Speaker 1: 0:00

I'm a sucker for lights. I guess I'm a simple man. Give me some lights and some things that are twinkling and I'm like oh.

Speaker 2: 0:10

Same Kev same. This is the Art of Network Engineering podcast.

Speaker 3: 0:22

In this podcast, we explore tools technologies and talented people.

Speaker 4: 0:27

We aim to bring you information that will expand your skill sets and toolbox and share the stories of fellow network engineers. Welcome to the Art of Network Engineering. I am Tim Bertino and I am joined by Permit IP Andy, andy, andy Laptev what's up, my friend, hi Tim.

Speaker 2: 0:46

It's up, my friend. Hi Tim. It's so cool to be here on a random Tuesday evening. We have some exciting news and some exciting information, so we're here on an odd night.

Speaker 4: 0:54

How you doing, buddy? I am living the dream, my friend. Good to see you on a Tuesday, although I'm going to wake up and think it's Friday. But that's fine, that's fine.

Speaker 2: 1:07

I never know what day it is. My kid will ask me some like random question like daddy, what was the moon phase when the sixers won their first championship? I'm like, bro, I don't know what today is I. I can't tell you anything about, like it's who you're dealing with I never know what day it is for exactly, exactly, jinx and we also have adjacent node.

Speaker 4: 1:19

Kevin. What's happening, buddy?

Speaker 1: 1:21

hey guys, how's it going's going to be a fun episode.

Speaker 4: 1:25

And with that, let's talk about it. We are hoping to give you some tips and tricks this week for attending Cisco Live. It is that time of year to start preparing for it, so let's jump right in. Andy, I think you've got some news to share.

Speaker 2: 1:47

I do so. Why, in God's green earth, after 150 episodes, are we doing a how to prep for Cisco live episode? Um, the art of network engineering. The show is uh, we are attending Cisco live as a team Um, unfortunately not all the folks. But uh, right now we have a handful of folks that are registered, have their hotels, have their passes, and I went in today and started to.

Speaker 2: 2:06

I think what might have kicked off this episode is I bothered the hell out of you people with a plethora of questions what do I do and what is the session and what can I get into? And, yeah, I'm kind of overwhelmed at the sheer size, I guess, of the conference and where to start and what's the best way to you know, have the best experience at Cisco Live. So I know that you two have been to one, if not many. So, yeah, the art of network engineering will be at Cisco Live. Super excited.

Speaker 2: 2:36

I've never been to a live. I've been in tech 15 years and love me some Cisco and I've never been. So I'm really excited to get there. But I'm hoping what we can do in this show is run down the list of best practices for lack of a better term on how to have the best Cisco live experience possible. So I don't know where we want to start. I mean, you guys have been there, have you did you? What are the mistakes you made? Everybody says comfy shoes, right. I mean, I know we have a format we're going to follow here, but what's the number one tip before we get into our list of things?

Speaker 4: 3:07

So I will tell you that I made all the mistakes the first time, all of them, and I think the first mistake I made was really not understanding the gravity of the event the first time I went was in Gravity, like the size, yeah.

Speaker 2: 3:19

Is that like, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 4: 3:20

First time I went was in 2017 and I didn't get registered till late. It was kind of a last minute thing that I was going to get to go. So I didn't really prep, didn't do a great job at looking at the sessions and was just kind of like it's a conference, what's the big deal? And when I got there, it's just if you're not prepared for it, it's an awesome event, but it can be overwhelming. So I think my biggest piece of advice is is to just take some time, do a little research and and uh, I won't say this much on this show, but listen to us, we'll provide some advice.

Speaker 4: 3:56

I think my biggest thing.

Speaker 1: 3:57

Kevin, I think my biggest thing was my first year at least. I wanted to do everything. I loaded my schedule up with back-to-back classes, I tried to attend every like social event and I was just running back and forth and it made it so I was not enjoying it whatsoever, I was so stressed out. So like my anxiety was up here because I was trying to get everything done. And the next years after I just kind of like I've slowly peeled back each year where I kind of I have a new strategy now where I fill my schedule up and then maybe go to a third of the classes or a third of the sessions and just if I'm in a social environment and I'm talking, I'm having fun, then I just skip, I just don't go. There's no, there's no downside. Everything is a pre-recorded or everything is recorded afterwards and available online. So if you miss a session that you're really into, no problem, just relax.

Speaker 4: 4:47

I do think it's important that you said to go ahead and schedule your sessions to make sure you get in, because once you're there it's too late. I mean, they're all pretty well full. This is a pretty popular event I shouldn't say pretty. It's a very popular event. The sessions fill up and, like Kevin said, look in ahead of time, schedule the ones that you think are interesting that align to your schedule. But I agree, I don't think you necessarily have to live by that schedule because there's so much going on. And I'll say it right away at the beginning of this To me the biggest part of this event is that it's a networking event. But people networking is a big one. You will meet a lot of cool people If you're open to it. The world of solutions, where kind of the main event is, is just full of really cool people and vendors and booths and that kind of stuff. So you want to make sure you make time to just kind of take it all in and that means that you're probably not in sessions every second of the day.

Speaker 2: 5:49

I'm so glad you said that, like I hear, like what you're really saying is just be present for the experience, right, and be, you know, there for the people, just roll with it.

Speaker 1: 5:57

Just roll with it, Like whatever it takes you. If you're, if you're feeling extremely social that day and you've met some cool people and you're having a great conversation, but you have a class coming up, you can skip the class. You don't have to leave and just try to run away. You can just relax.

Speaker 4: 6:11

Your boss isn't listening, it's fine.

Speaker 1: 6:15

Well, I would say that people I would hope my boss or whomever's boss wouldn't send people just for the classes, just for the sessions. You know, you get, honestly, you get more out of talking with people and networking with people and people who are in the same industry, and tips and tricks they've learned and like, oh, I had this problem with the switches. Like, oh, I had the same problem and I learned this. You're like, oh, that's a really great tip. Stuff like that happens when and that is more valuable to me than learning about. You know, the newest, latest, greatest Wi-Fi access point is coming out soon. That kind of stuff.

Speaker 4: 6:45

Well, and to your point, Kevin, you can still learn about that stuff, because all the sessions are recorded and the presentations, the PDFs or the PowerPoints, go up on the Cisco Live site. And I'll tell you, those are so good. Some of the, to this day, some of the best technical documentation I've ever come across has been from Cisco live sessions. So, yeah, that stuff's going to be there.

Speaker 1: 7:08

And being in person is is, I mean it's it's better because you have the people right there. You can, after the session's over, there's always they linger around and you can talk to them, ask questions, um, and there's also a chat room that when you, after your session's over in the WebEx, you can ask questions and talk to people who are in the same session as you and that kind of stuff, and bounce things off, and so it is. It is beneficial to do it in person, but I'm just saying don't, don't stress, don't, don't kill yourself.

