IT Conferences 101
Updated: Jul 9
If you’re in the world of IT, then you know spring often means conference time. Vendors from Dell to Cisco, Microsoft to NVIDIA, all hold huge conferences at flashy locations, usually Las Vegas and sometimes abroad.
Tickets aren’t cheap, and Las Vegas usually means the hotels are pricey as well. So, are IT conferences worth your money and, more importantly, your time? Which one do you choose? What can you expect when you get there? And how do you make the most of your time?
The answer will vary from person to person based on your specialty, goals, and interests. But after attending my tenth conference in the last 15 years, maybe my experiences can help shape your decision.
Are IT Conferences Worth It?
In many cases, yes. IT conferences can be extremely valuable if you choose the right one, plan your sessions ahead of time, and make time for networking.
The biggest benefits usually include:
Learning about new technologies, products, and industry trends
Attending technical breakout sessions
Meeting vendors, partners, and peers
Discovering tools that can help you do your job better
Taking advantage of training or certification opportunities
Building relationships that may be useful later in your career
The key is to go in with a plan. A conference can be overwhelming if you try to do everything, but it can be very worthwhile if you focus on the right sessions, vendors, and opportunities.
My First IT Conference Experience
In the spring of 2010, I was just hitting my stride as the new SAN admin at a large hospital system in the southeast. We were evaluating a new storage array and working with a company called EMC. If you’ve been around storage long enough, you’ll remember them fondly.
As we were making our decision, the EMC account rep mentioned he’d throw in two tickets to EMC World. At the time, I had no idea what this meant. But a quick Yahoo search, remember 2010, opened my eyes to the world of tech conferences.
That year, EMC World was at the Venetian in Las Vegas. I worked with my department secretary to book my trip, and before getting there, I had already made my first mistake.
Tip 1: Stay at the Conference Venue When You Can
We booked a room at the hotel next door to save money, which seemed okay at the time. The almost thirty-minute walk to and from the conference every day told me otherwise.
Do everything you can to stay at the venue.
Hotels in Vegas are huge, and the walk usually means navigating both conference and tourist crowds. Even if the conference is not in Las Vegas, most conference centers are gigantic. The back and forth alone could cause you to miss an important session.
Staying at the venue can help you:
Save time between sessions
Avoid long walks through crowded areas
Make it easier to attend early sessions
Give yourself a place to recharge during the day
Reduce the chances of missing important events
That brings us to the next important part of conference planning: session selection.
Tip 2: Review the Session List Before the Conference
In a three- to four-day conference, chances are there will be hundreds of breakout sessions. Even if you attend seven a day, you’re barely cracking 25%.
Do your best to look over the session list about a month in advance. Narrow the list down to your most important five sessions per day. You’ll also want to have one backup session for each time slot.
A lot of breakout sessions are first come, first served. Even with a backup plan, I’ve been denied at the door of sessions I was really excited about.
If the conference has an app, download it in advance and register for sessions ahead of time.
How to Choose the Right Breakout Sessions
One thing I was not prepared for was the amount of sales and marketing in some of these sessions. If it’s a product you have zero knowledge of, that can be good for an introduction. However, if you are interested in a technical breakout, read the session description closely.
Look for session labels or phrases that signal a deeper technical focus.
What to Look For | What It Usually Means |
101 | Introductory or beginner-level content |
201 | Intermediate-level content |
301 or advanced | More technical, detailed, or experienced-level content |
Performance tuning | Likely focused on optimization or technical improvements |
Optimizing | May include best practices and hands-on recommendations |
Deep dive | Usually a more detailed technical session |
The technical sessions will fill up quickly, so get there early.
Tip 3: Choose a Conference That Aligns With Your Goals
Backing up a bit, which conference do you choose?
If your company is in the middle of a large purchase, that can be the best time to get conference tickets included. I once had a vendor tell me, “Never let a big purchase happen without training or conference tickets included.”
Ideally, you’ll choose a conference that aligns with your specialty. If you’re a jack of all trades, look for one that will help with your next certification.
When deciding which IT conference to attend, consider:
Your current role and technical specialty
Products or platforms your company already uses
Upcoming purchases or vendor evaluations
Certification goals
Training opportunities
Networking value
Whether your company can negotiate tickets into a purchase
Tip 4: Take the Free Certification Exam
If a vendor is offering a free exam while on site, take it.
Even if you haven’t studied or are not prepared, it’s free, and the experience of seeing real exam questions beats any amount of studying. Failing an exam is not a great feeling, but studying after already seeing the questions is much easier.
A free on-site exam can still be valuable because it helps you:
Understand how the questions are structured
See what areas you need to study
Get familiar with the testing experience
Save money on certification costs
Prepare better for a future retake if needed
Tip 5: Make Time for the Vendor Showroom
One thing I need to mention when we talk about planning your day is the vendor showroom.
Usually, there are tons of vendors with tables in a designated area trying hard to get your contact info. While this can be intimidating to a first-timer, I highly suggest you make the rounds.
The networking piece will always come in handy somewhere down the line. What surprises me to this day, though, is that I always find a company or product that can really help me with my job. It could be a new tool, a new idea, or just a partnership.
Either way, I always set aside at least two hours from my trip to visit the vendor booths.
IT Conference Planning Checklist
Here’s a simple way to plan your conference before you arrive.
Before or During the Conference | What to Do |
Before booking travel | Try to stay at the conference venue |
One month before | Review the full session list |
Before arrival | Pick your top five sessions per day |
Before arrival | Choose one backup session for each time slot |
Before arrival | Download the conference app |
During the event | Arrive early for technical sessions |
During the event | Make time for the vendor showroom |
During the event | Take advantage of free certification exams |
After hours | Attend at least one networking event |
Each day | Take breaks, eat lunch, hydrate, and pace yourself |
Tip 6: Don’t Overpack Your Schedule
Now for my final piece of advice: take your time and have fun.
It’s very easy to get swept up in all the breakouts. Going from session to session from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day is just going to burn you out.
Shoot for six sessions a day and be happy with five. Make time for lunch, stay hydrated, and stay caffeinated.
Tip 7: Attend at Least One After-Hours Event
A side note on fun: there are a lot of invite-only events around these conferences for dinner or later. Talk to your vendors, see who’s attending, and sign up for at least one of these after-conference events. It’s a great way to network and an even better way to get some free swag.
Let’s face it, in the end, that free fidget spinner may be the best takeaway.
Happy conference season!
