I find it crazy that any defense department or contractor would use publicly available mail networks and storage.  Keep that info private people...

Read more here

        

Merge replication for Windows Mobile is probably one of the most important technologies for devices running business applications "out in the field". Mobile software development projects seem to start quite easily and everyone is happy until the questions, "how do we get this data back into our servers" or "how to we populate the devices database", come up. Typically data replication is an afterthought for most mobile business application project planning. A line item of a project plan that really isn't considered until it is needed. What most people do not realize until it is too late is that it is the most important thing to plan for in a project. Whether your project has planned well or not at all for data replication, you can benefit from Rob Tiffany's latest book on merge replication for Windows Mobile devices.

In my opinion Rob has created merge replication manual on steroids. If you have any question on how to go set up a database for replication, it is answered. If you need to know about the different security strategies for setting up the SSCE Server Agent, it is covered. If you need information on setting up a publisher, distribution database and how to properly set up the tables, it is explained. If you need information how to set up your device databases as subscribers, Rob has provided that also.

Some of the most valuable information pertains to performance tuning. You will never find field proven information regarding merge replication tuning in any documentation or manual but it is in this book. There is also an appendix section that covers network load balancing should your servers require such an arrangement.

One thing I found most convenient in this book is the use of chapter takeaways at the start of each chapter that gives the reader a "heads up" as to why the chapter is important and what to look for in the chapter's content. Each chapter is summarized nicely so you make sure you have read and understood all the information. As for the server configuration sections, Rob provides detailed step-by-step instructions and explanations along with screen shots to make it a snap to get all the server pieces up and running.

This book is valuable to most serious compact framework developers who deliver business applications. The book will pay for itself easily on the performance tuning sections alone. SQL Server DBAs who support such systems could benefit greatly from owning this book. System Architects should also seriously consider purchasing this book because, as I stated earlier, data replication should be planned and designed at the beginning of any project.

To restate, this book is a must have for any serious Microsoft Windows Mobile developer, architect, or database administrator.

You can purchase this book here.

        

Well we are in the middle of summer and there has been no announcement on pricing for Microsoft Azure.  I think that the pricing should have been released long ago.  I doubt Microsoft had planned Azure without doing some financial analysis and thus determining what could be charged.  Many companies, including my own, need cloud computing for cheap scalability and global reach but the longer the release date and pricing details slip the more I have to consider moving to another cloud platform.

I have been looking at this page for too long.

        

I am attending TechEd once again. 

I look forward to the announcement of Windows Mobile 6.5

I will also be helping out at one of the booths for the Windows Mobile group.  Come by and say hi. 

        

http://blogs.msdn.com/robtiffany/archive/2009/04/09/memmaker-for-the-net-compact-framework.aspx

        

This approach may have a profound impact on mobile technology in the future.  Battery life could be extended much longer than is currently possible.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6252697.html

        

This is an interview on .Net Rocks with Rob Tiffany from Microsoft.  It covers some latest developments on mobile technology and development.

Click Here to Listen

        

The morning started out at Shingle Creek Golf club, or as I call it, a sauna...


I golfed with two engineers Mike and Zach.  Good Guys.



Then it was on to the Convention Center to work the LOB booth.  The LOB accelerator is a really great resource for companies just starting to develop solutions on Windows Mobile for their businesses.  It has code, help, and other samples that you can utilize to get up and running fast.

In the evening we all went to Shula's steakhouse in the Dolphin hotel.  A great time was had by all.

        

To recap myday was spent fully dedicated to my breakout session XHTML and .mobi standards.  The attendees to my session were lucky because I was able to give away 2 Samsung Blackjack II's at the end of the breakout. 

I have some mixed feelings about the conference being split into a 2 week event.  I think it is a positive thing when IT pros are exposed to things in the developer's world and the same goes for developers being exposed to IT products.

Tomorrow I will be at the Mobile Line of Business Accelerator booth.     

        

This afternoon we had the walkthrough for the LOB booth and related Silverlight and Visual Studio 2008 booths.  There is alot of space this year around the stations.  Also this year each station has a white board on the back, very convenient...
 
 

When looking at the Line of Business Accelerator booth I thought I had maybe missed a product announcement.  Sync Services for ASO.Net????? 



Rabi Satter claims it is "Advanced Satter Objects".  It will be corrected to "ADO.Net" for tomorrow. 


Dr. Neil Roodyn is amazed at what Loke is doing with Silverlight...


This evening we took no chances on dinner after the horrible experience at Vito's. Rob Tiffany , Rabi Satter and I dined at The Cheesecake Factory.  The rubber will meet the road in the morning with a keynote from Bill Gates.  Then TechEd 2008 will be kicked into full gear.