Microsoft Solutions Experience (MSE): Bring your challenges, ideas, and questions and meet face-to-face with the Microsoft experts who built the products you use every day, and learn about the latest Microsoft technologies and solutions. Areas in the MSE cover Server-Cloud-Tools, Unified Communications, Microsoft Office, Windows Client, and Windows Phone.

Partner Solutions: The TechExpo brings together Microsoft Partners to showcase the latest technologies and solutions and provides a chance to talk directly with product experts about their offerings.  Explore the hall and meet with the TechEd Sponsors and Exhibitors—and don't miss the TechExpo Welcome Reception on Monday evening, a great networking opportunity.

Community Resource Zone: Meet some of the technical community's most noted influencers and active participants in the CRZ. Learn about available resources and how you can get involved in the Community.

Digital Wall: Find out about the latest event updates, meet and network with other attendees and learn what's happening at TechEd each day.

The TechExpo is a hub of activity at TechEd, with many opportunities to network, learn, and share information with your peers and industry experts. We look forward to seeing you there!

Mark your calendars for the Welcome Reception held in the TechExpo:

• Monday, June 3 6:00-8:00 PM in Halls CDEF at TechEd North America
• Tuesday, 25 June 18:00-20:30 in Hall 8 at TechEd Europe

Find out what's in store at the TechExpo at both TechEd North America and TechEd Europe.

Since we can't resist giving our advice, here are some essential New Orleans highlights you won't want to miss:

Must-eat foods and where to get them:

It's all about the food, right?  First of all, you have to have a Po-Boy, but it may be hard to choose between the shrimp, oyster, or endless other varieties. Why not try a half-and-half? For history on the iconic Po-Boy sandwich and a list of local sources: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/cuisine/traditionalfoods/poboys.html  (We also hear Crabby Jack's is good: http://crabbyjacksnola.com/)

Beyond the Po-Boy, try these favorites:

• Cajun food, live music and dancing at Mulate's (right by the convention center): http://www.mulates.com/
• Muffuletta sandwiches at Napoleon House (come on... get a whole one!) http://napoleonhouse.com/
• Oysters from Pascal's Manale: http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/pascalsmanale/
• Crab au Gratin and maybe a little Bread Pudding at Bon Ton Café: http://www.thebontoncafe.com/
• Beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde: http://cafedumonde.com/
• BBQ Shrimp or a Crawfish Boil – from anywhere and everywhere!

Nightlife and music:

You've heard of Pat O'Brien's and the House of Blues (where we hope you'll join the TechEd Jam Session on Tuesday night). But, maybe you're looking for an after-hours hangout with live music, fried pickles, and... bowling? Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl is a local institution: http://www.rocknbowl.com/

If bowling is not your thing, try:

• Live local Jazz (no food and standing room only, but a mandatory stop in the French Quarter) at Preservation Hall: http://preservationhall.com  
• Jazz and dinner at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro (highly recommended): http://snugjazz.com/site/
• Check http://www.neworleanscvb.com/nola-micro/nightlife/ for more hot spots around town

Culture and Activities:

If you're planning to extend your stay in NOLA, you'll find plenty to do. The Crescent City is teaming with museums, historical sites, activities, and tours. There are far too many to list, so check out www.neworleanscvb.com/teched for details and special offers for TechEd attendees!

Some of the most popular:

• Head outdoors for golfing, biking, fishing, or a day in the park: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/sports/recreation/
• Tours covering everything from NOLA's iconic cemeteries, to Garden District architecture, historic landmarks, and more: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/tours/
• Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World (to see how they make those amazing floats): http://www.mardigrasworld.com/

Finally, if you brought your family, New Orleans offers activities galore, including Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Zoo, City Park, and the Louisiana Children's Museum: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/family/

Be sure to check www.neworleanscvb.com/teched for more ideas, and download discount coupons!

Now:

• Join the TechEd Forum to discuss your event plans, ask questions and connect with other community members.
• Find like-minded attendees via the new Attendee Directory. 
• Bling your blog to let your colleagues know you'll be at TechEd! Get your blog bling!

At TechEd 2013:

• Network and learn about the latest products and solutions at the TechExpo Welcome Reception and Ask The Experts.
• Join your peers in the Alumni Lounge.
• Find resources and get involved in the community at the Community Resources Zone.

For details on these opportunities, visit the new Connect Page:

Connect at TechEd North America

Connect at TechEd Europe

Foundational Session Titles

• Big Data. Small Data. All Data
• Building Modern Business Applications
• Enabling People-Centric IT
• Microsoft Office & SharePoint 2013 Development: Introduction to the New Cloud App Model
• Modern Application Lifecycle Management
• Transform the Datacenter with Server and Management Innovations from Microsoft
• Windows in the Enterprise

Add a foundational session to your TechEd North America 2013 schedule or TechEd Europe 2013 schedule.

