Editor's note
Microsoft made the point last year that its future rests on Azure cloud as the glue to connect its products and services while appealing to enterprises. And with services such as Office 365 attracting 22.2 million subscribers, according to the company, it's apparent the "mobile-first, cloud-first" model is sticking.
But Microsoft isn't stopping with Office 365. The once-staunch proprietary company is also trying to appeal to the developer space and open-source community in the lead up to the Microsoft Ignite 2016 conference. It added Linux support to its Azure cloud computing platform and plans to add it to on-premises services such as SQL Server. Windows 10 includes Bash for developers working in mixed-OS environments, and Microsoft converted PowerShell into an open-source project to enable administrators to manage Linux and OS X systems in addition to Windows boxes. Microsoft also has its focus on application development and will support Docker containers in Windows Server 2016.
Still, the question remains whether traditional Windows admins are ready to evolve with Microsoft -- and embrace its focus on cloud, open-source development, containers and DevOps. And will these moves help Microsoft compete with other industry giants such as Amazon Web Services and Google, which already have a strong following of cloud adopters and developers?
This Ignite 2016 conference guide tracks Microsoft over the last year, with tips and features on its major products, including Office 365, Azure cloud platform, Windows Server 2016 as well as its collaboration software and associated technologies. Bookmark this guide for continuous updates on news and features during and after the Ignite 2016 conference.