Balsamiq Templates Collection

Balsamiq is an excellent tool that I use to design application storyboards, mockups and functional specs, and I’ve to admit that since I’ve discovered it, I prefer it rather than Microsoft SketchFlow. It’s also interesting the company behind the product and the philosophy of the founder (…one of the few italian guys running a startup).

Anyway for whom is working with Balsamiq I’m landed on a must-link site providing for free additional templates that can be used to enrich the Balsamiq library to support different sketch style (as example SharePoint 2010 and iPad). Take a look to: http://mockupstogo.net/

Azure UG Switzerland – 23.09.2011

By enabling you to build, host and scale your applications in the Cloud, Windows Azure is the unifying factor coming for the enterprise.

If you missed the opportunity to attend the Build Conference in Anaheim, California, please joint us on Friday September 23rd, 9 to 12 AM, for a discovery tour of all the latest features and capabilities of the Microsoft Cloud Platform, a tour presented by Switzerland’s first Windows Azure MVP Benjamin Soulier.

Then you will hear about a real life experience presented by Mr. Adam Jones of The Global Fund.

Registration:

Attendance is free, kindly register at:

http://www.azureusergroup.ch/

Location:

Chemin de Précossy 27

Cambridge Technology Partners Office

1260 Nyon

Schedule:

Date: Friday September 23^rd 2011

Time: 9AM to 12AM

Agenda:

09:00-09:30: Breakfast,

09:30-10:15: Session: Benjamin Soulier -

Technorati Tags: Azure UG

All about new the features coming to Azure

10:15-10:30: Break

10:30-11:15: Session: A customer’s voice: Adam Jones from The Global Fund

11:15-12:00: Open discussion

SharePoint 2010 – NLB vs Hardware Load Balancer

In the last period, many times I was involved in discussions with customers regarding the adoption of the out-of-the-box Windows Server NLB (Network Load Balancer) or dedicated hardware solution (Cisco, F5, Coyote, etc.)

I’ve tried to summarize my mental pattern about this argument, in the table below (…well, I censored Duff & Donuts from my thoughts):

	PROS	CONS
NLB	It’s cheaper (already available as part of Windows Server stack). Rapid deployment and adoption: SharePoint team doesn’t need to rely on the infrastructure team for the configuration; No real technical expertise needed;	NLB works at socket level (TCP/UDP) and doesn’t provide any specific feature or optimization for http/https. A dedicated NIC (network card) is strongly recommended. Governance and Operations of NLB cluster could be tricky: more people must be made aware of NLB configurations Configuration could be tricky in presence of multicast traffic. No caching capability is provided: for http/https is expected to rely on Microsoft ISA or IAG; No certificate management: Certificate must be individually managed in IIS; Some Governance is needed; No compression capability: for http/https is expected to rely on IIS 7.x Technology is …antique, well not really an issue but NLB was created to balance COM+ application with NT4/OptionPack
Hardware Load Balancer	Improved Performance, https traffic is managed at hardware level; Low latency during the switching in case of High-Availability configuration. SSL and HTTPS configuration is managed internally, making it transparent to IIS/SharePoint configuration. Caching capabilities if needed (don’t abuse of this). High-Availability generally supports dependency rules on how to route packets in case of unavailability of specific servers/application tiers. Support of protocol specific rules (http, https, etc.) Support of Security Rules; Technical Agnosticism, the tools can be used to balance Windows, Linux, Web Server, sockets, email servers. Governance in the sense that there is a centralized point of management for all the needs regarding balancing, high-availability, security etc.	Expensive, for sure it something to be acquired and identifying the best solution won’t be easy ‘cause the huge amount of options in the market. Learning Curve

Rules of Thumb

• Use NLB if hardware load balancer is not available  and there are no plans on that (polite way to say no budget);
• In the Intranet, if reverse proxy isn’t available (sometimes the hardware load balancer is available only for Internet traffic);
• As Tactical Solution (as example for running stress test on your new project in a stage environment if the hardware solution is not available or cannot be used);
• We can definitely state that a strategic solution must rely on hardware load balancer, a tactical solution could rely on a software NLB.

SharePoint Governance, ITIL and MOF 4.0

In these times I’m working for different customers in defining some models of SharePoint Governance modeling processes, planning strategies and defining maturity models in IT organizations to support a SharePoint Service Line being able to manage heterogeneous organization business departments:

I’ve to say that it’s a very interesting and quite challenging topic and I’m strongly leveraging the experience I’ve done in the last years where I’ve used ITIL v3 to support IT organizations in adopting an ALM strategy based on Team Foundation Server.

