Guide to upcoming virtual tech conferences

Red Hat Summit, Cisco Live, and VMware's VMworld are just a few of the network industry events to be held virtually

Pro

Image: Stockfresh

29 April 2020

Covid-19 has squashed in-person events worldwide. Red Hat Summit, Cisco Live, and VMware’s VMworld are just a few of the upcoming network industry events that will now be held virtually.

A digital event does not offer the same opportunities to mingle and network with industry peers that an in-person event provides, but there are some silver linings. Attendees do not have to travel, and in many cases, they do not have to pay to register.

Stay on top of product roadmaps, hear from technical experts, and keep your skills sharp – all from the comfort of home – at these upcoming virtual events.

Red Hat Summit 2020

Red Hat is planning a blend of live and recorded content for its big summit, which will be held 28-29 April. The event, dubbed Red Hat Summit 2020 Virtual Experience, is free for attendees and will include keynotes, breakout sessions, ask-the-expert sessions, and collaboration opportunities, Red Hat says. So far, more than 58,000 people have registered to attend, according to the company. More information is available here.

IBM Think

Think Digital is scheduled for 5-6 May. The event will include streaming content focused on Covid-19 recovery and innovation, along with live Q&A sessions with speakers and IBM experts and chats with peers. Keynote speakers include CEO Arvind Krishna and IBM President Jim Whitehurst. IBM has also set the bar high for celebrity speakers: Writer, actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, and artist and entrepreneur will.i.am are slated to speak at Think Digital. For technical training, IBM is holding free, instructor-led labs 4-8 May. Certifications will be available at a discounted rate of $75, IBM says. More information is available here.

Open Compute Project Summit

The Open Compute Project (OCP) is taking its global summit digital. (OCP is an open-source hardware initiative, started by Facebook, to design efficient, scalable data-centre gear.) The 2020 OCP Virtual Summit, scheduled for 12-15 May, will include keynote sessions, executive tracks, engineering workshops, and a virtual expo hall. Registration is free for all attendees. More information is available here.

Cisco Live

Cisco Live is on from 2-3 June, and network pros can expect executive keynotes, demos, training and more. “We’re dedicated to making sure this year’s digital experience reflects the Cisco Live you’ve come to know and love, from informative keynotes and deep-dive technical sessions to social engagement and stories of leadership and inspiration. All for free. All from your home,” Cisco says on its web site. The content catalogue and scheduling tool will be available in mid-May. More information is available here.

VMworld 2020

VMware’s flagship conference, VMworld, will be held as a digital event the week of 28 September, replacing physical events that were to be held in August in San Francisco and November in Barcelona. Details about registration costs (if any) are not available yet. The digital event will include perspective from VMware executives, educational and technical content, and opportunities to engage with industry experts, VMware says. The company also is considering holding regional, smaller, in-person gatherings later in the year. More information is available here.

IDG News Service