Speaker 2: 7:34

My favorite part of the live events we've done so far are getting to meet the people that I've quote unquote met you know over the years on socials or in the podcast, or man. To be in a room with somebody, give somebody a hug, that you know, like it's just there's just really something magical about, about being together. So I'm I'm really looking forward to that and and to be present. Like you said, kev, I'm kind of, you know, I like to over plan and over analyze and like I'm going to have this, you know I am going to create the perfect Cisco live experience for myself.

Speaker 2: 8:01

Right, I mean, I know this right. This is why I've kind of been bothering you guys in the discord like with all this insanity, and you guys are probably like, yeah, bro, I get it it makes sense now.

Speaker 1: 8:10

Yeah, it's going to be okay.

Speaker 2: 8:13

Take a deep breath and listen up. So I don't know if we want to start a high level. I'm assuming anybody listening to this knows what Cisco Live is, but would it be helpful for like somebody brand new or listening for the first time, Like what is Cisco live? Why should you care? Why are we excited?

Speaker 1: 8:27

Yeah, I think there's a. At least when I was in the business or first starting out in the business, I thought Cisco live was just like a marketing thing, like you go if and totally if you're not in like a Cisco environment, something like that. It's just it's. They're just selling you stuff. They have a key point talking about all the technologies are coming out, sort of like the apple keynote. You know. They just kind of talk about new stuff coming out and it's so much more than that.

Speaker 1: 8:48

But at first I was like that's probably all it is, I don't care about, I don't want to hear about, I don't be sold to, for you know, three to four days, that's not fun. But yeah, it's. Uh, it's a lot more than that and it's I don't know. I would describe it as a a place where you can come together with a bunch of other network engineers and networking people and talk, shop and connect and, as a side note, learn about new technologies coming out and how to better utilize the technologies that are currently out there. Which would you guys say? That's an accurate description.

Speaker 4: 9:16

Absolutely, and it's really not just Cisco. I mean, cisco puts it on, it's the Cisco live conference, but we alluded to the World Solutions, which is basically just a huge multi-room area that vendors have booths so you can talk to any, any number of different vendors, and learn about different types of technology, not just related to Cisco.

Speaker 2: 9:38

So can you talk to everyone if you have like, if you're one of the poor people with an Explorer pass, right, because again, I tried to. I'm getting ahead of our, ahead of myself, but I tried to sign up for some sessions and I could sign up for some and then I couldn't sign up for others and I'm not. I think there's a filter when you're searching. I was doing it on mobile, don't do that. But I think there's a filter where you can. So, like world of solutions that the poor people are allowed to go to, right Like, am I allowed to get there? Am?

Speaker 4: 10:06

I. I don't know how to answer that without sounding like an asshole, but I'm just trying to be funny so I have the explorer pass right.

Speaker 2: 10:16

It's way more affordable, it gets you in the door, but I'm not exactly sure what the gate is on what I can and can't do.

Speaker 4: 10:22

Well, you uh, you nailed it. It gets you in the door, and that door includes the world of solutions, so you can absolutely have the explorer pass. You could spend the entire time in the world of solutions and probably not hit every vendor booth, not talk to every person you want to talk to.

Speaker 2: 10:36

So the World of Solutions is where all the vendors are right, that's that list of vendors on there. Yeah, it's sponsored, okay, cool. So is the main restriction? Just like breakout sessions or what are people paying six times as much to get access to?

Speaker 4: 10:52

Yeah, it's the breakout sessions and there's even another tier higher than that that allows for, like some, some labs and that kind of thing, some more okay, some more in the weeds stuff. But yeah, the I would say the big difference is the being able to attend those sessions, those breakout sessions and all that.

Speaker 2: 11:11

And you may not have an answer to this. I'm actually coming at you now as if you're running the event, but like, can I? Can I schedule a?

Speaker 4: 11:17

free exam for my employer.

Speaker 2: 11:21

I mean I even want to know, like, can I schedule an exam Right? Like I never got around to Encore and I'm like, oh, I mean I spent years studying that stuff. Like maybe I'll try to brush up and take Encore there, but I'm not exactly sure if so, these are some things I'm trying to navigate, which is how I was spinning earlier, like what can I do? I don't know I can get in Steve McNutt's but not Alexis. And like can I do a? So I think I'm just in the crazy early stages of it's so big. There's all this stuff I want to do. And then I realized the Explorer pass is kind of limiting a little bit. But I got to tell you all the feedback I've been getting on socials. And then our discord. Everybody's like dude, the Explorer Pass is great, you'll be fine, don't sweat it, it's not, you're not going to have less of an experience, you know.

Speaker 4: 11:58

Yeah, I think it was our Cables to Clouds buddies that were saying in our chat that the biggest part of this that they agreed was being able to network with your peers, and the Explorer Pass gets you all of that.

Speaker 2: 12:10

All right, so we might have touched on the next point in our notes here Registering for Cisco Live. What do on the next point in in our notes here, registering for Cisco live, what do you need? Pass levels? Um, what I didn't know is when you go to register for Cisco live and get your pass, you can get your hotels in there and they are way discounted, because I went and looked before I booked the hotels through there and like they have incredible discounts If you book your hotel at the same time with your, with your pass. That seems to be the way to go.

Speaker 4: 12:34

Andy, I do want to go down the list real quick and because I'm researching on the fly it's, I'm a professional and I want to tell you what the Explorer pass will get you, Thank you, it will get you access to the keynotes the world of solution, the Cisco live celebration. So that is the concert on the one night.

Speaker 1: 12:54

That's surprising, actually.

Speaker 4: 12:55

Yeah, I didn didn't realize that. And who is it, by the way? Is it elton john? Or did I dream?

Speaker 1: 12:59

yes, oh my god I hope he plays rocket man, sir elton that is your jam.

Speaker 4: 13:06

Um, and it does you're yours you did the you remember I, she packed my bag I do remember that I might still have that feather boa somewhere oh, bring it please.

Speaker 1: 13:19

I'm gonna bring a tim bertino dressed up as elton john sign and hold it up at the concert.

Speaker 4: 13:26

Sorry, so this was one, I think kevin uh brought this up in the last week or so. I didn't realize this, but you do. There are, uh, breakfasts and lunch that are there, and the explorer pass does get you access to that, so you do get access to the meals that are theres and lunch that are there, and the Explorer Pass does get you access to that, so you do get access to the meals that are there, and, obviously, the Cisco on demand library. So, andy, I hate to break it to you, the complimentary exam is not part of that, right, which is fine. But let's, let's dig in a little more to the registration. You touched on it, andy.

Speaker 4: 13:52

If you go through the registration process, kevin, you've done it recently, so maybe at the time of this recording there's because we're getting closer to Cisco Live. At this time we're towards the end of April there may not be as many hotel blocks still available, but that was one thing that I remember when I registered last year is that the process was just so easy. You could do everything from the Cisco live site as far as booking the conference and the lodging, and you really just had to do flight or whatever. Your travel was on your own, but everything else was there in the registration. I mean, they've had many years to practice this and really have it figured out.