TechEd North America Closing Party

Thursday, June 6 | 7:30pm – 12:00 midnight

Get ready to experience an incredible night as TechEd transforms the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for the Closing Party. Part of the dome floor will be covered in field turf where you can attempt a field goal, try your luck at a quarterback pass, or cheer on your friends and colleagues. Experience a fabulous line-up of great local music—listen, sing along, or dance the night away. A favorite icon in New Orleans, recent renovations have made the Superdome one of the top ten domed stadiums in the country. Host of this year's Super Bowl XLVII and home to the NFL's New Orleans Saints, the Superdome welcomes TechEd attendees as their VIPs for the night. It's sure to be an exciting and memorable celebration! 

TechEd Europe Country Drinks

Wednesday 26 June | 20:00 - 23:00

After two full days of sessions and labs, Country Drinks is your chance to relax, network and have drinks with other delegates from your country. Enjoy a menu of Spanish tapas and soft drinks, beer, wine, cava or sangria while at El Paseo de la Gastronomía, located in the southwest area of the city (just 5 minutes from the Plaza of Spain) in the Casa de Campo Fairgrounds. Housed in traditional and historic buildings, the restaurants of the Paseo de la Gastronomía combine excellent cuisine and beautiful surroundings—each with its own distinctive flavor. Join us for an unforgettable evening in Madrid!

Visit our Connect page for additional information on special events and activities at TechEd North America and TechEd Europe.

Although new locations are opening all the time, you may or may not have had the chance to come in for a visit. That's why TechEd North America is bringing the Microsoft retail store to you!

The Microsoft retail store will be open for business Sunday, June 2 through Thursday, June 6 at TechEd North America. See daily store hours below:

Sunday, June 2:  12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Monday, June 3:  10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, June 4:  9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 5:  9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, June 6:  9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stop by to get your gadget fix between conference sessions – you can't miss the store located in the middle of the TechExpo in Hall D between the game zone and the digital wall. Store Associates will be on hand to answer questions, help with purchases, and even setup devices should you decide a new thin, portable tablet like Surface will enhance your conference experience.

Attendees will also be able to discover products like the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro, Windows Phone 8X by HTC, Nokia Lumia 920, Office 365 Home Premium, plus newly released Xbox games and accessories.

What are you looking forward to exploring at the Microsoft retail store?

We invite you to come by for a product demo or just to get your blood flowing with a game of Kinect Sports Ultimate or Dance Central 3. See you there!

When you unlock an achievement, a unique page is generated, like this one below, perfect for sharing on Facebook or Twitter. You can get to your achievements from your profile page:

I Love Apps is coming soon and How Do You Really Feel can be earned during the event as you fill out session evaluation forms. The other three are live and ready for you to start earning achievements.   Check out the achievement board to see how many people have unlocked the Golden Ticket!

It is worth noting that awarding achievements happens asynchronously, meaning it can take 5 - 10 minutes from the time you complete the steps required to earn the achievement and when you are awarded the badge.

So, what are you waiting for? Start the dialog with speakers about their sessions, fill out your schedule. Haven't gotten the golden ticket achievement yet? Do so by registering now!

Register for TechEd North America

Register for TechEd Europe

This year, on Sunday, June 2, hundreds of TechEd attendees and staff will volunteer in the Seabrook neighborhood of New Orleans to help revitalize the area through a variety of activities at a local park and community center.

Building on the work of Microsoft Convergence attendees in March, TechEd volunteers will complete some of these projects at the Seabrook Community Center and begin the first phase of creating a community park for residents of the neighborhood, including:

Community Center Projects: 

• Build and stain shade cover for Chapel deck
• Complete gates for new fence to enclose a future ball park
• Stain 2,000 feet of fencing
• Complete Senior Lounge

Seabrook Community Park Projects:

• Build 3 Shade Shelters  
• Install picnic tables for shelters
• Paint entire fence surrounding park
• Build 300 feet of  wooden privacy fencing on one side of park
• Build raised beds within the park
• Frame one Habitat House that will be 'raised' in a nearby area

If you can't make it on Sunday, we'll have a variety of activities onsite at the NOMCC throughout the week to give back!  Build much-needed snack kits for U.S. Troops in lockdown and awaiting deployment, lend a hand packaging school supplies for local children in need, or try your hand at one of our art projects that will be donated to local schools and community centers.

We hope you'll join us in making a difference in a community that is still struggling from the effects of one of the most destructive hurricanes in the history of the United States. These projects will benefit children and families in the local area and are sure to bring hope and smiles to those who need it most.  

No registration is required for the onsite activities, but if you are interested in participating in the offsite activities on June 2, we still have a few slots left!  Sign up for a half-day (am or pm shifts) or all day when you register for TechEd (or you may return to your registration record to sign up). No experience is necessary – there will be a variety of opportunities to help!

