I'm attending NANOG 32 this week. A gathering of 600+ technologist. Most of us are geeks. I aspire to that label. Sadly, I'm too much of a manager to ever receive true geek status.

NANOG provides an incredible opportunity for me to mingle with a bunch of people who run networks that are more sophisticated, bigger, more difficult to move and manage than the UEN WAN. It's intriguing to think that there is a copious amount of network operating knowledge packed into such a small area in such an abbreviated time.

This isn't my first NANOG. I spent time at the June 2003 gathering held in Salt Lake. It was all I had ever imagined a hometown conference could be. I was distracted. I worried about the Internet connectivity. I handed out T-Shirts and I felt a great deal of stress. I didn't really spend much time listening to presentations. I didn't get to meet very many people and I did not attend the Beer and Gear.

Yes, it's just what you think. Lot's of beer. Lot's of gear. And, of course, the geeks. I'm curious about this event. I limit my beer consumption to root, apple and birch. But the allure of witnessing inebriated geeks excitedly discussing the finer points of cool networking equipment. Wow, the intensity is palpable.........
2:28:07 PM    comment []