Speaker 2: 14:32

And I have to tell you the email that they sent. So I just registered today and then I my kids were off so I haven't had any time. So thank you for doing the research for me, tim, that I should have done myself. But, um, the welcome emails they sent were were really really good. You know, check your attendee dashboard to look at your hotel stuff and then they give you a link to the session catalog and, um, you know, there's a link for labs and seminars, so it's, I feel like the communication has been really good so far. Again, I'm, like you know, eight hours in since registering, but, um, it seems like there's a lot of information that did they send out um?

Speaker 1: 15:06

so they also have a blogging um thing where they have past. People who attended have written blogs about you know what to expect your first cisco live and all that of stuff. Do they send out links to those when you registered?

Speaker 2: 15:19

I got to look. It's been a day, but I did see something on LinkedIn. Somebody posted a really great, like you know, cisco live 2024 for noobs Like here's. You know everything you want to know. Yeah, I think on the.

Speaker 1: 15:31

Cisco website, at least on the Cisco lab website, there's a list of a bunch of blogs that have been written. I wrote one last year so check mine out. But about what to expect and the basics of the conference.

Speaker 2: 15:45

I'll find that link and we'll put it in the show notes for people to get. I think that would be really helpful for me as well as, I guess, anybody who's never been there before.

Speaker 4: 15:58

Yeah, and something else communication-wise is there is a Cisco live app, um, that is really helpful. It's got you know. Some of the highlights for me are a map of the area, so it'll show you where everything's at, I believe even down to the point, um where world of solutions. It'll show you where each of the vendors is at, which is really cool If you've got.

Speaker 1: 16:16

hey, I really want to go talk to XYZ.

Speaker 4: 16:18

You know easily where to go because you can wander around there for 10 minutes and get lost and not get all the way around it. So the app's really good for that. It also gives you access to the session materials if you go into the sessions the stuff that you need, so it's it's a really helpful app.

Speaker 2: 16:39

Yeah, I did download that today and I think that came through one of those emails, Tim. So there's been really good communication so far and, yeah, one of them was the app which I don't think it becomes active until a couple of weeks before the event.

Speaker 4: 16:51

But OK, so we've talked about scheduling sessions. Let's get into Kevin. What are your tips for the day before you leave? You're packing your bags, you're getting ready to go. I got to know what goes in Kevin's bags, so this might be TMI.

Speaker 1: 17:09

That didn't sit, nevermind Sorry. Before we get super uncomfortable, how detailed do you want to get, tim? Yeah, this could be.

Speaker 2: 17:15

We should put guardrails on this. There may be children listening Right before we jump into Kevin's bag, tim, like can you give me a high level? Like, what are the sessions? Are they just anything Like? I saw McNotts, it was some kind of like DevNet thing and I mean, is it just? Are they technical?

Speaker 3: 17:30

I know, alexis is doing one on.

Speaker 2: 17:32

I think like branding and like what are the sessions right? What's expected? Everything.

Speaker 4: 17:38

No, but there are all different kinds. Yeah, it's experts in their fields and like technical sessions. I believe, kevin, you can correct me, but I believe, if memory serves me right, that when you're going to book your sessions, it also gives you like a I'm not going to say this right but like a difficulty level. Not difficulty level, but kind of a what's a I'm not going to say this right but like a, a difficulty level. Not difficulty level, but kind of a what's the word I'm looking for?

Speaker 1: 18:01

They know. You're there, um, it's graded like a college course where you'll have classes that are sessions. I keep calling them classes. I'm, I'm came, I'm coming from the university before this, um, um, sessions that are like, uh, labeled at one, 112 or something like that, and that's a lower level session that you don't need to be as experienced to understand what they're talking about and you have 200 level and 300 level and 300 are like the expert layer kind of more previous knowledge required, so that's kind of the judge or the guide you can go on and they actually have a experience level. I think it's like beginner, intermediate, expert kind of thing, labeled on each class or session. I'm not going to stop doing that, just know that when I say class, I mean session.

Speaker 2: 18:50

That's really helpful and smart, though, right, you don't want to wind up a beginner in a 300 level and you're like what?

Speaker 1: 18:54

am I doing here? Yeah, I know want to wind up a beginner in a 300 level and you're like what am I doing here?

Speaker 2: 18:57

yeah, I know exactly, yeah, and and I want to walk. I was, I was being funny earlier. Right, I want to walk back my whole like boohoo explorer, because I'm looking at the sessions now so there's 1310 sessions total and with explorer you get 505, like access to 500 sessions. So that's more than enough to keep me busy. So not to poo-poo the explorer, I was just trying to make a little joke.

Speaker 4: 19:19

Well, and there are a fair amount of I don't know. Yeah, I think there are. They do call them sessions in the world of solutions. That will happen throughout the day too. I know, yeah, last year John Capobianco, he did sessions. I believe in the World of Solutions area.

Speaker 2: 19:39

I'm warning John now. When I see him, I'm giving him a bear hug.

Speaker 4: 19:44

He's going to hit you before you hit him.

Speaker 2: 19:48

Well, this is why I'm going to surprise him, because I know if he sees me coming, it's over. John, I'm coming for you. I want a hug.

Speaker 1: 19:58

There's also in the World of solutions just capture the flag and there's some like games that you can play. That will just suck up your time, if you, if you're really into it, um, so I mean, you will stay busy the entire time and I'm afraid I'm gonna miss something, you know, that's why I'm trying to over plan, because I'm like, oh man, what?

Speaker 2: 20:13

like, what are the? What are the definite things you should do? I guess it depends on the person. You just need to accept it. Yeah, yeah, right, right, you just have to go back again.

Speaker 4: 20:21

Yes, you've got to get logged in on all of the socials with the A1 account and you've got to get us on the big board, the social hub big board that's.

Speaker 2: 20:31

AJ's problem.

Speaker 4: 20:33

We've got to get it. He was on it last year. He wasn't even there, he did. I kept walking around the world of solutions I saw aj's face on the screen like the entire.

Speaker 2: 20:44

So aj's been telling me how great of a job and what a big deal. The whole social experience is there. So what? What is that board you refer to and like? Is that an engagement thing like?

Speaker 4: 20:52

yeah, 100, whoever.

Speaker 2: 20:54

Whoever tweets the hashtag the most gets a lanyard they take it so seriously, andy.

Speaker 4: 21:01

In the social media hub they have a long table of people that are live tweeting things as they happen. If you tweet something with that hashtag, somebody will most likely respond to you and call somebody out or just say, hey, thanks for the shout out.

Speaker 1: 21:19

Whatever I mean, they are dedicated to this being a social event is the reason why I have twitter, like it's my first cisco live.

Speaker 3: 21:28

I didn't know, and it was cisco live.

Speaker 1: 21:30

That was like everyone's on twitter. There's twitter stuff everywhere, so I gotta join and that is awesome didn't make it to the board. It is really hard to make it on the board. People are just on there just going on.

Speaker 2: 21:40

That's the thing, kev. I'd rather be present and give my time and attention to the people around me. I don't want to be. I don't want this to be my Cisco live experience, right, like I really don't. So I don't think I'll be on the leaderboard, but I'm sure aj, aj, aj has it. Does tom still do dom's corner? What's tom's corner? And is he going to be around? Because that's like a thing, right? Yeah?

