Month: June 2014

CSC TechCom 2014 – Learning & Networking for our Customer’s Benefit

/ Chris Fangmann / Leave a comment

Starting June 2nd 2014 hundreds of CSC’s technologists, along with a huge number of our technology partners gathered in Atlanta for 4 days of learning and networking. Main focus was on DevOps, reflected by two parallel main tracks, Development and Operations, tied together by general sessions, cross-over introductions and ideation events like Flash Jams and Shark Tanks.

Days were packed as expected, with activities starting early morning, extending to regular tracks and breakouts during the day, followed by After Dark Hands-On labs late in the evening.

To sum this up already now: Having attended quite a large number of (CSC) conferences in recent years, this was probably the best focused technology-oriented event I have ever attended – and close to all of the attendees do share this view.

In the final general session Dan Hushon asked how many of our technologists would recommend working for CSC to friends and family – rough counting of hands raised showed 80+% positive votes.

Topics covered

As one would expect, focus was on current and future trends including:

  • Big Data & Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Cybersecurity
  • Mobile
  • Applications

Development & Operations tracks tackled those topics from the respective angle – as stated above interlocked by how to successfully execute on DevOps.

Development track breakouts included:

  • CSC Reference Architecture(s)
  • Creating applications using Hadoop Batch Analytics
  • Stream processing w/ Storm
  • Application Development for Cloud and Virtualized Environments
  • Accelerating App Lifecycle w/ DevOps in the Cloud
  • Application Security on Demand
  • ArcSight & Horizon
  • CSC Mobile best practices
  • Agile IT with CSC DevOps Toolkit
  • Continuous Integration & Delivery in the AWS cloud

Operation tracks breakouts included:

  • IronFan (InfoChimps’ Orchestration Layer)
  • Policy-based governance w/ ServiceMesh Agility Platform
  • Hybrid Cloud best practices (AWS, OpenSphere, VSphere)
  • Accelerating App Lifecycle w/ DevOps in the Cloud
  • CSC MyWorkPlace
  • Risk Oriented Compliance Framework
  • Protecting business through Applied Thread Intelligence with CSC’s approach to global thread intelligence

I assume you’ve found the link between the two main tracks above? Just to state again – it’s moving to orchestrated DevOps to ensure quality and speed to market!

FlashJams

As we had the best thinkers assembled on site in Atlanta, we also dedicated time for creativity on specific topics. Topics were laid out and all our experts jumped in to analyze, visualize and craft a solution for the respective topic or issue described – you as our customers will see great benefit from this informal creativity; reflecting Outside-In by tearing down walls in industry silos, i.e. get an external view on what one originally might have considered an industry-specific issue.

Shark Tank

Have you heard about the investment competition show known by various names across the globe? While having different names in different countries (e.g. England & Canada calling it “Dragon’s Den”, Japan “Money Tigers”, Finland “Lion’s Jaw”, US “Shark Tank”), the shows follow the same concepts: Aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their idea to a panel of potential investors, hoping to get funded; the entrepreneurs task is to “sell” the idea based on information and validation, the investor’s task is to question and decide.

We reflected those shows during TechCom 2014 (and will do so again in years to come) by inviting everybody to submit an idea, a panel selecting the ideas to be presented and then running the real “show” live in Atlanta.

Combatants had 5 minutes each to present, followed by the panel posting questions and making a decision – winners were given USD 1000 plus support from the panel to bring the idea in front of our global Investment Review Board to decide if CSC will implement/realize the idea as a new CSC solution.

Sponsors

Of course an event like this is not possible without sponsors – and in fact would not make any sense without those great partners as it’s all about learning from each other, networking and creating value together. So, here a special thanks to our sponsors:

Sponsors

Charity

No event without charity – we all need to stick to this – it’s part of our Corporate Responsibility.

This year’s donations all went to the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities – and it’s been a lot of fun gathering donations and preparing welcome bags for kids & families – Thank You ARMHC for your great work!

Charity_webl

Final words

As stated above, this has been a fantastic event – dedicated and focused to deliver more value to our customers through intelligent and creative use of Next Gen Technology – I am already now looking forward to next year.

For those of you who want to relive this year’s TechCom or just get a first glance on how we interact in such events: Go ahead and use the following link to see a subset of pictures taken and published by our attendees:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152188162241172.1073741833.51414306171&type=3

Thanks for reading – let me know if this is of interest

(This post was originally published here)