ACE Award Winner

The Award for Customer Excellence (ACE) program was created to reward and recognize customers who have demonstrated enthusiasm for Microsoft® products.

I have been given Microsoft ACE (Award for Customer Excellence) Award for VS 2005. I recieved an email from Microsoft ACE program and couldnt belive it. I am happy and elated! Its a second achievement the first one being Microsoft MVP Award. I hope and wish to Almighty Allah that I am gonna conitnue on this path! Wish me Good Luck!

BizTalk Server 2006 (Beta 2 Launch)

BizTalk Server 2006 Beta 2 has been launched by Microsoft. For those who want to get their hands onto it are adviced to logon to Microsoft Beta Home. Once you are registered you can not only download beta 2 but also ODBA (Orechestration Designer for Business Analyst) beta 2 as well as BizTalk Adapters for Enterprise Applications. I believe its a must download,try and learn oppurtunity for all serious EAI folks and gurus out there.

Happy BizTalking!

NIIT .NET UG Launch / VS 2005 Launch Event

- Launching User Group:
NIIT .NET User Group was launched by Dr. Arshad Ali (DG NIIT) and Hammad Rajjoub (Chariman UG Relations committee INETA Pakistan). NIIT .NET UG objectives were presented and it was vowed that NIIT .NET user group will be an active and vibrant UG and will consitently hold seminars and workshops on .NET and its related technologies.
- Launching VS 2005:
VS 2005 was launched at NIIT .NET’s first UG event. Hammad Rajjoub presented the introductory speech on VS 2005 and highlighted new and exciting technologies that are released with VS 2005, SQL 2005 and BizTalk 2006. This, perhaps, was the first VS 2005 Launch event of the whole region. This also was the first launch event by INETA Pakistan and we are planning to come up with more events (atleast one event every month).
- Introducing Imagine Cup 2006:
Imagine Cup was introduced by Hammad Rajjoub (Microsoft MVP and member of INETA MEA Speakers Bureau). Dr. Arshad Ali (DG NIIT) asked the students to pariticipate in Imagine Cup whole heartedly and earn a name for themselves as well as for the instiute. He further said NIIT will ensure whatever resources will be required for INETA/Imagine Cup will be aligned and provided without any hassle to the students. [So we are expecting good number of entries from NIIT.]


This is the event report that i recieved from NIIT .NET UG representative

.....On the first day of workshop invited speaker Mr. Hammad Rajjoub spoke on the topic of XML and web services. About 40 students attended his session, he began with the overview of traditional distributed computing and discussed in details pros and cons of traditional distributed system, which lead to the ultimate need of a powerful solution for all traditional distributed system problems which ultimately evolved in form of XML Web Services. The session proceeded comprehensive discussion on XML, SOAP, HTTP, WSDL and UDDI. Mr. Hammad also discussed few new features in Visual Studio 2005, Ms SQL Server 2005 and Ms BizTalk Server 2006. He ended up demonstrating how simple it is to create web service endpoints in SQL Server for exposing data to remote entities. Overall audience enjoyed the technical discussion a greatly appreciated the efforts of INETA NIIT Chapter in regard of arranging this session.

INETA Pakistan to Launch VS 2005 at NUST Institute of IT (NIIT)

INETA Pakistan will be launching VS 2005 at NIIT (NUST Institute of Technology) tomorrow evening Insha Allah. I will be doing a presentation there on following topics:

1- Introducing VS 2005 Launch
2- Introducing XML Webservices
3- Webservices support in SQL Server 2005
4- Introducing Imagine Cup 2006

This would also be the launch of a .net user group at NIIT. I have already met DG of NIIT (Dr. Arshad Ali) and he was very supportive and said INETA User Group at NIIT should be very active and examplry in all positive manners. I am hoping NIIT .NET UG would become an effective and leading User Group of the region. Also this VS 2005 launch will pave the way for other User groups to follow.

I will keep you posted with the event presentations and code.

Speechless :)

Upcoming Technologies on Microsoft.Net Development Platform: Part I

Check out my new article on second generation of .NET platform available at Longhorn Corner. I'd be happy to hear back from you.

1 Day to go

Tomorrow would be an important day in the history of commercial applications. Microsoft is going to launch Visual Studio 2005, SQL Server 2005, and BizTalk Server 2006. I am all too excited. These very releases can dictate the terms of how applications are going to be built in many years to come.

Click here for more details

Make sure you catch all the action and be the first one to know. INETA Pakistan will launch series of Launch Events that are going to help introduce these exciting technologies to developer/academic community.

Working with Federal Relief Commission

Just when I thought I was picking up the right momentum to carry through with MS Touchdown trainings I was asked to travel to Islamabad and participate in Federal Relief Commissions initiative in automation of Relief and Rehabilition activities. I stayed in Islamabad for a day more than a week and worked day and night with a great team under the leadership of Mr. Rizwan Munawwar (MS Technology Consultant). If you are interested in finding out more about happenings during my Islamabad stay you are welcome to read my blog at http://7days8nightsinisb.blogspot.com/

Eid Greeting

Eid Greeting to all of .NETWizards readers, contributers and observers. I am glad to recieve your comments, critiques and opinions about .NET in general and my technical skills in particular. Your continous interest has made the difference and has always kept me eager to share whatever good i know.

Hammad Rajjoub