Speaker 4: 22:01

I, I, I'm not sure. I I'm sure he will still have an area um. I didn't see him a ton last year because they do the, the, they essentially do tech field day while they're out there.

Speaker 2: 22:15

Oh gotcha.

Speaker 4: 22:16

And have their area where they do that. But yes, I did get to see him and talk to him. So, yeah, you do need to seek him out, okay.

Speaker 1: 22:23

He's usually there for the tweet ups, like the initial tweet up and the final tweet up, or whatever the tweet goodbye. I don't know what it's called.

Speaker 2: 22:31

Are you saying tweet up and not meet?

Speaker 1: 22:32

up.

Speaker 4: 22:33

X up.

Speaker 2: 22:38

X up sounds terrible. X up, tim. You stop with the X, all right, so let's jump back into Kevin's bag. I'm sorry to divert us, but I just wanted to get some clarity on sessions. So, kev, what's in your bag, bro?

Speaker 1: 22:45

So it depends on where it's located.

Speaker 2: 22:48

So this year it's at Vegas.

Speaker 1: 22:50

It's in Vegas, so there'll be lots of underwear, the the humidity and the heat. I'm not, I'm a florida boy, man, I, I, I'm used to wait. There's no humidity in vegas right, it's dry, there's no humidity. It's like I'm used to swimming when I walk around like it's.

Speaker 1: 23:08

I live in a swamp, um. So chapstick, definitely, um, and lots of underwear because dang um, that's only if you go outside, though honestly you could. You could be in the conference and on the strip and never leave a hotel or casino like it's. It's one of those things where you don't have to see the outside if you don't want to, okay are we bringing gym clothes?

Speaker 2: 23:27

are we gonna get pumped up?

Speaker 1: 23:29

you know, every year, every single year, I bring gym clothes and I think I'm gonna, before breakfast, I I'm going to wake up early, get the gym, get the day started, right. You know, and I've never gone to a gym there. I just I'm so exhausted and usually the nights are late because I'm socializing, hanging out with a nightcap or whatever. At the hotel bar I just meet someone, we're talking, time gets away from me and it's like two o'clock in the morning. All of a sudden. There's no way I'm waking up at six o'clock in the morning to go to gym well, that's why I'm asking.

Speaker 2: 23:57

I'm going to bring stuff so I can run there, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be so tired by the end of the day. It's not gonna happen.

Speaker 1: 24:02

So draining, like we don't really do anything. I feel like you do a lot of walking um and it's a lot of sessions and talking and socializing, but I feel exhausted after every day and you.

Speaker 4: 24:12

You brought up like exercising, and just being at the event is an exercise in and of itself, because you're moving around so much, and Daniel Pelfrey called it out in the chat a little bit ago that, like the first time he went, he felt dehydrated. So that's, that's a big thing.

Speaker 2: 24:28

I mean, take your own just plastic bottle of water, and they have stations everywhere to refill and take care of yourself, tim not that you asked me, but something I pack when I go out west is like a mini humidifier for, like my hotel room, because a couple of times in Cali my sinuses and the dry air and like it really jacks me up they make those things, andy, I'm not trying to be a, but I'm not trying to be a butthead, but that is.

Speaker 4: 24:57

Nobody has ever told me that in my life.

Speaker 2: 25:01

Leave it to Andy. Well, a man who suffers sinus problems, who goes to a dry place like Vegas, I need to moisturize my own.

Speaker 1: 25:10

I'm adding it to my Amazon account right now.

Speaker 4: 25:13

I'm telling you. So mini humidifier in underpants Got it?

Speaker 3: 25:19

The essentials.

Speaker 2: 25:20

So how redressing? I guess it's just a bunch of nerds and like jeans, bad sneakers and golf shirts or polos. Is that basically this? I have a I bought. I bought a um, what are they called? Like a sport coat, for the last thing we did for a one. It's still in the plastic. I never wore it. So now it's a conference and I'm like, oh, I'm gonna wear a sport coat. I see jason ghouli in a sport coat. I'm probably not. So my question is like how are we dressing? It's dressed for comfort, right, because it's just a lot of walking and yeah it's going to be comfortable, right, it varies so greatly.

Speaker 1: 25:51

You'll see people in flip-flops and a t-shirt and shorts and you'll see people in like work clothes, um, dress shirt and slacks. Uh, it's no matter what, you'll fit in, um. I do say that, like last year was my first year that I actually wore fancy clothes or work type clothes, because I would go out at night after the conference and rub elbows with people who were you know, I felt like I had to dress up, for whether I actually did or not, I I don't know, but hold on hold on, we're going to dig into this.

Speaker 2: 26:18

Who are the people that you were trying to impress?

Speaker 1: 26:20

I'm not name dropping now but, um, chuck Robbins, no, not that big, not that big, I'm a peon man. I'm a peon, no, um, but just just, I don't know. I felt like I should dress up and I will say it came in handy. I bring, at least in my opinion, a couple of nice pairs of clothes. That way, if you do go after the conference, you can go to a bar, and if you do get, you know, a chance to talk to someone or have a an event or be on the Cisco live, uh, social media team.

Speaker 1: 26:46

they have a lot of cameras and interviews and that kind of stuff. You never know you might, might end up. So I, I at least bring one, at least bring some a collared shirt and some slacks. My opinion.

Speaker 4: 26:55

I'd love to see you in the jacket, but that's just me.

Speaker 1: 26:58

In just the jacket Whoa, it's Vegas, it's Vegas. So.

Speaker 2: 27:04

I'm comfortable at the conference. Do I have time to walk 300 miles to my hotel room? Get dressed for like the fancy stuff. Where's your hotel? Which one?

Speaker 1: 27:13

Yeah, it depends, or do you not want to say this?

Speaker 4: 27:16

live on you.

Speaker 2: 27:16

I think it's called the Suck. What's the room number? I think somebody referred to it as the Sucksore oh. Luxor, yeah, honestly, I didn't say that, sam, I've never been there.

Speaker 1: 27:27

I have never had a problem with Luxor I stayed there last year.

Speaker 4: 27:29

I stayed there last year. It was fantastic, it was great.

Speaker 1: 27:33

No crickets, no, it was close enough where I could walk and not have to run or hurry or be late or anything. And honestly it's closer to the restaurants, like in between Mandalay Bay and Luxor. There's like a strip mall kind of looking area.

Speaker 2: 27:48

Yeah, that's a good point, and it has a bunch of bars, a bunch of restaurants, a lot of good places and that's where everyone ended up after the conference to have a drink or whatever.

Speaker 1: 27:54

So I was right there.

Speaker 4: 28:04

And afterwards I could stumble back to my room. It's perfect. So, andy, are you in the tower, part of luxor, or the pyramid? And the reason I ask is, if you're in the pyramid, you got to be prepared for the elevator because it does go at an angle once you get to like past the second floor yeah, bring headphones if you, if you're in the pyramid or um earplugs pyramid yeah, so you get the cool elevator if you're above the second floor.

Speaker 4: 28:19

It's a sideways elevator, so it starts up, and then the second floor. It angles with the pyramid.

