by Eduardo Molina, CTP, Cincinnati CUGC Leader
This year marks my 15th Citrix end user conference (Synergy or iForum) and I’m very much looking forward to six main things that I want to share with all of you.
Each of the past 14 events has been special, and I remember every single one of them for one reason or another, from my first time in Orlando and the USA ever at the Swan and Dolphin hotels in 2001 to the year in Houston, where Dana Carvey was the closing party act (videos here).
So, what is different this 15th time? Well, this is my first time attending the conference as a CTP, so that makes it very different (from what I hear from fellow CTPs). I will definitely let you know how much different once the conference finishes. This is the first thing I’m looking forward to.
This year’s Synergy also brings a different format to the event. For the first time, we will have the opening and technical keynotes on the same day, only separated by a few hours. Just enough time to get lunch and walk around the Solutions Expo for a little bit.
The other change is that we will have sessions all the way to the end of the third day of the conference, which caught a few of us by surprise. Hopefully you are staying, since one of the sessions I’m presenting is the very last spot on Thursday, right before we all go to Universal Studios for the final party. This is also a first, since the party usually happens the night before the last day of sessions, which makes people a bit tired from the night before. Speaking at Synergy for the second time is the second thing I’m looking forward to.
Looking at the speakers in the keynote sessions, it will be very interesting to hear from Mr. Tatarinov (Citrix CEO) on what he has learned, and his vision for Citrix now that he has had real time in the position. (Third thing I’m looking forward to.)
It will also be interesting to hear from Microsoft’s VP of Mobility and the very well-known figure, Mr. Brad Anderson, about where the relationship between Microsoft and Citrix is going in the near future. XenApp Essentials and XenDesktop Essentials are full-blown Microsoft Marketplace solutions, and then we have the collaborative work around Microsoft Intune and Citrix XenMobile, so what is next? I’m hoping to learn this at Synergy and it will be the fourth thing I’m looking forward to.
Over the last two years, we have seen a transition within Citrix to become a cloud-first company, and because of that, I like to assume messaging will be around the Citrix Cloud offerings and how customers can leverage them with confidence on a successful rollout. The messaging around Citrix Cloud is the fifth thing I’m looking forward to.
The sixth and final thing I’m looking forward to is the most important of all: to meet old and new friends from this great Citrix community! If anything, one of your main objectives should be to create at least one new friendship. These friendships usually last a professional and sometimes a personal lifetime.
This is a very welcoming IT community, everyone is always willing to extend a friendly hand and Simply Serve shows that. Another way to get involved with the community is by participating in the Hot Topics Roundtables where you can share your experiences and learn from other colleagues. Finally, sign up and participate at the CUGC events during Synergy and with your local CUGC team!
If you are attending Synergy and want to chat, or share a cold drink, just stop by our booth and say ‘Hi!” Have a great Synergy 2017!
