IT Innovators: Anyone Up For A Cloud Conference?

March is just around the corner and that means conference season will be in full swing. If you’re an IT executive or professional working in the cloud—hybrid, public or private—or plan to migrate to the cloud anytime soon, then you would do well to keep yourself up to date on everything cloud related. This year there are some excellent conferences promising to help you do just that. Best of all, many offer online access to their events or, at the very least, access to hard copies of event presentations. While there are certainly a large number of good cloud-related events you could attend this year, here are nine I suggest you check out.

The upcoming summit, open to senior-level IT decisions makers at enterprise organizations, will focus on the theme: Cloud First: An Agent for Digital Transformation. Attendees will learn more about the role of cloud transformation, what cloud transformation services are available in the market, and how the cloud is being used to revolutionize digital infrastructure. Register here.

IC3 is an event for enterprise IT executives and their staffs looking to take the first step on the path to DevOps. Attendees will receive information on how to take advantage of cloud computing and DevOps, and be introduced to peers who have already made the migration. Register here.

For those of you entertaining the idea of attending this popular event in person, you are out of the luck. The event sold out in one minute. You can; however, join the waitlist to be notified if space opens up. Or, you can stream the event live. While the official event agenda has yet to be released, it’s a safe bet there will be some well attended sessions related to cloud services.

Interop is a popular network and IT architecture conference, and features a track of sessions specially focused on cloud computing for enterprise IT organizations. The Cloud Connect Track is designed to help attendees consider the full potential of the cloud and select cloud architectures and services best suited for their particular needs. It will also explore how the cloud can be integrated into both legacy systems and new initiatives. Some specific sessions that may be of interest include: Managing Workloads in the Hybrid Cloud, Developing a Cloud Sourcing Strategy, Cloud-Native Best Practices for the Enterprise, and Destination Cloud: Deploying Application to the Cloud with Docker. Register here.

This event, geared specifically for CIOs and IT executives, will explore the latest cloud computing topics and trends, provide information about the latest cloud solutions and enable IT executive peers to connect with other executives in various stages of their own cloud computing project. Some of the specific topics on the agenda include: IT Integration in a Distributed IT World, Embrace the Cloud: Adopting a Brokerage Model, and Using Cloud Delivered Services to Enable Business Transformation. Register here.

Cloud Expo is an event dedicated to all things cloud; from cloud computing and containers to Big Data, analytics and everything in between. Featuring over 100 exhibitors, and a large selection of technical and strategic industry keynotes, general sessions, breakout sessions, and power panels, it really does offer something for everyone. Register here by February 29^th and save $700.

Like Microsoft Build, the Microsoft Ignite conference is sure to fill up fast. The event is five days packed full of hands-on learning, industry insights and direct access to product experts. Expect plenty of information on the hybrid cloud and Microsoft’s hybrid cloud platform. Register here.

This year the annual conference is putting a bigger focus on cloud topics with a new Cloud and Data Center track, chaired by Pete Zerger, Principal Program Manager at Cireson, and 10-time Microsoft MVP. IT/Dev Connections runs 190+ session across five technology tracks featuring real life technical training solutions. Register here.

This event is the place for solution providers and vendor executives to connect and learn how cloud-based solutions are transforming the IT landscape. Attendees will gain insight into the hottest cloud technologies, trends, customer perspectives, and market forecasts. The featured keynote is Glenn O'Donnell, vice president and research director, Forrester, who will talk about the next wave of cloud computing. Register here.

If you have any other cloud-related conferences you want to recommend to IT Innovators’ readers, drop me a line at [email protected]. In the meantime, don’t forget to check back here each week for more information on the hybrid cloud and other important IT-related topics.

This blog is sponsored by Microsoft.

Cheryl J. Ajluni is a freelance writer and editor based in California. She is the former Editor-in-Chief of Wireless Systems Design and served as the EDA/Advanced Technology editor for Electronic Design for over 10 years. She is also a published book author and patented engineer. Her work regularly appears in print and online publications. Contact her at [email protected] with your comments or story ideas.