Ten Scenes From Microsoft Convergence In Atlanta

The sprawling Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Ga., was the scene for Microsoft Convergence 2010 this week, the 14th annual conference for customers and channel partners for Microsoft's Dynamics ERP and CRM applications.

Here, the keynote hall stands empty just before admitting this year's 8,500 attendees, up from 6,700 attendees at last year's conference in New Orleans. More than 10,000 solution providers work with Microsoft's Dynamics applications.

Getting to the show wasn't easy: Many trying to fly into Atlanta on Saturday, April 24, were delayed by nasty thunderstorms that rolled through the Atlanta area.

Andy Westby, senior technical product manager, Microsoft Dynamics GP (left), demonstrates the new Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 for Stephen Elop, president, Microsoft Business Division, and Convergence attendees.

Elop also announced new capabilities for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, the on-demand version of the company's CRM application, including extended language support, new development tools and integration with Dynamics GP. Elop also said that Dynamics CRM Online, until now available only in the U.S. and Canada, will be made available in 32 markets around the world by the end of this year.

"We will spend this year alone $9.5 billion investing in research and development," Elop said in his keynote speech. "About 70 percent of our engineers in our R&D teams today are focused on cloud computing-related activities and within the next two years that will grow to 90 percent."

"So there is no question Microsoft is committed to leading with this, leading with cloud computing. As we like to say, we are all in. We are all in cloud computing. But be aware that our intention is to fully embrace the cloud in a way that fits the needs of all our customers, whether on-premise, partner-hosted or Microsoft-hosted."

Kirill Tatarinov, corporate vice president, Microsoft Business Solutions, unveiled Dynamics AX for Retail, a new release of the Dynamics AX ERP suite, that's tailored for specialty retailers. Set for general availability Aug. 1, the software provides a way to integrate point-of-sale systems such as cash registers with back-end ERP applications like inventory management and ordering systems.

The application, the first Dynamics-branded retail software, is the first of a series of versions of Dynamics AX Microsoft will develop for specific vertical and even "micro-vertical" markets, Tatarinov said.

Like Elop, Tatarinov devoted a significant part of his speech extolling Microsoft's cloud computing efforts. "The cloud, perhaps, is one of the most important, significant areas of investment for Microsoft Dynamics, going forward," he said.

"Making sure that we're delivering a breadth of scenarios of cloud computing enablement. Making sure we're delivering a wealth of services that enrich both ERP and CRM systems when they [are] run from the cloud or on-premise by our customers."

Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints, the Super Bowl XLIV Champions, made an appearance at the Convergence 2010 keynote session. The New Orleans Saints organization uses the Microsoft Dynamics NAV suite of ERP applications.

Errol Schoenfish, product management director, provided a detailed look at Dynamics GP 2010, the new release of Microsoft's popular ERP application suite for midsize businesses that's due for general availability in May.

The new application boasts expanded business intelligence and reporting capabilities, some 350 pre-built Web services, and interoperability with Microsoft Office Unified Communications and Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Just as an army travels on its stomach, as the old adage goes, attendees at IT conferences and trade shows have to be fed. Caterers at the Georgia World Congress Center managed to keep up with the crush of more than 8,000 people who showed up for breakfast and (pictured here) lunch -- most just 15 minutes before the start of keynote speeches and afternoon sessions. How many times can you hear "Please move down to the furthest table"?

While Microsoft's own Pavilion dominated the center of the Convergence exposition floor, the Dynamics ecosystem is thriving, judging by the number and variety of exhibiting ISVs, resellers and service providers who have built their businesses around the Dynamics AX, CRM, GP, NAV and SL applications.

Microsoft rival NetSuite, which develops on-demand ERP, CRM and E-commerce applications, did a little guerilla marketing by hiring this truck to drive around the streets of Atlanta during the Convergence show.

While Microsoft does offer an on-demand version of its Dynamics CRM application, Dynamics AX, GP, NAV and SL are available only as on-premise applications and hosted by Microsoft partners. While Microsoft calls the hybrid approach "Software + Services," NetSuite has been vocal in declaring that what Microsoft is offering is not true cloud computing -- hence, the "Got Cloud?" question plastered on the side of this truck.