Synergy is the ultimate Citrix conference, with countless valuable content, sessions and networking opportunities condensed into only few days. With so much going on, it can be hard to know where to begin with planning the few days you’ll have in Orlando. myCUGC is here to help! We’ve compiled the best sessions, events, and conference tips to help you get the most out of Synergy 2017. Let’s go!
First Step
The first step is to download the Citrix Events app from the App Store (Google Play/iOS) to your phone. It will help you organize your trip and includes multiple maps and tips to make managing the conference easier. You should also make sure that you have Twitter installed—a lot will happen on Twitter during the conference under the #CitrixSynergy hashtag. I’ve included many Twitter accounts to follow in this article, but you can start by following my account, @citrix_guru (I’ll be live tweeting the entire time!).
Path to Success
Citrix has prepared a list of sessions based on your Synergy status (newbie, first timer, expert or veteran) and your interest (Healthcare, Education, Finance or Government). You can plan your conference based on the recommendations from Citrix, and take a look at my suggestions below, too.
Keynotes
These sessions are highly anticipated:
- Tuesday 05/23 | 9:00AM-10:30AM: Vision Keynote with Kirill Tatarinov (@kirilltatarinov), Karyn Jeffery (@karynJeffery), Christian Horner (@TheHornettesINA) from RedBull Racing and Tim Minahan (@tminahan)
- Tuesday 05/23 | 1:30PM-3:00PM: Technology Keynote with PJ Hough (@pjHough), Brad Anderson (@Anderson) and Tim Minahan (@tminahan)
There are also two Innovation Keynotes, not sure what to expect:
- Wednesday 05/24 | 1:30PM-3:00PM: Innovation Keynote with Malcolm Gladwell (@Gladwell)
Citrix Innovation Award will be announced during this session and given by Tim Minahan (@tminahan) - Thursday 05/25 | 9:00AM-10:00AM: Innovation Keynote with Colin Powell
Location: West Hall D
Best sessions
My approach to this event is that you can get technical content anywhere on the Internet and that most technical sessions and keynotes will be available online after the event. Therefore, my recommendation is to attend small group discussions (Roundtables, Firechats, Meet the Experts) where you can ask questions and be involved in active discussions with experts. I also recommend sessions hosted by Citrix CTPs as they are, most of the time, deep-dives sessions into the products and non-marketing sessions. Here are some I’m looking forward to:
Roundtables
- SYN201: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Carl Behrent (@carlbehrent)
Jim Dirkes (@JimDirkes)
Ryan Gallier (@tabularasa138)
Adam Gamble (@AdamInTheCloud)
Jonathan Pitre (@PitreJonathan) - SYN202: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Matt Bodholdt (@mattbodholdt)
Carsten Bruns (@carstenbruns)
Preston Gallwas (@AtumVirt)
Phillip Jones (@P2Vme)
Jits Langedijk (@JRLangedijk)
Kari Ludvigsen (@musclejoy1)
My fellow CTP Marius Sandbu (@msandbu) - SYN203: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Carl Behrent (@carlbehrent)
