His employer is a heavy user of Microsoft software and hosts a variety of critical enterprise applications -- from Microsoft, other vendors and custom-developed in house -- in Windows Server 2008 R2 and, to a lesser extent, on Windows Server 2003.

He will also seek details about Office 15, an early-stage initiative that will involve an ambitious upgrade of the Office productivity applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as of Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and of Office 365, the cloud suite that includes online versions of these products.

"I want to get ideas about what I need to start pre-planning for and start doing now to be proactive and ready for these products when they hit the ground," said Vander Kooi, whose employer operates an almost 1,900-mile common carrier pipeline system that transports fuel from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest.

Vander Kooi will also look for details about Windows 8, the new version of the Windows operating system for desktop PCs, laptops and tablets.

So far, he is skeptical about the two user interfaces Windows 8 will have: the traditional Windows environment and the new Metro-style interface, which is designed for touch-based screens.