Overview
The aim of the "System Center Solutions" Contest is to spark community sharing and development of community developed solutions for any of the System Center family of products. While many members of the community have created custom works to solve real problems encountered in everyday administration, solutions have gone largely unrecognized. The System Center Solutions Contest is designed to recognize valuable solutions submitted by community sources.
Categories
Prizes will be awarded for to a winner in each of the following categories:
1. Script or Report – This can be a script to automate a task or process for any system center product, and can be written in any supported format, such as Powershell, VBScript, Jscript, or HTML application (HTA). Any data collection, monitoring, reporting or other form of automation is acceptable.
SQL Reporting Services report or report model for any product in the System Center suite, such as Configuration Manager, Operations Manager, Essentials, Virtual Machine Manager or Audit Collection Services.
Examples: WQL queries for Configuration Manager, Powershell scripts for Virtual Machine Manager, a monitoring scripts for Operations Manager or Essentials, or custom SQL Reporting Services reports for any product in the System Center family of products. Based on current support in System Center, solution must be SQL 2005 compatible.
2. Command Line or Web-based Tools, Add-ons or Utility – This would include any .NET GUI or command-based utility (exe), or web-based ASP.NET solution leveraging System Center SDKs intended to automate a task of any sort in a System Center product.
Examples: SDK-based utilities, such as a command line maintenance mode utility for Operations Manager 2007.
3. Management Pack - An unsealed management pack or DCM configuration pack compatible with the latest version and service pack of System Center Operations Manager 2007.
Examples: An unsealed management pack compatible with Operations Manager 2007 or Essentials 2007.
4. Configuration Pack – An unsealed management pack or DCM configuration pack compatible with the latest version and service pack of System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
Examples: A configuration pack compatible with the DCM feature of Configuration Manager 2007.
Prizes
- Grand Prize: An Xbox 360 (erp $349 USD) will be awarded to a grand prize winner selected from all contest entries.
- Category Runners Up: A Zune (2nd gen) 4 GB digital media player (erp $149 USD) will be awarded to the overall winner selected from each category.
- Drawings: Random drawings will be held amongst all contests participants for various technical books and other prizes supplied by contest sponsors.
Judgment
Judging will be conducted by a panel of subject matter experts from throughout the System Center community.
Entries will be judged using a point system assessing the solution based on the following criteria:
1. Functionality – Does the solution perform a necessary and logical function? Does the solution work as documented?
2. Originality and Utility – Does the solution represent a new idea, or useful improvement on something previously published? Does the solution meet a need?
3. Level of Difficulty – The complexity of the solution and effort involved
4. Ease of Use – Following the accompanying instructions for use, can an IT Pro implement the solution with relative ease?
Entry Submission
To ensure proper consideration, entries must be submitted according to the following instructions.
· Entries must be submitted via e-mail to contest@systemcenterusergroup.com.
· Entries must be submitted in ZIP file format.
· Entries must be accompanied by a Readme file or similar instructions for use.
Other important information related to contest entries:
· Determination of the appropriate category (or categories) for each entry will be made by the judges.
· Entries should be comprised of new (previously unpublished) works, or substantially improved versions of existing works.
· Limit 4 entries per person. Multiple entries for a single category will be accepted.
Entries must be received by 6pm CST, June 20, 2008
Publishing of Contest Results
Winning entries will be announced on July 1, 2008 on the System Center User Group website.
Use Rights
By submitting a contest entry to the System Center User Group is an implicit acceptance of the group’s terms of use policy. The System Center User Group reserves the right to reuse and republish as necessary for promotional purposes. However, the author retains full rights to reuse and republish their work as they please after the conclusion of the contest. Per the terms of use , the System Center User Group accepts no responsibility for harm as a result of use of any contest entries in a live environment. See the LIABILITY DISCLAIMER in the terms of use. This contest is not associated with or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. Please submit questions or concerns to admin@systemcenterusergroup.com
Eligibility
Any IT professional of any discipline is eligible to enter.