Speaker 3: 28:24

It's not bad, it's not a lot.

Speaker 1: 28:27

But you're also closer to the casino floor, you're like right outside the thing, so you can hear like the ching, ching, ching, ching, ching, ching. Sometimes.

Speaker 2: 28:34

Oh great.

Speaker 1: 28:41

Dude hey, it's fine, it's fine you're the, the gentle drone of your humidifier will take care of that noise.

Speaker 2: 28:44

The white noise, I like it oh, I should also mention I have a white noise thing app on my phone that I also use to sleep, but I use brown noise.

Speaker 1: 28:52

Kevin of course but I use.

Speaker 4: 28:54

But I use brown noise because it's a lower frequency what is brown noise?

Speaker 3: 28:58

that sounds it's a lower frequent oh tom I noise that sounds it's a lower frequent.

Speaker 1: 29:03

I make brown noise every night. We're talking about oh boy all right, I do like brown noise more than white noise. It's deeper. Oh, after you bust on it now you're coming around, but tim, check out the brown noise, it's really good.

Speaker 4: 29:21

Is that?

Speaker 1: 29:22

a band. It would be a good band name, though it's nice so we got through the packing.

Speaker 2: 29:26

Any other packing tips? Dress for comfort, very comfortable sneakers, I hear. Make sure you're hydrated.

Speaker 4: 29:32

I'm going to bring my jacket for Tim. Have plenty of room. Do not pack bags too tightly because there is so much swag and you don't have to come home with any of it, but sometimes there's there's some pretty cool stuff there, so it's always good to leave room in in any luggage you take for stuff that you'll bring home, because if you want to, you can bring home a lot.

Speaker 1: 29:56

And you will get a free backpack. So with a laptop, you know, get a free backpack. So with a laptop, you know, laptop backpack and stuff. So I've stopped bringing mine and I just have my laptop on a carry-on like a little sleeve and then use the one at the conference I'm glad you mentioned that.

Speaker 2: 30:10

I was wondering like do people walk around? So I'm guessing I'm gonna need a battery pack or two, because my phone's gonna be getting slammed the whole time and it's a long day yep, that's a good idea.

Speaker 3: 30:19

So do people walk around with?

Speaker 2: 30:20

backpacks.

Speaker 1: 30:21

Yeah, I always did the cisco live backpack and I was going to say pack something that you can attach to your bag to market as yours, like, uh, something simple like a ribbon or a keychain or something like that, so that, because you will see the same backpack, yeah, everyone has the exact same backpack and they're all to see if people to same backpack. So if you put your bag down and look away and come back, there's like six backpacks. Now I'll look the same.

Speaker 4: 30:45

So get the the Dan Richards howdy packet face sticker and just put like 15 of them on your back.

Speaker 2: 30:53

I'm either going to hang a screaming goat for mine or maybe my Tim Ross little bobblehead. I got that'll be. Uh, all right, so I think our next bullet item is arriving.

Speaker 1: 31:04

I'm not exactly sure. Uh, that's, that's the easy part if you get there. If you get there, you won yeah, you land if you're, if you're flying, getting a uber or a taxi, and get to your hotel and check in.

Speaker 2: 31:17

Thanks for that insightful bullet point.

Speaker 1: 31:18

AJ.

Speaker 2: 31:26

Well, I'll be getting there late Sunday night because my son has a soccer tournament and I'm going to try to stay for as much of it as I can.

Speaker 1: 31:31

I guess on Sunday there's some stuff, maybe there's the add-on labs, if you pay for extra labs and you can check in starting Sundayay. So if you do get, you know, if you land early sunday day before you can check in, get everything sorted, get your backpack, get your pass, all that stuff, so that you can check into the conference yeah, yeah, okay, you can't get into anything, nothing's open yet but at least you can get your pass and all that stuff. So that so on monday morning you're not waiting in

Speaker 1: 31:57

line and having to do that kind of stuff. You can go right to breakfast.

Speaker 4: 32:01

You can kind of chill out a little bit and if you do get there earlier on Sundays I know I'm sure we have some listeners here that are part of the Cisco champion program they usually have stuff that Sunday in the afternoon, just kind of meetups and stuff. Kevin, I know you're Cisco champion.

Speaker 1: 32:16

I'm a new champion, so I don't know anything, but that's good to know you get a ribbon.

Speaker 4: 32:19

You know the, the ribbons on the, on the uh name tags. There is a cisco champion ribbon.

Speaker 1: 32:25

You get one of those and speaking of ribbons, do we want to say that we're, we're, we will be giving away ribbons as well, do it?

Speaker 2: 32:31

oh yeah, already just do it, you did it. What's what's the thing?

Speaker 1: 32:35

I think there's some giveaways we're doing, but I forget what it is there's two ribbons there's some giveaways that we're doing, but I forget what it is. There's two ribbons there's an art and engineering ribbon and then there's the. It's always part of the journey Discord ribbon I think we might.

Speaker 2: 32:47

What was the name of that? Discord again man?

Speaker 1: 32:49

the acronym is so long yeah it's like six letters. I came to the acronym.

Speaker 4: 32:55

It's all about the journey.

Speaker 3: 32:56

I think there are some cables to clouds ones being made as well, oh nice.

Speaker 2: 33:01

Yeah, and what are they? The ribbons that you put on your name. Tag your.

Speaker 1: 33:05

ID, yeah, and some people have. It's like every CCIE. You know, for each CCIE you get a thing on there. If you're a net vet status or whatever you get, there's people walking around with like 10 or 15 ribbons and then you're like Whoa, that guy's important.

Speaker 4: 33:21

That guy's a cool guy. I look at my one, my one, my participation ribbon for showing up Ribbon envy.

Speaker 2: 33:27

Yeah, I'd have to find it somewhere, but I thought AJ posted something about if we see you wearing Art of Net End swag at the conference, you get entered to win something. I don't know if we're doing like prize packs or something. I gotta try to find it yeah, I know we're doing some type of giveaways.

Speaker 1: 33:43

I just don't remember what it is I don't want to say anything officially, so I'm not going to say anything, but I just did. Well, you didn't get the details.

Speaker 2: 33:50

I had the, I think that was good I'm not going to say it yeah oh, you know the details, but you're withholding them. Is that what you're saying?

Speaker 1: 33:57

I don't I want to, after I just ruined the ribbon thing, so now I can't hang on, hang on it's gonna be.

Speaker 4: 34:02

It's. It's gonna be bigger than a paper clip and smaller than a porsche is what kevin's alluding to.

Speaker 2: 34:10

Yeah, exactly, you could just tell us, because I'm scrolling our twitter now trying to find aj's announcement.

Speaker 1: 34:15

I don't know if you put it on twitter. Yeah, I don't all right, I think it's just in our little private chat.

Speaker 2: 34:19

Oh, I gotcha Okay, so I've just broke NDA A1 NDA.

Speaker 4: 34:22

My bad AJ is always pissed at us anyway, so it's fine.

Speaker 2: 34:28

All right, so the conference. Do we want to jump into that, Tim? Yeah.