Here my personal quick annotation of useful resources regarding Services Frameworks.

Process-Map

ITIL.org

MOF Team Blog Announcement

MOF IT Library

Get the Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0

Azure User Group Suisse – Moved to 16th February 2011

Technorati Tags: Azure,Cloud

Hi everyone, I’m very proud to re-announce the first Azure User Group Suisse Meeting that will be in held in Nyon on 16.02.2011 (I know it was originally planned for the 02 Feb), thanks to Cambridge Technology Partners that will provide the conference room and the technical infrastructure to run the meeting.

The Group Leader is my dear friend and great speaker Benjamin Soulier and we’ve decided to run this initiative together to have the opportunity to share ideas and experience for a technology we’re sure is going to drive the IT projects in the incoming years.

The idea is to import in Suisse the User Groups UK formula where communities and groups are largely spreaded with some common features:

• Contents and Topics are directly chosen by group members;
• Live events every 2-3 months in off-work hours (18,00-20,00)
• 2 Sessions of 1 Hours
• Final drink with networking and free sharing-experience

More information here

Event Manifesto

This year has been announced by numerous IT analysts as the year of Cloud Computing.
As a first initiative around Microsoft cloud technologies, you are invited to discover and get up to date with the next IT revolution.
The event is organized with the support of Cambridge Technology Partners that provides the conference room and the tec...hnical infrastructure to run the meeting and will consist of two great sessions, some networking and a final apero’.

Session 1 – Emmanuel Mesas - from Microsoft
We’re honored of having Microsoft with us that will take the first session about the cloud proposal and Microsoft vision.

Session 2 – Benjamin Soulier - A Lap Around Azure
This session will explain all what you need to start building your applications in the cloud.
What you need to know to start your projects in the cloud in an effective way.
The Goal of this session is understanding how to write code, test it locally & deploy and maintain your application in the Cloud

Call To Action:

I’m looking to speakers and Topics for the next events and obviously I am not necessarily looking for seasoned speakers. In fact the value that group bring to all of you is that you are part of community and if you want to share a good story to tell about real world implementation you can do that!

Why should you speak at Meetings:

• To practice your public speaking abilities in a friendly environment
• To promote your name and measure your technical skills
• To have the opportunity to share your experiences for everyone benefits and viceversa

If you’re interested, please write to me: corrado.iorizzo [a--t] yahoo.co.uk or drop a comment on this blog.

ALM Day 2011 – Team Foundation Server and ITIL to support IT processes

I’m very proud of being invited by Microsoft Switzerland to speak at the ALM Day 2011 on 27 January 2011 in Zurich about our experience on the implementation of IT business processes on the top of Team Foundation Server.

It this meeting I’m honored of the presence of Luis Marcos that gave me the opportunity to work together on the automation of some delivery processes in JT International and we co-present the session.

I can also announce that Cambridge Technology Partners, is organizing another ALM Day that will be held in Suisse Romande most probably in march.

Technorati Tags: ALM,TFS

Azure User Group Suisse – 02.02.2011 Call for User Groups Sessions

Technorati Tags: Azure,Cloud

Hi everyone, I’m very proud to announce the first Azure User Group Suisse Meeting that will be in held in Nyon on 02.02.2011, thanks to Cambridge Technology Partners that will provide the conference room and the technical infrastructure to run the meeting.

The Group Leader is my dear friend and great speaker Benjamin Soulier and we’ve decided to run this initiative together to have the opportunity to share ideas and experience for a technology we’re sure is going to drive the IT projects in the incoming years.

The idea is to import in Suisse the User Groups UK formula where communities and groups are largely spreaded and have some common features:

• Contents and Topics are directly chosen by group members;
• Live events every 2-3 months in off-work hours (17,30-20,00)
  • 2 Sessions of 1 Hours
  • Final drink with networking and free sharing-experience

Call To Action:

I’m looking to speakers and Topics for the first events and obviously I am not necessarily looking for seasoned speakers. In fact the value that group bring to all of you is that you are part of community and if you want to share a good story to tell about real world implementation you can do that!

Why should you speak at Meetings:

• To practice your public speaking abilities in a friendly environment
• To promote your name and measure your technical skills
• To have the opportunity to share your experiences for everyone benefits and viceversa

If you’re interested, please write to me: corrado.iorizzo [a--t] yahoo.co.uk or drop a comment on this blog.