Having a virtual option means hundreds of people

SMB Nation is taking conference attendees "Back to the Future" with its SMB Nation 2012 Fall Conference. This year's 10th anniversary conference will honor the past while looking to the SMB IT channel's future as it examines the evolution of Windows, cloud computing, mobile technology and both hybrid and on-premises IT infrastructure.

Hundreds of IT professionals and SMB channel community members will attend this year's conference in Las Vegas, but in a first, conference-goers can also attend virtually via live webcast.

"We were floored by the overwhelming response to this past winter's MVP Nation webcast," said Harry Brelsford, founder and chairman of SMB Nation. "So we're doing it again with SMB Nation this fall. Having a virtual option means hundreds of people will be able to attend who otherwise couldn't, whether for logistical or financial reasons."

Conference attendees have the option of focusing on one of three content tracksthe "Geek Speak, business or community track.

The Geek Speak track contains highly technical content with a focus on Windows 8, Small Business Server, cloud computing, mobility, security, BYOD and virtualization. Sessions take a variety of formats, including traditional presentations, expert panels and free-form technical discussion forums that bring together attendees, subject matter experts and Microsoft Most Valued Professionals (MVPs). Specific session topics include a deep dive into Windows 8, troubleshooting Office 365 deployments and SMB mobility technology trends. The topics of this year's technical sessions were determined by a poll of SMB Nation readers.

The conference's business track focuses primarily on sales, marketing and businesses opportunities in the SMB IT sector. Specific session titles include "Fast-Fast Marketing for MSPs," "Sales Training 101" and "Growing a Profitable Service Desk." Harry Brelsford will also kick off SMB Nation's new pocketMBA program at this year's conference. Attendees who enroll as charter students in the pocketMBA program will have all of their conference frees waived.

"SMB Nation truly can be all things for all people," said Brelsford. "This year's conference has top quality technical, business and community content. But I'm especially excited about the pocketMBA 2.0 program. The business community is pushing IT to move beyond the role of mere service providers. They need IT consultants who can take the initiative in developing and integrating solutions that enhance efficiency and productivity. The pocketMBA program is made to help IT pros fill those shoes."   

The community track is geared toward channel members who want to network with their colleagues and understand recent developments in the SMB technology channel. This track features a number of SMB Nation community sponsors who will make educational presentations on such topics as business continuity, cloud storage and backup, virtualization and cyber security.

As Microsofts Jon Roskill mentioned earlier this week at WPC in his keynote address, both the business and IT communities are in the midst of major transformations, and its partner organizations like SMB Nation that will play a key role in helping IT professionals make that transition, said Tom Poole, CEO of SMB Nation. Our conference this year is completely focused on helping IT professionals prepare for the changing technological and business landscapes.