By
Bob Flynn - Internet2 Program Manager, Cloud Infrastructure & Platform Services
The Cornell Cloud Forum began in 2015 and quickly became the leading gathering to discuss the strategic challenges and accomplishments of hyper-scale technologies in the academic research and education community. At the close of the Cloud Forum in 2021, forum creator and leader Sarah Christen asked Internet2 to assume leadership of the event and to bring it to other universities around the country.
Cloud Forum 2022
The first stop along the Cloud Forum road trip landed at Washington University in St. Louis in November. We gathered in the beautiful Knight Center where we were warmly greeted by WashU Vice Chancellor for Technology and Chief Information Officer, Jessie Minton and Assistant Director of Cloud Systems John Bailey, our gracious Cloud Forum host.
Erik Lundberg
Cloud Forum 2022 (CF22) featured presentations, panels, lightning talks, an unconference, and much more. You can explore the CF22 schedule to see the topics, slides, and recordings from the virtual sessions. CF22 also included something special. Internet2 announced the creation of the Cloud Superhero Award, given to those who share their time, knowledge, expertise, and cloud superpowers with the research and education community. The inaugural award winner was Erik Lundberg from the University of Washington.
Roughly half of the attendees at CF22 were attending Cloud Forum for the first time. Post-event feedback highlighted that once again the top-rated aspect of the Cloud Forum was networking with peers and the unfiltered exchange of experiences and ideas with other institutions. That goal of convening the community of cloud leadership and enablement from across the research and education community is what continues to drive the enthusiastic response to the Cloud Forum.
Moving the Calendar
Due to the cloud conference traffic jam we encounter each fall, the timing of the Cloud Forum has always presented a bit of a challenge. For many years the planning committee has received feedback from attendees asking us to move the event to the spring. Rather than wait 18 months to begin spring 2024, the committee recommended we make the sharp turn and hold the event in the spring of 2023. The 2023 Internet2 Community Exchange in Atlanta in May presented just the assist we needed. By leveraging some of the logistics around that event and the Internet2 events team, we were able to minimize the planning needed for that turn.
Cloud Forum 2023
With the location in hand, we reached out to Emory University, which graciously agreed to host CF23. Because some Cloud Forum attendees will also want to attend Community Exchange, we have developed a schedule that minimizes the overlap of the two events and maximizes the opportunities for those who want to attend both.
The Community Exchange runs May 8-11. The Cloud Forum kicks off with a gathering on the evening of Wednesday, May 10 before moving to the campus of Emory University for a full day of Cloud Forum sessions on May 11. We then return to the Community Exchange hotel (The Westin Peachtree Plaza) for an AWS Game Day cloud competition on Friday, May 12.
CF23 Schedule
- Opening Reception (May 10)
- Cloud Forum Day 1 @ Emory University (May 11)
- Cloud Forum Day 2 – AWS Game Day (May 12)
CF23 Call for Proposals
Naturally, the Cloud Forum would not be the event it is without members of the community sharing their stories of success and failure as well as asking the tough questions of themselves and of the cloud providers. Each year we receive challenging, thought-provoking, and inspiring proposals from Cloud Forum veterans and newcomers alike. As the use of hyper-scale computing on our campuses increases, the technology matures, and our community grows, new perspectives and new colleagues emerge. Encourage colleagues to bring their perspectives to the Cloud Forum. Encourage them to put themselves out there and share their work. Encourage them to submit a proposal for CF23.
| We Want to Hear From You! |
| Put yourself out there and share your work for the Cloud Forum 23! You can submit proposals through Jan. 31. |
| Submit your proposal today! |
Important Dates
- Call for proposals (open now, closes January 31)
- Registration (opens February 6)
- Community Exchange (May 8-11)
- Cloud Forum (May 10-12)
If you have any questions about the Cloud Forum or if you would like for your campus to be a stop on Cloud Forum road trip, do not hesitate to contact me at bflynn@internet2.edu.
About the Author(s)
Bob Flynn is the Program Manager of Cloud Infrastructure & Platform Services at Internet2, an unabashed promoter of the responsible and appropriate use of hyperscale technologies in pursuit of deep truths and auto-scaling web applications, and a tireless advocate for the power of community.