Large Install System Administrators
(LISA) show is one of my favorite events and this year it was in one of my favorite cities, Seattle. Seattle is home to Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, Costco, Nordstrom, Outerwall, F5 and so many others. The 1,110 attendees were the most since 2007. They are smart and as diverse as any crowd I have been around. No one at this show cares if your hair is green, red or purple nor do they care if you are wearing a full-length fur coat or kilt with combat boots. The people here run the largest networks in the world and they do it with precision and efficiency.
There was a broad list of interesting topics at LISA 2014, however Opengear also created quite a stir with the release of the CM7100, an ideal product for large data centers and labs looking for performance at a great value. It doesn’t hurt any of these hacker’s feelings that it is also a Linux platform that we give them shell access to, a system administrator’s dream.
Best Giveaway: Google – Logo Stocking Hats
Best Game: Groundwork -Wheel of Fortune
Best Tee-Shirt: CentOS – Linux Ninja
Best Booth: Opengear (Well, it was)
My favorite moment is one I have witnessed numerous times at this event, one company selling another company on Opengear console management.
Ms. Princeton University came to the booth with many questions and although we answered all of them it wasn’t until Mr. University of Toronto walked up and told Ms. Princeton University “Opengear makes the best console server on the market, you really should put them in your lab and data center”. Ms. Princeton’s response, “I think I will, may I have business card Mr. Opengear”.
The reality is that word-of-mouth and the trust of a peer go a long way in the growth of a company. At Opengear, that is why we are dedicated to making great products and providing the best service and support in the industry.
When I’m shopping this holiday season at Nordstrom, I may see if there are any deals on kilts, although from what I saw at LISA 2014, they could be sold out.
Have a great holiday season!
