What to expect from Splunk .conf 2018

Question: In what kind of world do tech reporters gravitate toward log file machine data analytics conferences three years in a row in preference over (perhaps what might be) some of the other upper-tier consumer-level tech events? 

Answer: This one, this world, this 2018 world.

So is it then that we head to Splunk .conf 2018 to collect our ‘three year alumni badge’ later this autumn. Spoiler alert: there’s no such badge, but there are some good t-shirts.

Once again spurning the hedonistic delights of Las Vegas and the metropolitan ‘squalor mixed with opulence’ platos combinados that is San Franciso, Splunk is headed for Orlando for .conf 2018.

Keynote speakers include Steve ‘did I tell you how I helped create Apple?’ Wozniak, who is of course always a pleasure to listen to.

Splunk wants to be known the company that delivers ‘aha’ moments from machine data – presumably there’s an Abba connection there somewhere, but we haven’t found it yet.

The event takes place from October 1-4, 2018, at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida.

“Focused on Splunk products spanning IT, security, developer, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), mobile and the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, attendees will participate in more than 300 sessions and hear from around 450 speakers,” said Doug Merritt, president and CEO, Splunk.

Of note here is the ‘customer success studio’, a place to hear customer stories and learn how to scale Splunk deployments, apply governance best practices and talk with value consultants to document return on investment.

Also on site, the Dashboard Control Room is a place to view Splunk analysing and visualising data from .conf18, including mobile app usage, foot traffic and other activity details.

The hands-on labs are a place to learn the latest Splunk software tips and tricks from Splunk experts. Attendees will learn new skills, hear expert insights and discover the latest technologies to help solve their most pressing business challenges.

For developers, the Science Sandbox is also presented to see new applications of Splunk in real time. Splunk teams will debut their personal technology and IoT experiments throughout the week.