Thanks in advance for your generosity and participation!

Register for TechEd North America

#1:       Wear comfortable shoes. You will walk miles—literally! Bring more than one pair of good shoes, so you can focus on learning and networking, not on sore feet. Buy them now and break them in, so they will be truly comfortable by the time you hit the convention center.

#2:       Planning your session schedule before you fly will help you get what you came for.  Use Schedule Builder (for North America and Europe) to find the sessions that you want to attend and add them to your calendar. Have a backup plan. If a session you wanted to attend is full or you find out it's not what you expected, you'll save valuable time by having a Plan B session for each timeslot. Remember, you can also view sessions you missed on-demand here.

#3:       After you've picked up your badge, check your conference guide for info on WiFi set-up, the location of the Technical Help Desk, and Information Center, so you can quickly get help onsite if needed.

#4:       Attend a TechEd101 Session at TechEd North America. Think of it as a TechEd primer covering everything there is to learn and do at the event, so you can take advantage of it. TechEd 101 will be held on Sunday, June 2 at 1:00pm and 4:00pm.

#5:       Talk with EVERYONE. Spend time in the Microsoft Solutions Experience (MSE) in the TechExpo and talk with the product teams. These are the people who created the products, here to help you in-person. Talk with the Speakers... tapping their expert knowledge is a key take-away. And then there are thousands of other techs, just like you, who came to learn and share their experiences.

#6:       Make time in your schedule for Hands-on Labs (HOLs). Remember, HOLs are not only a chance to try out the latest products, but Technical Learning Guides (TLGs) will be on hand to help walk you through or answer questions. Explore the HOL for North America and Europe.

#7:       The TechExpo is big! Check out the participating sponsors and exhibitors for North America and Europe and make a list of companies you want to visit. When you get onsite, use the floor plan in your conference guide to plan your route through the hall.

#8:       Don't sit out the social events. You may be tired at the end of a long day of sessions, but the parties, receptions, and jams are your best chance to network with your peers and Microsoft experts, and have some fun. You won't regret it in the morning.

#9        Get Certified at TechEd. Take advantage of the support available onsite, like the Exam Prep Sessions, Study Hall, and Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) who are here to help you through the process. Plus, you'll get 50% off the regular exam price. Learn more and sign up to take a Microsoft Certification exam at TechEd North America or TechEd Europe.

#10:     Take a big suitcase (or an extra one!).  You'll need room for items you receive or buy at TechEd. Or, consider shipping materials home from the Business Center onsite.

Register for TechEd North America

Register for TechEd Europe

If you've got TechEd tips of your own, share them!

Attendees tell us time and again that networking (who you meet and what you learn from them) is one of the top benefits of attending TechEd.  Ask The Experts is your opportunity to continue the conversations with speakers and experts that you will meet in the Microsoft Solutions Experience in a relaxing and informal environment. We hope you join the TechEd community this year to learn, connect, and explore with those who share your interests—and meet the experts who will be there to share their experience and provide solutions.

TechEd North America Ask The Experts: Tuesday, June 4, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

TechEd Europe Ask The Experts: Thursday, 27 June, 18:30 – 20:00

Register for TechEd North America

Register for TechEd Europe

In the Certification Center at TechEd North America and TechEd Europe 2013, you'll have access to onsite training, Exam Prep sessions, and practice tests, as well as the assistance of MCT Ambassadors who have passed multiple exams. 

Take advantage of this great opportunity to fulfill your certification requirements at a 50% discount at TechEd North America 2013 and TechEd Europe 2013. This opportunity is only available to registered TechEd 2013 attendees. 

Learn more and sign up to take a Microsoft Certification exam at TechEd North America or TechEd Europe.

Not registered yet for TechEd 2013? Register today and start planning your ideal conference schedule!

Register for TechEd North America

Register for TechEd Europe

Nominate Your Favorite Topic
To ensure that the BOF sessions cover today's hot topics, registered attendees are invited to nominate a topic, provide an abstract, and suggest a moderator.  Nominations will be accepted April 3 to April 16, 2013. Voting will begin on April 17 through April 30.

Suggestions for successful BOF topics:

• Solutions to challenging scenarios
• Best practices relating to a particular product, technology or feature
• Tips and tricks of your peers solving specific technology management challenges     
• Q&A presentation by an industry expert on a specific area or expertise

To start the nomination process, visit https://tena2013.eventpoint.com/signin and sign in with the Microsoft account you used when you registered for the conference. 

Only registered attendees can nominate Birds-of-a-Feather topics, so register for TechEd North America today!

The catalog will grow between now and TechEd, so check back to see new content, including Certification Exam Prep and Foundational Sessions.

