20
August
2024
Strengthening Your Head, Heart, and Hands: The Big 3 Conferences in Higher Ed Cloud
By Bob Flynn - Internet2 Program Manager, Cloud Infrastructure & Platform Services
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
People have long thrown around the term “The Big 3” in conversations about cloud computing in our community. In the higher ed context, however, I think they’ve got it all wrong.
The Big 3 that really make a difference to the higher education community are the three conferences: the Internet2 Community Exchange and Technology Exchange, as well as the Higher Education Cloud Forum. This Big 3 plays a unique role in the successful growth of hyperscale computing in research and education — not just in the U.S. but internationally, as well.
Technology Exchange: The Hands
The Internet2 Technology Exchange (TechEX) represents the hands that build. This is the event for serious technologists. With tracks in security, identity and access management, networking, and cloud, TechEX is where IDEs are open, code is on the screen, demo tightropes are walked, and in-depth tech is talked.
If you are a cloud engineer, architect, or developer, you will find your people at TechEX. If you are a cloud manager, or a director or above, come hear about how the sausage is coded.
Register now for TechEX24. The early bird rate ends on Sept. 6. Don’t forget to grab a few of those tasty tutorials at checkout!
RegisterTechEX24 takes place Dec. 9-13 in Boston, MA. In addition to an outstanding program (filter on Cloud Technology to get straight to the good stuff), several excellent tutorials are scheduled for Monday:
- Google Cloud Administrator Basic Training
- Azure OpenAI
- Get Good with GitOps
- Cloud Networking 101: Networking To and Inside the Cloud Service Providers
- Fundamentals of Machine Learning on Google Cloud Platform
- Security for AI: Secure Your Environment for AI Apps (on Azure)
- AWS GameDay
In my role, I often find myself wearing a multitude of hats. One day, I’m immersed in the intricacies of strategic planning and budget allocation, and the next, I’m knee-deep in coding. Over the years, each of the “Big 3” cloud conferences I’ve attended has uniquely catered to these diverse demands.
I have also had the privilege of reviewing proposals for all three events. The range of topics submitted by this community enables us to weave together amazing programs. This depth and diversity of interest and expertise allow us to create tremendous programs that address and challenge the varied needs of our community from head, to hands to heart.
— James Monek, Director Technology Infrastructure & Operations, Lehigh University
Community Exchange: The Head
The Internet2 Community Exchange (CommEX) represents the head that leads. This is the event for decision-makers, for those who work to figure out what role the cloud could and should play. The emerging technologies track joins tracks in networking, security, and cloud at CommEX. Productive debate ensues over the role of cloud in the institutional toolbox. Notions of on-prem vs. cloud, capex vs. opex, and physical vs. ephemeral are reconceived.
If you are a CIO, CTO, AVP, or director of infrastructure, have we got a cloud conversation for you! I’ve always said that hyperscale technologies are just one more tool in the IT professional’s toolkit. TechEX attendees see the individual cloud services (VMs, data lakes) in their toolbox. CommEX attendees strategize at a higher level; they see individual cloud service providers in theirs.
Gather and submit proposals to speak at CommEX25. Share your experience. Share your questions.
The Call for Proposals is open through Sept. 13.
Submit Proposal
Your team is doing meaningful work. You have lessons to share and big ideas to discuss. Talk to your team. Pick the top three to four things to talk about and submit your proposals across all the tracks, or at the very least the cloud track. CommEX25 takes place April 28-May 1 in Anaheim, CA.
Cloud Forum: The Heart
The Higher Education Cloud Forum represents the beating heart of the community. This is the event where the community meets and grows. The forum is organized by a team of cloud professionals from developers to leadership.
The Cloud Forum is characterized by trust, candor, and the free exchange of ideas and experiences. The only presentations are by your community peers and select researchers with cloud-powered work to share. A few of the cloud providers are invited to attend. They come to listen and observe, gaining insights into the community’s needs, thinking, goals, and barriers.
Save the date for the 2025 Cloud Forum and start thinking about what you will present at the forum.
The Call for Proposals opens on Oct. 14.
This is where ideas are posed and challenged, where tough lessons are shared alongside measured successes. Above all, it is where connections are made, networks are built, and friendships are born. A 2024 attendee described the Cloud Forum this way: “Easily the best higher ed IT conference in the country. It’s not a conference as much as a community outreach group.”
The 2025 Cloud Forum takes place May 20-22 at New York University. Each year we’ve had a few international colleagues attend. With this year’s location, I expect we’ll see many more. Your only cost to attend Cloud Forum is your travel. Space is limited, with the 2025 event capped at 120 attendees. Each institution is limited to no more than three attendees to maximize the number of institutions that can attend.
Avoid Conference Lock-in
The research and education community has embraced a multi-cloud conference mindset. True, the vendors have their conferences; clearly a role exists for that kind of technology-specific exploration and discussion, and we support and celebrate that. The Big 3, however, this Big 3, is centering while being challenging, diverse while being focused, and, ultimately, nurturing while being provocative.
These three conferences, each feeding an area of your cloud work — your head, your hands, and your heart — are essential institutional self-care. Be good to yourself. Get involved in all three. You’ll be stronger for it!