Speaker 4: 34:34

Something else that Daniel just posted in there too, just kind of a housekeeping item. So the badge that you have they give you a lanyard, they give you a name tag, it's the badge that you carry that needs to be present on you, and if you do lose it there is a fee to replace it. So guard it. Thanks for that, Daniel. Appreciate it. What just happened? It's like a smart license.

Speaker 1: 34:58

I was wondering why you're laughing. I was waiting for it.

Speaker 4: 35:00

Sorry, yes, so the conference.

Speaker 1: 35:02

Yeah, I think that's an overarching subject that we just We've been in. We'll come back to it. Bullet item from AJ yeah, Sorry, aj.

Speaker 2: 35:09

Well, so, okay, there's sessions that we talked about. You can learn stuff. There's all these people you can meet and hang out with and make connections with. There's a world of solutions, which are all the cool vendors that are there with tables, and you can learn all about the cool stuff that's happening this year. Ai, I guess. There's food. There's breakfast and lunch, which is pretty sweet, and there's entertainment, right, I guess? When's the show? Is that Wednesday, like the last day?

Speaker 1: 35:34

the big shit is at the end basically Wednesday night and then Thursday there's still. There's still sessions. So tip there don't schedule an 8 am session on Thursday if you're going to the event, because you will not want to wake up for that my apologies if you are hosting and leading.

Speaker 1: 35:50

Yeah, in session they they have to know that it's it's a bad time slot. They have to know and I, a lot of people don't go to the things if you're not a huge Elton John fan or if you're just not a late night person. There's a lot of people there. I got COVID one year from the customer appreciation event, so there are people who don't go. I know there are people who also, under black market, sell their passes. So I mean, if you can make a buck Andy you're good.

Speaker 4: 36:24

Going to eBay, right? So I mean, if you can make a buck going, to ebay right now.

Speaker 2: 36:25

You had my interest, now you have my. So that's the customer appreciation event. Kev the big party at the end. That's the thing, okay free food um free beer and wine, that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1: 36:33

Um, oh yeah, it's. It's like it's in a stadium, so there's a bunch of stadium food. There's also like some pretty decent food, some good areas to sit. Uh, up top, all the box seats are open. Um, they're not like you walk in. Last year I sat in the box for a little while and I was like, oh, these must be, you know, guarded, or you know, you know places where you can't sit because they're fancy you saw through it into a box and it was like food and there was no one sitting there because I think everyone had the same thought.

Speaker 1: 36:59

I did where you know, it's not for the general public, it's like a special thing. But no, they're open. So at least if it's the same as last year, go to the boxes. You get a great view. There's no one there. Food's right there, beer's right there. It's great.

Speaker 2: 37:11

Kev, I love your style.

Speaker 1: 37:21

Like just walking, like you own the confidence, this is your place. Are you gonna question that guy? Well, so I made a mistake a couple times where, and on wireless solutions, there's these little booths for each vendor each, but it has like a private booth or like you can talk to them, make deals. I don't know what they do in there, all all this stuff. But I was like I need to check my email, I need to take a couple minutes and check in with work, which I don't recommend, but I had to, um, so I just walked in one of these booths and sat down and started doing my work and then, all of a sudden, these people started gathering around and looking at me and I was like, oh, that's kind of awkward, but I'll just keep working. And it was all the vendor to people.

Speaker 1: 37:48

I stole a vendor's booth and they were like what are you doing? And I, you need to like start banging on the window and get out and all that stuff. I was like, oh of stuff. I was like, oh, my bad, sorry, just walked away like it's I just I just walk into places I don't know. I wait till people tell me to go away. So fake it like you make it long story short anyway, so I don't recommend doing that. There are there are booths in the world of solutions.

Speaker 4: 38:11

Don't go into those but along with the big customer appreciation event, there are other events after hours. All week, a big CCIE party. There's a program called NetVet. If you've been to Cisco Live multiple times, I can never remember how many years you need to go.

Speaker 1: 38:29

I think it's three out of the last four years.

Speaker 4: 38:32

Three out of the last four. Okay, last year there was a special area in the world of solutions. If you had NetVet status you could go hang out. They had refreshments, that kind of stuff. I will say to all the customers out there that are going, a lot of the partner organizations that you may work with send people to Cisco Live. The partners like to have their own parties. So definitely there's not a shortage of things to do after the conference every day.

Speaker 1: 38:59

Yeah, usually you can get an invite. There's always a plus of things to do after the conference every day. Yeah, usually you can get an invite. There's always a plus one too for a lot of those parties. So if you know somebody or make friends, you usually can get in. And if you make friends with a vendor, there's usually vendor parties and after stuff that are happening all the time that you'll get invited to.

Speaker 2: 39:14

So, like the World of Solutions, sessions aren't recorded. That's a helpful piece of information from dan palfrey.

Speaker 4: 39:20

I didn't know that any other major uh points from from the conference itself.

Speaker 2: 39:23

Um, anything stand out, damn it guys explorer pass doesn't get a free backpack, so kevin's telling me to go and don't bring a backpack. I've never had. This goes like here's your backpack, andy. Yeah, I never had the common path? I don't know, I'm just, oh, you don't have a common Pass this year either.

Speaker 3: 39:38

No.

Speaker 4: 39:39

He just called you the Common man, yeah you're the Plebeian Pass or whatever.

Speaker 2: 39:45

We made a terrible mistake bringing this highbrow fancy pants guy onto the show. Tim. Now he's just giving it to me.

Speaker 4: 39:53

That used to be Dan's job, at least you know the torch has been passed to Kevin.

Speaker 2: 39:57

I know where I stand. I know where I stand.

Speaker 1: 39:58

I would have given you my laptop sleeve. That would have helped, I'll put a Cisco sticker on it.

Speaker 4: 40:11

But yeah, I think that covers the actual events going on. But there are also some really cool areas that are not vendor booths. At the World of Solutions, we talked about the social media hub there's also. Last year there was like a sustainability section there is. If you're into training and certifications, the cisco training certifications group usually has a big area you can go hang out and learn more about the, the training insert offerings they have. So there's there's tons of stuff there.

Speaker 1: 40:37

That's cisco u theater cisco u theater capture the flag. It was a thing last year, I think they.

Speaker 4: 40:42

I think they'll have it again this year, though I think it's been a couple years last year andy you you probably would have gotten um a kick out of this, being a philly eagles fan they had a big um so cisco and the nfl partner and they had a big like nfl section and like football stuff. It was really cool.

Speaker 1: 41:00

And the big tunnel. I wonder what the I'm curious what the social media lounge will have as the main thing. Last year they had a kaleidoscope-looking tunnel.

Speaker 4: 41:08

That thing was trippy man, I couldn't get too close.

Speaker 1: 41:11

No, I loved it, man, I think I have like 10 different sessions of pictures I had in there. I love that thing. I'm really, really. I'm curious what they're gonna have this year, if they can top that. I'm a sucker for, for lights. I guess I'm a simple man. Give me some lights and some things that are twinkly and I'm like, oh, same kev same.

