An event that started off as an CloudBees customer conference back in 2013, DevOps Enterprise Summit (DOES) has blossomed into the premier annual DevOps gala. Bringing together over 2,000 attendees, including some of the brightest minds in DevOps, this event is a veritable cornucopia of information and best practices for DevOps leaders of every skill level.
Previously held in San Francisco, the new backdrop for the DevOps equivalent of star-studded Vegas concert, fittingly is in Las Vegas at the bourgeoise Cosmopolitan hotel and casino. Las Vegas alone is invigorating enough, but there was definitely a palpable energy as conversations, networking, and learnings kicked off long before the event began.

Getting Into The Flow

On Sunday, as pre-conference education began, many conversations centered around how great it was that DevOps is finally becoming more mainstream and accepted, but that there are still hurdles to clear when it comes to getting buy-in from the line of business. Attendees that participated in the Electric Flow 101 Training session the day before the conference began were treated to a lively discussion on release orchestration and how to drive their business towards becoming more autonomous.
One of the most impactful sessions of the conference was led by Gary Gruver, author of “Leading the Transformation”. Gary focused on empowering and preparing the executive team to better understand DevOps, its effectiveness, and how best to lead the transformation of their software development process. A quick ear hustle into one of the many sidebar conversations that took place during breaks in the day, gave you a glimpse into the struggle that many businesses still have when it comes to software releases and the need for more visibility.

The Inside Scoop

One of the great things about attending DOES (especially as a first timer), was soliciting feedback from attendees on what topics and overall programmatic elements were a hit or a miss and comparing the event to previous years. There was positive sentiment about the sessions being both highly informative and easy to follow. Whether you are a DevOps white belt, black belt, or something in between, there were practical and tactical things you could take back home and implement. Because the event has grown so rapidly over the last 4 years, many of the sessions at DOES 2018 were standing room only, and a few had so much overflow that attendees had to strain from outside the door to be able to listen in. Long-time attendees shared that they missed having topic tracks that were tailored to specific roles (i.e. executive track, etc.). While the event has grown considerably since it began, it doesn’t feel like an overwhelming conference where you cannot make meaningful connections or get access to speakers and thought leaders. Many people commented on how great it was that DOES still maintains an intimate feel that smaller, road shows provide.
The executive luncheon with Gene Kim, hosted by CloudBees, was a highly anticipated private event that exceeded expectations. Attendees were able to have an in-depth dialogue with Gene, CloudBees executives including CEO Carmine Napolitano, CTO Anders Wallgren, and their peers about specific challenges they face, ways to make future events even better, and how they see the future of DevOps evolving, among other topics.

CloudBees booth at DOES 2018

Looking Ahead

With DevOps adoption showing no signs of slowing down, this event appears poised to grow exponentially both here in America as well as in Europe. Just like learning a new language, the best way to become fluent in DevOps is full immersion, and the DevOps Enterprise Summit is the Rosetta Stone.
See you in London in 2019, mates!