Matt Bodholdt (@mattbodholdt)
Dave Brett (@dbretty)
Preston Gallwas (@AtumVirt)
Adam Gamble (@AdamInTheCloud)
Jits Langedijk (@JRLangedijk)
Kari Ludvigsen (@musclejoy1) - SYN204: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Jim Dirkes (@JimDirkes)
Ryan Gallier (@tabularasa138)
Joe Harder CTP (@joharder)
Philip Jones (@P2Vme)
Jonathen Pitre (@PitreJonathan)
Tim Riegler (@braynyac)
Greg Tiber (@tiberGreg) - SYN205: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Dave Brett (@dbretty) CTP
Carsten Bruns (@carstenbruns)
Preston Gallwas (@AtumVirt)
Tobias Kreidl (@tkreidl) CTP
Jonathan Pitre (@PitreJonathan)
Greg Tiber (@tiberGreg) - SYN206: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Carl Behrent (@carlbehrent)
Carsten Bruns (@carstenbruns)
Jim Dirkes (@JimDirkes)
CTP Jarian Gibson (@JarianGibson)
Jits Langedijk (@JRLangedijk)
Kari Ludvigsen (@musclejoy1)
Tim Riegler (@braynyac)
CTP Carl Stalhood (@cstalhood) - SYN207: Hot Topics Roundtables
Panelists:
Carl Behrent (@carlbehrent)
Adam Gamble (@AdamInTheCloud)
Tom Gamull (@MagicalYak)
Philip Jones (@P2Vme)
CTP Carl Stalhood (@cstalhood)
CTP Paul Stansel (@Pstansel)
CTP Sacha Tomet (@sacha81)
Greg Tiber (@tiberGreg)
Breakout sessions
- SYN309: Blueprint for easy, fast and cost-effective branch office setup with Ruben Spruijt (@rspruijt) and Tarkan Kocoglu (@TarkanK)
- SYN406: The great SD-WAN bake-off: lessons from the field with Al Taylor (@NetScalerTaylor)
- SYN124: Securing high-value applications in bank IT infrastructure with Florin Lazurca (@FlorinLazurca)
- SYN306: Solving PVS challenges with simple shell scripts with two CTPs Andrew Wood (@gilwood_cs) and Jim Moyle (@JimMoyle)
- SYN103: Citrix App Layering with Ron Oglesby (@RonOglesby) and Chris Midgley (@cmidgley)
- SYN301: XenApp and XenDesktop Tech Update: May 2017 edition with Dan Feller (@djfeller)
- SYN325: Automating NetScaler: talking NITRO with PowerShell with fellow CTP Esther Barthel (@virtuEs_IT)
- SYN416: XenServer for VMware admins with two CTPs Andrew Wood (@gilwood_cs) and Jim Moyle (@JimMoyle)
- SYN304: Comparison: delivering virtual desktops with XenDesktop 7.x or Horizon 7.x with 2 CTPs Jarian Gibson(@JarianGibson) and Eduardo Molina (@molikop)
- SYN132: It’s the end of work as we know it with Christian Reilly (@reillyusa)
- SYN706: Build a XenApp real-time session monitoring dashboard with Sam Jacobs CTP (@WIguru)
- SYN414: Access and authentication options in a Citrix environment with Marius Sandbu CTP (@msandbu)
- SYN401: Fireside chat with IoT experts about automating Citrix with Octoblu James Bulpin (@JamesBulpin) and Ingmar Verheij (@IngmarVerheij)
- SYN305: Citrix provisioning survival guide with Martijn Bosschaart (@mbosschaart) and Paul Murray (@slowtraintodawn) from Nutanix
Any Match.Geek session
Special Events
- Monday 05/22 | 8:00AM-7:00PM : Citrix TechEdge 2017 (Invitation only)
TechEdge is a free one day annual event hosted byTOP Support engineers prior to Citrix Synergy for valued support agreement customers.