Speaker 2: 41:31

Most of the reason I built a home lab was just to have blinky lights.

Speaker 4: 41:34

I love that he was like. It was like a big build-up to that.

Speaker 1: 41:36

I'm a sucker for lights, I guess yeah, like it wasn't anything special, but it was cool to me. I loved it, it was cool, it was cool, I got a high level question tim.

Speaker 2: 41:47

Yeah, sorry so I'm popping up a couple levels like so why? I mean, I know why I'm going and the podcast is is paying for me to go. Thank, why. Why do employers send their people Like why is Kevin's employer? What are the expectations there? Like, and it's probably different. It depends, right, like yay, networking. But why would an employer drop thousands to send you to this conference? Are their expectations like hey, come back with useful information, or I?

Speaker 4: 42:15

think it'll vary, but I don't think that it's uncommon at all for that, what you just said, to be the answer.

Speaker 2: 42:22

I think the general expectation in my experience has been that we expect that you're going to come back with something having worked at a vendor for a little bit that anything you learn at Cisco live is published everywhere and all of their marketing materials. Right, so you might get it three days earlier at the big launch keynote. But what's the big? I'm trying to figure out why.

Speaker 1: 42:50

So for me it's you get four days of dedicated learning, all this stuff. And I don't know about you guys, but when I'm like a normal work week, I don't have time to go above and beyond to research and to deep dive into stuff. I'm trying to catch up on projects and tickets and all that kind of stuff. So, honestly, it's a great time just to be solely in the experience and you are dedicated to learning and being in these sessions.

Speaker 2: 43:14

You can scale up right. That makes a lot of sense.

Speaker 1: 43:17

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Yeah, and the way I've approached it is that I look at what projects are going to be um in the next year. It's going on in work and say like we're deploying new, you know, catalyst 9800, wireless land control or something like that. So I will then tailor my class that I'm, the sessions that I'm taking, to wireless and the, the controllers, so that like I'm learning things that are applicable to what I'm going to be doing in the next year and I think that's what um at least it's been successful doing it that way, because if you look at the class schedule, you can segment it by technologies and like wireless, and you can get all those wireless sessions and just focus and hone in on that one technology that's going to be the most impactful for you the next year.

Speaker 2: 43:57

So I think it's a lot of sense and you found that helpful. Yeah, that's that's um.

Speaker 1: 44:01

Otherwise I feel like I'm, I'm. I don't know about you guys, but when I, when I'm learning, my brain has to be like single focused, like I can't be learning.

Speaker 1: 44:08

You know, you know 10 different technologies. I feel like I'm, I'm, you know, an inch deep and a mile wide and all that stuff, and I'd rather deep dive and just be like, okay, this year I am into wireless and I am going to be learning the platform and all the stuff to need to to know it. And to me, I think I get more out of it at the end I've sunk in because I've taken not only one class or one session, but like several, and I need that repetitive kind of going over the adjacent information over and over again for it to really sink in. I'm going to get a third of the information and just bring home the PowerPoint, the slides, and be like, ok, this is kind of what I learned, and then I'm, there's no point in me going. I just had the slides at that point.

Speaker 4: 44:48

Yeah, I think it's a way to for employers to to kind of take care of their people as well, like if you, if you've got good people, I mean that can be seen to me, that can be seen as a perk of that. Hey, we care enough about you that we're going to send you to this we value you and what you're going to learn out there.

Speaker 3: 45:06

Yeah, you're going to learn a good time.

Speaker 2: 45:11

A hundred percent. That makes sense and it's a way to get people away from.

Speaker 3: 45:14

My employer sent me to him. It's about their my retention ability.

Speaker 2: 45:18

It's a way to get get people away.

Speaker 4: 45:20

Um, I know, not everybody's going into an office per se every day anymore, but it's just a way to get somebody out of their element and just kind of break up some monotony a little bit too.

Speaker 2: 45:30

So that's kind of what I see it as it makes a lot of sense, a lot of value there, then, for employers. Okay, Thanks.

Speaker 1: 45:35

Also, I appreciate as an employee, it's something that my employer is doing. They don't have to do it. If don't, if I don't go, I'm not going to be any less successful overall, um, but it's something that they're. They're showing that they appreciate what I do, they appreciate what I bring to the you know, the company and I and they appreciate me having a four day break where I can hone in on on something else. So I don't know, it's one of those bonuses that I look for when I'm you know, getting a new job or my current job.

Speaker 1: 46:03

if I'm valued, they're going to stay there. And when I ask for things like I don't ask for a lot, so when I do ask for something, I hope that they accommodate and they do so.

Speaker 2: 46:12

I wonder how many network people are on call during Cisco live people getting called away Not ideal.

Speaker 1: 46:19

I would not bring your work laptop or your work, your work information information just because sometimes you have to. But if you can keep it at home, you will be tempted. I am tempted to see an alert on my phone. I'm going to log in and see what's going on.

Speaker 4: 46:32

But they might need me.

Speaker 4: 46:34

I'm important I am. I do want to circle back to what we talked about it earlier, about just trying to be in the moment. I've got a really fond memory. Last year I think it was the last day, I think it was the Wednesday, so the day before the last day we just kind of got down to the end of the day. You could tell people had been there multiple days. People were starting to get kind of tired.

Speaker 4: 46:55

It was up near the social media hub. They had like couches and a bunch of different chairs and stuff and I just sat. A bunch of people were sat down. I just kind of look around and I see just all these people that I've met in the from the. It's all about the journey discord and I look up and I see Quinn and DeJuan and it's just all these people are just right there and it was just so cool to just kind of take that in and just enjoy the moment. So that's my biggest advice is just enjoy your right there and it was just so cool to just kind of take that in and just enjoy the moment. So that's that's my biggest advice is just enjoy your time there. Andy, you talked about you. Can you can make yourself exhausted trying to plan the perfect trip. And yes, I I am saying you know, do your best to plan ahead, especially with, like, the session scheduling and things that are time sensitive, but once you're there, try as much as you can to be in the moment.

Speaker 2: 47:43

Yeah, that happened to me in, like, where were we last? Knoxville, nashville? Yeah, you know, and and and that's a little different because we were running an event and a lot of stuff happening. But I remember being distracted. You know, there was people that came to see us. I remember feeling that pull between trying to manage this event that we're running and also being with people. And, you know, and I had regrets after that, because there's people I wish I spent more time with and gave more attention to. So, yeah, I definitely I think that's going to be top of mind for me, especially because I drove myself crazy today trying to play in the perfect scale and you know there really isn't one. And I think if I can just spend time with people that I admire and meet new folks, you know, make those connections, it'd be. It'd be really nice to spend time with folks and learn some cool stuff, right, and have some fun. I guess I'll go through sessions tomorrow. Got to look and get those books. They fill up fast.

Speaker 1: 48:39

We said right Earlier yeah, okay, yeah. And if they is full and there's one that you really really want to go to, there are going to be people like me who get distracted and don't go and you can wait. And if you have nothing else going on which I know is kind of rare, but if you have nothing else going on you really want that session, you can wait. And if it doesn't fill up and you can get in towards the end of the uh the entrance yeah.

