If you are looking for your first real look at Windows 8, our friends at SMB Nation have the first event to do so.

SMB Nation -- a publishing and events company targeted at the small and medium business (SMB) channel partner/reseller/consulting/VAR community -- will hold its 2012 MVP Nation conference March 2-3 in Redmond, Washington (http://mvp.smbnation.com/) at the Microsoft Conference Center.

The conference is Nation 2012 will focus on the upcoming Windows 8 (server, mobile, tablet, desktop) with 10 sessions. There will be additional sessions on community building activities.

MVP Nation offers the opportunity to learn directly from Microsoft MVPs in a deeply technical environment. The event will allow attendees to create their Windows 8 road map.

“After our first MVP Nation last year in Seattle, we’re back with a focused two-day deep dive on everything Windows 8,” says SMB Nation founder Harry Brelsford. “The primary emphasis will be on server-side topics along with content on desktop, mobility and tablet issues. Windows 8 is a topic that impacts everyone whether you are an IT pro, developer or user. This event is for everyone who wants a deeply technical experience. We liken it to graduate school for geeks. We joke that no wimps are allowed at the two-day brain explosion!”

MVP Nation follows the long-standing private and closed annual Microsoft MVP Summit that brings in 2,000 MVPs. MVPs represent over 100 product groups. The speakers for the event will be MVPs who will have just been briefed on the last information surrounding Windows 8.

Over 20 SMB technology vendors and companies sponsor the event. For more information call 1-888-SMBNAT1.