Are you passionate about data in general and the Microsoft data platform in particular? If so, you won’t want to miss out on dataMinds Connect, the technical user conference organised by Microsoft and the Belgian Power BI User Group (PBIUG), which is attended by more than 400 data enthusiasts every year. Due to a certain obnoxious virus, this year’s edition has turned into a one-day virtual event. But it won’t be any less interesting for it, judging by its preliminary program and speakers – including, of course, our very own LACO experts in data analytics.
Over the years, dataMinds Connect has evolved into the foremost technical conference for Microsoft data professionals and partners in Belgium. Here, in other words, is where you obtain the latest information on this increasingly important part of Microsoft’s business. Along with that, you get a host of real-life examples showing you how Microsoft technologies are used in the domains of database development, data management and engineering, as well as data analytics.
In recent years, Microsoft has been quite busy extending its data platform with more and more complementary tools and solutions, turning it into an ever more comprehensive offering. In the process, the Redwood giant has become one of the leading vendors in this particular field of enterprise software.
With almost 50 presentations the 2020 edition of dataMinds Connect offers, you might get lost. To ensure you won’t overlook some not to be missed sessions, I give you 5 topics from the program you shouldn’t miss.
‘Bringing your SAS environment to Azure’
When: 10 AM, Where: Go To Cloud-track
Microsoft & SAS: strategic partners
Earlier this year, in June, Microsoft once again boosted its data offering with the announcement of a strategic partnership with SAS, a trusted analytics powerhouse for over twenty years. To further democratize analytics, both partners intend to build on SAS integrations across Microsoft cloud solutions for Azure, Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365 and Power Platform.
As you can imagine, both SAS and Microsoft customers are keenly interested to hear what this promising new partnership will bring to their businesses in the forthcoming years. And the dataMinds Connect conference provides the ideal opportunity to hear just that. From my colleagues and I first and foremost, I am tempted to say, as LACO has not only been partnering with Microsoft since 2006 but was also the first SAS partner in Belgium, way back in 1994.
Our own conference session will therefore provide you with a good introduction and clear insight into this new combined architecture. Since a lot of organisations in Belgium have, somewhere in their data and analytics space, a SAS as well as a Microsoft environment, such a session is all the more interesting and relevant for many of them. So whether you’re a Microsoft consultant who wishes to discover the many synergies with SAS or you’re a SAS consultant looking for a better understanding of the possibilities of Microsoft’s Azure Cloud Platform, my colleagues and I are sure to enlighten you.
Concrete pitfalls to avoid when bringing SAS on Azure
As part of their strategic partnership, SAS’ analytical products and industry solutions will be migrated onto Microsoft Azure as the preferred cloud provider for the SAS Cloud. In our LACO conference session, my colleagues and I will explain how to do this, incorporating in our presentation, among others, a technical demo about the first containerised SAS deployment as well as some lessons learned from the very first SAS cloudification projects in Belgium.
4 other recommended sessions at dataMinds Connect
Following our morning session, which starts at 10 AM, here are some other conference sessions I would like to recommend, if only because they tie in so well with our own service offering:
- ‘The Enterprise Cloud Journey Learning Curve’ (11:15 AM, Go To Cloud-Track)
This session will give you a broader perspective on the possibilities and constraints of moving your data to the cloud. - ‘Power BI Security Deep Dive’ (1:15 PM, Power BI-Track)
Security is an important aspect of every enterprise reporting solution. And because of privacy regulations (GDPR) as well as cybersecurity challenges, security should be getting more attention in data and reporting projects as well. - ‘Do You Speak English? Localized Reports with Power BI’ (2:30 PM, Power BI-Track)
Localization is certainly an important feature, if you wish to use Power BI in a multi-language environment, such as Belgium. - ‘Top 10 Essential Actions for Governing Power BI’ (3:45 PM, Power BI-Track)
We all want a sustainable Power BI solution. And that’s where governance comes in, ensuring that our customers and their end-users remain happy with the possibilities of Power BI in the long run.
DataMinds Connect 2020 is taking place on Tuesday 13 October. Don’t forget to mark the date on your calendar, as this is an event you don’t want to miss! Registration is free.