You can find more details here: https://support.citrix.com/pages/techedge Note: It is already too late to register for this event - Tuesday 05/23 | 11:00AM-12:00PM: Get a signed copy of Jacob Morgan’s book (@jacobm)
Synergy Park - Thursday 05/25 | 1:30PM-4:30PM: Battle Bots with Kids
Simple Serve Booth
Battle it out in a fun and interactive Battle Bots competition with students from a local robotics club
- Citrix Innovation Award
- Sunday 05/21 to Monday 05/22 | 8:00AM: CTP Meeting (Reserved for Citrix Technology Professionals)
- Self-Paced Labs (Laptop required)
Included with your Synergy Pass. Many labs are available (90mins each). - Citrix Ready Summit ’17 at Synergy | Monday 05/22 – 12:00PM-5:30 PM (Registration required + Partners only)
Regency Ballroom P, Hyatt Regency, Orlando, FL
Agenda: http://citrixreadyprogram.com/2017/cr_summit_may_17/
Synergy Park – Solutions Expo
- Connection Lounge
Plan meetings with Synergy attendees (Note-you must be logged into your Synergy account)
Link: https://citrix.g2planet.com/citrixsynergy2017/myevent_meeting_request.php - Citrix Booth Experience (Experts Bar and Operations Center)
12 open booths where you can have an overview of latest Technologies from Citrix and have a look at the DataCenter/Infrastructure that Citrix put in place for the Synergy - Vendor/Partner booths
There are many vendors present at Citrix Synergy. Swing by their booths at say Hello. Most of them have great giveaways. - CUGC Booth
For the first time this year, CUGC has a booth in the Synergy Park. All attendees must stop at this booth and say hello. No exception!
FREE Citrix Certification
With your Citrix Synergy pass is included a FREE Citrix certification exam. You just need to use the discount code below and schedule your exam at the Synergy Orlando from 05/23 to 05/25.
Discount Code: PSYN2017
Link: http://pearsonvue.com/citrix/synergy/?RefID=eventpgcitrixcom
Let’s party at Citrix Synergy 2017
- Monday 05/22 | 4:30PM-7:00PM: CUGC PreGame
Hyatt Regency Orlando – BallRoom O - Monday 05/22 | 6:30PM-8:00PM: Navigators Reception (Newbies)
Tangerine BallRoom F2 - Tuesday 05/23 | 6:00PM-8:00PM: Welcome Reception
Solutions Expo
- Wednesday 05/24 | 5:00PM-6:00PM: IGEL/LakeSide Happy Hour with Douglas Brown
Convention Center – West Concourse Room W207C
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/drinks-nibbles-tickets-33737042402 - Wednesday 05/24 | 9:00PM-1:00AM: M7 Client Appreciation Event (Invitation Only)
BB King’s Blues Club Orlando - Wednesday 05/24 | 5:30PM-9:00PM: Appsense (Ivanti) Party
Cuba Libre – 9101 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
Registration: https://go.ivanti.com/Q2-Citrix-Synergy_LP.html - Thursday 05/25 | 7:30PM-9:00PM: Synergy Final Night Party
Universal Studio CityWalk - Thursday 05/25 | 8:30PM: Synergy Final Night Party Suite
Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Breakfast & Lunch
Breakfast is provided by Citrix everyday West Hall E at 7.30AM.
Lunch Box is provided by Citrix everyday West Hall B at 12.00PM.
Also provided all day long are refreshments across the Synergy Park.
Instructor-led Learning Labs? Meh.
From Sunday to Monday, Citrix is offering Instructor-led Learning labs for $100 USD. I purchased this last year in Vegas and was disappointed. The content was too light and the labs were just step-by-step documents to follow. Not worth the money or time.
Can’t make to Citrix Synergy?
Check out Synergy TV to watch live streaming of the sessions and keynotes!
Link: http://live.citrixsynergy.com/2017/presentations.php
Hotels and Transportation
My fellow CTP Neil Spellings has prepared an extensive guide including detailed suggestions on hotels and transportation..
Link: http://neil.spellings.net/2017/04/28/the-ultimate-citrix-synergy-survival-guide-2017-edition/
Wrap-up
When people think of conferences, they often think that the main benefit is to learn from the many technical sessions. While there is a lot of great content to learn, Networking is what makes Citrix conferences so valuable. It is one time where thousands of Citrix aficionados are all together in one place to share and meet people. While it is possible to make connections online through Twitter and LinkedIn, building relationships face-to-face is much more valuable.
I hope that these suggestions and resources will make your trip to Orlando a no-brainer, and that you will make the most of this great event! Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to meet—shoot me a message or send me a tweet, @Citrix_Guru. I am always happy to meet my readers and peers. See you in Orlando!