I have been to CiscoLive quite a few times and have learned things each time. Here are some of my tips that I have gathered over the years.
Do not show up Monday morning as your starting point. There is always a line at registration on Monday and almost none on Sunday. Besides, Cisco is now doing a session on Sunday designed for first time attendees. I know it is a good sessions as I am one of the speakers. We talk about some of the things we have experienced and take questions from the audience. So, come on Sunday (or earlier) and get your badge so you can be ready to go Monday morning. Also, come to the session for first timers and hear from people like me, even if you are not a first timer.
I have enjoyed each CiscoLive and it gets better every year. Unfortunately, it also gets bigger every year. You cannot do everything and this is ok. There are a lot of technical sessions on many different topics. Don’t go to a session because you think you are an expert – use these sessions to have a conversation. There are other people that will be in the same session that have similar questions – ask your questions and interact with the instructor. Just be a little careful – do not come to the session to solve all your problems. If you want to expand on something, wait till after the session to talk with the instructor.
Almost all of the sessions have slide decks you can download (even in advance) and can be used after the show. A good number of instructors even add more content to their downloads. If there are any sessions that you do not have questions, use the slide decks instead of going – consider it a way to save some of your time for other parts of the show.
World of Solutions (called WoS) is the show floor. There are lots of vendors located here – lots of vendors. They give away free stuff so you can go home with plenty of SWAG. Be careful here – don’t pick up more stuff that you can bring home. Personally, CiscoLive is the one time I check a large bag rather than try to go with a carryon. My kids love the free stuff and so do the people in the office.
When planning your sessions, leave some time to peruse WoS. Personally, I find Wednesday afternoon to be the perfect time for this. Monday and Tuesday I am trying to absorb all the information from my sessions so by Wednesday afternoon I feel like I need a break. By scheduling an hour or two after lunch to walk around WoS and chat with vendors, I can get ready for more technical sessions and get my tchotchkes for the kids.
Social media is a big deal and it is huge at CiscoLive. Come down to the Social Media hub and meet the people that are behind Cisco’s social media. Plus, it is a good place to meet other attendees. The past few events, Cisco has put the Social Media hub in a key location because they know how important it is. It is called a hub for a really good reason.
Wednesday night is a big party known as the Customer Appreciation Event or CAE. This is always an event and you get a free hat. Go to this!!!! There have been entertainers in the past like Aerosmith, Train, and Bruno Mars. Cisco rents out some really big venues like the T-Mobile center in Las Vegas, Petco Park in San Diego, and Universal Studios in Orlando. It is a time to have fun with other attendees – this is not a place to do work. Just remember that you have one more day of the show.
8am meetings on Thursday come quickly especially if you partied too hard at the CAE. Remember, this is the last day so power through. There are some sessions on Thursday that are great for thinkers so it is a day to drink an extra cup of coffee or soda or down some chocolate – anything to get you moving. Plus, Cisco has one more special treat in the guest speaker. This is a famous person that may or may not have to do with technology. Probably my favorite guest speaker was two guests in one, Adam Savage and Jaime Hyneman – also known as the original Mythbusters. This is always a good way to end the show.
The last thing I want to tell you is to network while at the show. This is not Cisco networking but rather getting to know other attendees. I have made some good friends at CiscoLive that I chat with throughout the year, but only get to see at this event. The end of my show usually is with dinner with some of these people. You never know where your next job will come from and there are plenty of people at the show that may be looking to hire.
I hope that these tips can help you with attending CiscoLive. It is a great show both from a technical perspective and a fun time.