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Microsoft Launching 'Ignite' Tech Conference in 2015

Microsoft will fold several of its previously separate technology events into one conference in May 2015 called "Microsoft Ignite," the company announced on Thursday.

Ignite will take place on May 4 through May 8 in Chicago at the McCormick Place meeting center, according to Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president of communications at Microsoft, in an announcement. Ignite will include programs from "the [Microsoft] Management Summit, [and] the Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, Project, and TechEd conferences," Shaw said.

Early registration for Ignite (before Dec. 11, 2014) costs $1,920 for the full conference, but it jumps to $2,220 thereafter. The Ignite registration page can be accessed here.

The event will include programs for Microsoft technologies that include Azure infrastructure and management, operating systems, mobile devices, unified communications and big data, according to Shaw. It will also have technical sessions, labs and certification-related activities. Microsoft had hinted that it planned to combine its various IT pro events back in July.

The new Ignite event will bring out Microsoft's engineers and executives, Shaw promised. On the docket will be Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, as well as executives such as "Brad Anderson, Joe Belfiore, Dave Campbell, Peggy Johnson, Chris Jones, Julie Larson Green, Gurdeep Singh Pall," he noted.

While the Ignite event shares the same name as Microsoft's Ignite partner program, there's no connection. Microsoft will hold its next Worldwide Partner Conference in Orlando from July 12 to July 16. It's also planning to hold its next Convergence event in Atlanta on March 16 to March 19.

Microsoft's Build event for developers is planned for April 29 to May 1 in San Francisco. Earlier this year, Microsoft had indicated that it would reinstate its WinHEC event for hardware developers. The next WinHEC event is scheduled from March 18 to March 19 in Shenzhen, China.

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.

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