Convention, Interrupted

In two weeks I'm going to be attending and speaking at Ethernet Technology Summit 2015 and I have to get something off my chest: I'm a little rusty at the convention thing.

The last convention I attended was a COMDEX in Vegas. I didn't gamble a dime, didn't drink myself silly, and didn't take in many of the sites (well, except for spending an inordinate amount of time in the Star Trek Experience attraction). That’s not why I was there. For me, the trip was all about the tech.

I walked every aisle, spoke to as many vendors as I could, tried to soak it all in. COMDEX was a true Vegas buffet, and I walked myself to the point of exhaustion stuffing my brain with new ideas and technologies. But that was a few years ago, and I haven't attended anything of significance since then.

My absence from conventions hasn't been due to lack of interest. My jobs have simply not afforded me the luxury. But as Head Geek, I’m thrilled to get back into the game.

To be sure, Ethernet Technology Summit is a far more focused event than COMDEX (and that’s a good thing). But I don't expect it to be any less engaging or worthwhile.

In addition to exhibitors, there’s a smorgasbord of information I’ll be taking in and bringing back with me about SDN, IoT, high speed data, and more. And then there are the keynotes.

Finally, I expect that I'll need to be on my toes to take part in a panel discussion on monitoring ethernet networks.

Even though it’s been a few years, I've solicited the help of a couple of incredible advisors: Kong Yang and Thomas LaRock are convention veterans. They are sharing their hard-won knowledge with me so I won't be hitting the floor (or the podium) completely green.

So if you are going to be at Ethernet Summit, let me know so I can find you and say ‘hi’. If you aren't, make sure you are following @LeonAdato, @SolarWinds‌, and @EthernetTech on Twitter, and join the #ethernetsummit conversation so you can share what I'm learning.