A lot of great content was presented during Networking Field Day! The delegates were very happy to hear about the state of the networking industry from leaders in the technology that is driving the way we will do work in the future. From network analytics and provisioning to new solutions like 5G, every presenter brought something unique to the table. What did they think about the format and why is Networking Field Day so important to them?
Interactivity Is Important
The interactive format of Networking Field Day is one of the key features that set it apart in the industry. Derek Granath of Aruba loves that the format allowed them to demo their technology and ask questions about it to ensure that it’s positioned properly in the industry. You need to do these kinds of reality checks to make sure you’re building the things that people really need.
Sanjay Kumar of IP Infusion enjoyed the format because it’s hard for companies to get in front of industry experts now, thanks to the pandemic. At the event, he and his company were able to connect with influencers and find out if the story they are telling resonates with them and hopefully, with customers as well.
Frank Yue of Kemp loved it because it felt like getting back in front of a live audience again. Asking questions and getting answers in real-time is a challenge and he really enjoyed being able to see which pieces of their presentation were of interest to the delegates. For Tim Titus of PathSolutions, the value was in sharing information back and forth and not having it glossed over by marketing messages. Seeing the reality of the technology is the biggest value to the community in his eyes.
Jeffery Sugimoto of Nokia was surprised at the level of interaction and loved that it pushed his team to work harder and ensure they had the opportunity to present their demos and provide context for the delegates. It was tough but it meant they were on their game to get it all done. Robert Blum of Intel loved the questions and answers, and how this pointed to industry trends and pain points that companies like Intel should be paying attention to moving forward.
Break Out of The Box
The post-presentation breakout session continues to be a highlight for companies at Networking Field Day. Derek Granath liked the casual nature of the conversation with the delegates and the ability to share some of their roadmap items in a more confidential setting. Frank Yue compared the breakout session to an after-party where you could ask the kinds of questions you didn’t necessarily want to ask publicly. As well, he felt that he could answer them more completely without the pressure of timing in a live-streamed section.
Jeffery Sugimoto enjoyed the candid nature of the conversation. The delegates could be more pointed in their questions and Nokia could answer them more completely as well. Tim Titus loved being able to ask the delegates questions about things like pricing or feature development priority that are critical to the development of his product but don’t make for the most exciting topics in a more formal presentation.
Murali Gandluru of Arrcus thought the breakout session was key for his team because they got detailed insights from the delegates and the people that they represent from their communities. The feedback they received is something that they can take back and apply to the technologies that are on their roadmap, both for networking and other potential places they are looking to develop in the near future.
Professional Help For Professional Presentations
Virtual events aren’t easy to pull off. It takes planning and practice, and if it’s your first attempt, someone that knows how to help you get it right. That’s why the staff at Networking Field Day help out as much as possible to get everything where it needs to be in order to have a successful event that focuses on the details that can make or break your presentation.
For Frank Yue, the value that the staff provided was all about the planning and logistics work. There’s a lot that happens behind the cameras at Networking Field Day to ensure that the quality of the audio and video is great. These important items can be overlooked in the run-up to an event. The Tech Field Day staff ensure that they aren’t forgotten.
Sanjay Kumar said that the staff at Tech Field Day were critical in helping the event happen for them. The expertise in fixing lighting, ensuring that speakers knew when to jump in and how to transition between them, and even how to address the audience was all invaluable. According to him, without the help from our staff, they wouldn’t have been able to pull it off!
Be Ready For More Coming Soon!
Networking Field Day is a very popular event topic this year so make sure you’re ready for our next one coming up in September. We’re going to have another great lineup of presenters and delegates to discuss important topics and have the discussions our events are famous for. If you’d like to see the other topic areas that Tech Field Day has on the calendar, make sure you check out our list of 2021 events. We will see you next time!