Speaker 4: 48:55

Cause they do have people at all the sessions that are standing outside that scan your badge and something else to take away for this. People that hold active certifications, the the sessions you go to. If you get your badge scanned and you go in, you do get continuing education credits for those that apply to recertifying.

Speaker 1: 49:15

So and the amount of CE credits you get is based on the level of class or session. So if it's a 100 level session, you get less CE credits than, like, a 300. Just something to keep in mind.

Speaker 2: 49:26

And why do we care about CE credits? Because that's the way you can recertify or renew.

Speaker 1: 49:30

Yeah, it's an easy way of renewing and it's a lot cheaper than taking the test.

Speaker 4: 49:35

And I guess you know. The last thing here, to kind of round this out, is talking about post event, and I think the biggest thing post-event is to check out the Cisco Live website to search the sessions, ones that you didn't hit or ones that really resonated. If you want to grab the session materials, you can get those. Again, I go back to those are some of the best documentation materials I've ever had. A few years ago, setting up some catalyst switches in stackwise configuration, setting up some catalyst switches in stack wise configuration, I did some Googling and one of the first things that came up was a Cisco live session and it was just incredible.

Speaker 4: 50:10

And when I was studying for the CCMP, our own Tim McConaughey had a session where that he did on multicast in Barcelona. I think it was like literally days before the world shut down. So that's a story he can tell you someday. He did that right right before COVID times but he had a really good session. So there's just so much good, good stuff out there and that's another reason why you know really taking the event. Go to the sessions you want to, but you're not going to miss out on material Cisco makes it available to you at post event.

Speaker 2: 50:41

Could we do a lightning round before we're done? Absolutely God.

Speaker 3: 50:45

How much underwear.

Speaker 4: 50:45

Do you need to pack?

Speaker 2: 50:46

Really no. If Dan was here, he'd kill me. At least two today, business cards are dead right. Because what I'm thinking is you're going to go, you're going to meet people. Like am I going to be at a booth and be like, hey, how do you, if you meet somebody and you want to connect, or I mean, you're not asking for? Numbers like a date. They don't do business cards. I'd like to make connections there and and continue that conversation later, and I don't know how to exchange contact info vendors definitely do the business cards yeah I've gotten a bunch of contacts that way, um, I bet.

Speaker 1: 51:20

I mean I feel like everybody uses their phone. They do that like head or the okay, the connectionless yeah yeah, to give contacts, but, um, usually it's twitter. Honestly, most of my contacts that I make they I get their twitter handle and that's how everyone talks to each other.

Speaker 2: 51:34

On on cisco live um, what is the exhibition hall? Is that the same as the world of solutions? Do you guys know, because I was going through documentation, no clue, I don, I don't know, I would say so.

Speaker 4: 51:43

Or maybe the exhibition hall is where the keynote is. I don't know, not sure.

Speaker 1: 51:48

Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 2: 51:49

I think we touched on this best way to leverage social media during the conference. It's Twitter right. Twitter Hashtag.

Speaker 3: 51:53

Cisco live. It's Twitter, everything's Twitter.

Speaker 2: 51:56

Yep, okay. Also, I saw an attendee newsflash newsletter. So again, as part of that communication I got after registering, I saw something about an attendee newsletter. So, um, I have to go through all that and and look through everything they sent me, but I guess registering is the most important thing so that you kick off all that communication and guidance. It might be the end of my lightning round, uh yes, lightning round complete.

Speaker 1: 52:23

Someone in the comments said um. Last year um someone had a qr code. That's a smart idea.

Speaker 4: 52:28

I was wondering like a qr code if you want to. Andy, you want to set up like a link tree that's got all your uh linkedin and twitter and all that.

Speaker 2: 52:37

So yeah, we, so we have. We have a qr code with the a1 on it. We made for this event that people could scan and get sent to our link tree. I guess I could also make my own and point people to me too.

Speaker 4: 52:52

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 52:52

Yeah, I don't want to be the guy showing up with business cards. You're like yo, bro, what year is this Like really business cards, you know? Yeah, so I guess it's all social and the QR code isn't a bad idea.

Speaker 1: 53:03

I wouldn't look negative on someone who gave me a business card though not at cisco like because there's yeah I mean there's vendors that that are will hand you paper.

Speaker 4: 53:11

I mean so that have like specs of different equipment, that kind of stuff that's not uncommon. So no, I wouldn't paper data sheets and all. I wouldn't sweat um business cards at all.

Speaker 2: 53:22

No, so should I make business cards or should I make a QR code? Tim.

Speaker 1: 53:25

A business card with a QR code on it.

Speaker 4: 53:27

Bam.

Speaker 1: 53:30

Playing 4D chess over here.

Speaker 4: 53:32

But that's not a bad piece of advice.

Speaker 1: 53:38

Well, that might generate some questions. Selfie on one side, a QR code on the other. Oh yeah, that guy, I remember him now.

Speaker 4: 53:45

Somebody could easily take it, scan it and then, if they lose it or get rid of the card, it's not a big deal, because they got your information now, Whether, if you give them a card, they put it in their big bag and they may never see it again.

Speaker 2: 53:57

Making business cards. Dan's going to tease me.

Speaker 1: 53:59

No, it's retro now, it's cool yeah, it's in it all comes back. Yeah, you guys got anything else uh, if you, if you go to the conference, you see peter jones there, he hands out a6 um from actual cisco devices I recommend yeah, peter jones, he's um part of the people team that designs the a6 in the cat series um. So if you see him, he's handed him out like candy. He just hands him out. It's pretty cool, pretty cool paperweight I want an asic I'll hook you up.

Speaker 2: 54:34

I'll get you in contact with him I don't think everything else, tim, I'm glad we got to run this. This was helpful for me and hopefully anybody out there who has never been to a cisco live who might be attending this. At least they have some high level overview of what to expect, what to do, how to prepare, so hopefully this was helpful for folks. I know it helped me. So thank you, too, for your service. I appreciate it.

Speaker 4: 54:56

Well, listeners, thank you for joining us, and folks that hung out in the live viewing on YouTube. We really appreciate you hanging out in the interaction. We got a lot of good questions out of that chat, so thank you very much. You can find us anywhere on the socials, at Art of NetEng, on our website, artofnetworkengineeringcom, as well as cables2cloudscom. We hope to see as many of you as possible at Cisco Live because the A1 team will be there. See you soon. Bye, mate.

Speaker 3: 55:25

Hey there, friends. We hope you enjoyed listening to that episode just as much as we did recording it. If you want to hear more, make sure you subscribe to the show and your favorite podcatcher, you can also give that little bell rascal a little ringy dingy, so you know when we release new episodes. If you're social like we are, you can follow us on twitter and instagram. We are at art of net inch, that's art of n-e-t-e-n-g. You can also find us on that weaving web that is the internet, at artofnetworkengineeringcom. There you'll find our show notes and some blog articles from the hosts, guests and other friends who just like getting their thoughts down on that virtual paper. Until next time, friends, thanks for listening.