: 4:45PM – 5:45PM on Wednesday, November 16
Who should go: Executives and Managers
What you’ll learn: When the announcement was made that SharePoint Server 2016 would get incremental updates, everyone was very much excited to not have to wait three years for server side improvements. In this session, Microsoft Sr. Product Manager Bill Baer will be sharing the roadmap and detail what to expect from the platform in 2017.
- MinRole – Simplifying Deployment
When: 3:15PM – 4:15PM on Tuesday, November 15
Who should go: IT Pros, Architects, and Developers
What you’ll learn: New to SharePoint, MinRole helps simplify deployment and maintenance by specifying what services need to be run on which server. In this session, Microsoft China engineers Shannon Koh and Sanjoyan Mustafi will be demonstrating how to deploy a farm using MinRole.
Hybrid SharePoint Sessions
- Heirlooms and Hybrid SharePoint – Governance and Design Practices for Business Scenarios
When: 9:00AM – 5:00PM on Monday, November 14
Who should go: Executives, Managers, Architects, and IT Pros
What you’ll learn: The first question everyone asks when they consider a hybrid SharePoint deployment is, “What belongs in the cloud, and what belongs on premises?” In this session, Microsoft Sr. Product Manager for SharePoint and OneDrive Chris McNulty will cover real-world examples of hybrid solutions, share governance and architecture best practices, and run through how to install and configure a hybrid SharePoint architecture.
- SharePoint and Office 365 Hybrid Configuration from A to Z
When: 4:45PM – 5:45PM on Wednesday, November 16
Who should go: IT Pros
What you’ll learn: Have you heard of the Hybrid Picker? It’s Microsoft’s tool to help you set up a hybrid SharePoint and Office 365 scenario, and this session will teach you how to use it! MVP Nicolas Georgeault will also share how to connect your SharePoint Server to SharePoint Online.
SharePoint Migration, Management, and Data Protection Sessions
In addition to providing the latest updates from Microsoft, this conference offers a great opportunity to share best practices to optimize your deployment and address common pain points. Below I’ve picked the top sessions for accelerating a migration project, building and managing your deployment, protecting your data, and driving sustainable adoption.
- How to Best Plan, Manage, and Control Migration Projects
When: 11:45AM – 12:45PM on Thursday, November 17
Who should go: Executives and Project Managers
What you’ll learn: Whether you’re migrating to the cloud, upgrading to a new server, or deploying a hybrid scenario, this session will arm you with a proven five-step approach to a successful migration. Some of the main issues MVP Dux Raymond Sy will address are getting organizational buy-in, mapping business needs with features, and aligning architecture and data governance strategies.
- Modern SharePoint Development using SharePoint Framework, Webhooks, and Beyond
When: 9:00AM – 5:00PM on Monday, November 14
Who should go: Developers and Architects
What you’ll learn: Work with Microsoft USA engineers Vesa Juvonen and Mike Ammerlaan using the latest developer tools like SharePoint Framework, Webhooks, and the Graph API, and find out the direction for developers in the coming future. This session will also provide a demonstration of how to build sample applications and integrations into SharePoint.
- Keep Your OneDrive and SharePoint Content Safe
When: 11:45AM – 12:45PM on Wednesday, November 16
Who should go: Executives and IT Pros
What you’ll learn: In this session, Chris McNulty will be covering SharePoint Online and Office 365 features that will help you keep your content safe, including: device and application management, access policies, auditing, and data loss prevention (DLP).
- How Kapsch Drives Business Value with SharePoint
When: 3:15PM – 4:15PM on Tuesday, November 15
Who should go: Executives and IT Pros
What you’ll learn: Whenever you install any new software, you’ll want to quantifiably prove its value to the business and ensure sustainable adoption of your new investment. In this session, MVP Paul Olenick and Leeroy Chaplin will share how global enterprise Kapsch Group does so with their SharePoint environment. What better way to learn how to prove the ROI of SharePoint and solve user adoption problems than chatting with people who have successfully done so themselves?
Join Us at the Conference!
Stop by booth 22 to meet with our team members and subject matter experts! Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation to learn how to migrate and govern your SharePoint and Office 365 data.
Can’t make it to Vienna? Sign up for our #ESPC16 recap webinar at 2pm CET on Thursday, November 24. We’ll be sharing all of our key lessons learned and top takeaways you need to know.