If you haven't yet registered, the Content Catalog is the perfect tool for convincing your boss that TechEd is a great investment. Explore the catalog to see what you could take away from your TechEd experience. Then register today and start planning your ideal conference schedule!

Register for TechEd North America

Register for TechEd Europe

What are your Top 10 sessions for TechEd 2013?

Partners recognized are truly best-in-show—and we encourage you to check out the 2012 winners and watch for this year's nominees! Entries are judged based on things like strategic importance, competitive advantage, and customer value, so you know these are Partners you'll want to visit in the TechExpo! Learn more about BOTE.

This year, choose from 13 Pre-Conference Seminars, each designed specifically to address a need critical to today's IT Professionals and Enterprise Developers. Check the list of Pre-Cons for North America and Europe and be sure to read the speaker bios and visit their blogs. Some of today's leading experts are presenting—these guys truly are the rock stars of our industry—and this is a great opportunity to tap into their knowledge and insights. Many are published authors, so you may want to maximize your learning opportunity with some reading before you attend.

Pre-Cons take place the day before the conference opens: Sunday, June 2 for TechEd North America and Monday, 24 June for TechEd Europe and include lunch with your peers—another chance to network and discuss what you're learning.

Explore the TechEd Pre-Conference line-up (you may have trouble choosing just one) and register today for TechEd North America or  TechEd Europe.  

Tell us about your experience: Do you have a favorite TechEd Pre-Con or Pre-Con Speaker?

Check out LOOPTWORKS to learn how they take discarded pre-consumer materials and create one-of-a-kind clothing and gear that is, quite possibly, saving the planet one T-shirt (or bag) at a time. Did you know that it takes 400 gallons of water to create a single 100% cotton T-shirt, and that every week one factory can dispose of as much as 60,000 lbs. of textile waste? That all goes to landfills, unless LOOPTWORKS turns it into cool clothing, gear, or... a TechEd 2013 backpack. 

This is the bag for both TechEd Europe and TechEd North America. The picture below features the TechEd North America logo.  Additional sponsor logos will be added to the final version.

 What's the most important item you'll carry onsite in your TechEd bag?

Register for TechEd North America by Friday, March 22 and Save $300.

Register for TechEd Europe by Friday, 22 March and Save €300.

In a nut-shell, TechEd is the right investment for your company today. The content is broader than most conferences can boast, and focuses in-depth on the technologies you use every day. What you'll learn in sessions and labs at TechEd will help your company get the most out of existing investments in Microsoft products, and you'll gain insights to help plan for future technology investments.

Then there's the face-to-face networking experience that you really can't get anywhere else. Attendees tell us time and again that one of the top benefits of TechEd is talking with their peers, Microsoft product team members, and Partners in the TechExpo. Getting answers and solutions from the experts, discussing challenges with others who have faced them...these are opportunities that can have a huge impact for your organization.

You know the value of the event. Print out a few copies of the Convince Your Boss flyer, and we'll see you in New Orleans or Madrid!  Don't forget: It's not too late to get Early Bird pricing!

Register for TechEd North America by March 22 and Save $300.

Register for TechEd Europe by 22 March and Save €300.

Sounds simple, right? Here's what they mean:

1. Learn about the future of Microsoft products, solutions and services directly from the leaders, complete with news, announcements and demos. Unlike traditional classroom training with a fixed set of topics, TechEd allows you to personalize your learning experience. Mix and match the sessions—and session types—you want to attend, including breakout sessions, hands-on labs, birds-of-a-feather sessions, keynotes, and more. Each of the four days provides you the opportunity to completely immerse yourself in sessions that offer insight into the products you are working with.

2. Connect with thousands of your peers. Leverage the TechEd North America forum or the TechEd Europe forum beforehand to connect with fellow attendees. Speak with Microsoft product team members who build the products you work with every day, as well as industry experts who are deploying and building Microsoft solutions that may benefit your projects. Explore vendor solutions that can help you achieve your goals. Discuss challenges and brainstorm potential solutions with like-minded individuals at structured networking opportunities including the TechExpo Welcome Reception, Ask the Experts, the Attendee Party in North America and Country Drinks in Europe.

3. Explore products and tools that can make your job easier and cut down on the time you spend troubleshooting issues. There is no better way to learn about Microsoft products than to play with them in the hands-on labs, at demo stations and elsewhere throughout the conference. TechEd is your best chance of the year to see how Microsoft products were made to be used and learn how to use them.

In today's online and always-connected world, there is tremendous benefit in having dedicated time away from your office to focus on advancing your expertise, minus the distractions. By attending TechEd in-person, you are giving yourself the best chance to learn, connect and explore and take advantage of everything the event has to offer. 

Don't delay. Take advantage of the early bird discount pricing:

Register for TechEd North America by March 22 and Save $300.

Register for TechEd Europe by 22 March and Save €300.