With sunny skies, and an entertainment calendar filled with music, shows, immersive experiences, Las Vegas is a great city to visit in the summer. For me, the special draw is Cisco Live 2023, and the opportunity to meet, learn, and collaborate with industry experts across Data Center and Cloud Networking. From a Cisco Data Center Network portfolio standpoint, Cisco Nexus Dashboard, Cisco ACI, and latest Nexus 9000 Series switches and many more are featured in a big way. Read on to learn what you can expect to experience at this buzzing event, and how Cisco Data Center Networking and the DevNet Zone are ready to engage and enrich you.

1. Can't-miss keynotes and innovation sessions

Join us for a dynamic, opening keynote on June 6 at 8.30 AM PDT, featuring Chuck Robbins, Cisco CEO, and other Cisco executive leaders. You'll learn how Cisco is building an inclusive future together during this new era of hybrid work.

Innovation Talks highlight new innovations and best practices on solutions and services. I strongly recommend "Accelerating your journey to Net Zero with Sustainable Solutions" to learn how Cisco's portfolio integrates with a comprehensive ecosystem to deliver innovative solutions to support a reduction in energy consumption while meeting regulatory standards. Another can't miss Innovation Talk would be Delivering Exceptional Experiences Through a Unified Platform where you'll learn how Cisco platforms deliver simple, unified experiences that can accelerate your journey to a cloud operating model.

We also have innovation sessions featuring Security, IoT, Enterprise Networking and many other hot topics. Browse the session catalog and register for your favorites.

2. Take a DevNet deep dive

Get hands-on with Cisco Data Center and Cloud Networking at this year's Cisco DevNet Zone. We're hosting multiple sessions, workshops, demos, and learning labs featuring ACI, Infrastructure as Code, NX-OS, and Nexus Dashboard. The DevNet Zone is always a beehive of excitement at Cisco Live events due to its appeal from beginners to API experts. Over the years, our DevNet community has grown to 500,000+ members and offers certifications designed for both network engineers and software developers.

The top draw in the DevNet Zone is the special Cloud Networking Takeover Sessionon Tuesday, June 6, at 3 PM. Cisco Execs Thomas Scheibe and Yousuf Khan will introduce an open API approach with Data Center and Cloud Networking with awesome giveaways at the end. Thanks to its broad presence in Cisco, DevNet offers customers a fast-track to learn, evaluate, and deploy data center technologies across diverse use-cases and as a pre-integrated solution jointly with our technology ecosystem partners. As a new practice this year, pre-registered attendees are seated first, so register early to get a closer view.

We also have a Demo Pod in the DevNet Zone where Cisco's latest Cloud Networking innovations will be featured all day Tuesday! A full hour of giveaways, fun treats, and learning awaits you. Be sure to reserve this session slot in your calendar.

3. Get hands-on at the World of Solutions (WOS)

The World of Solutions (WOS) is your opportunity to explore the broader Cisco Partner Ecosystem, find answers to your specific networking challenges, and hear the unique perspective of Cisco engineers and partners.

We have stacked a rich technology demo solutions menu featuring Full Stack Observability, Hybrid Cloud, IoT, Cloud Networking, Software Services, and Security. Specifically, on the Cloud Networking front, we have demos on "automating and simplifying hybrid clouds" (featuring ACI, Nexus Dashboard, and Infrastructure-as-Code). In addition, hardware pedestals will display our Nexus switching portfolio evolution and latest Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches. The list of Data Center Networking demos is vast and the best way for you to experience them all is to stop by our demo booths in the World of Solutions.

4. Choose your own adventure with breakout sessions

"To your heart's delight"is how I would describe Cisco technical breakout sessions. We have tons of breakouts led by recognized industry experts featuring Cisco ACI, Nexus Dashboard, infrastructure-as-code, and other Cloud Networking topics for your enjoyment.

Due to the growing emphasis on DevOps, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and automation toolchains like Terraform and Ansible, we added more relevant sessions this year. Here are a few you won't want to miss:

• Application-Driven Networking with Consul-Terraform-Sync and Cisco ACI
• Self-Service Automation for your DC Network using Ansible, Terraform and ServiceNow
• Extending CML: Terraforming the Lost City
• Getting Started with IaC and Terraform

5. Connect with your peers

As a Cisco Live attendee, you benefit from the opportunity to interact with your peers, Cisco staff, and partner technical experts in both structured and informal settings. Our Welcome Reception and Customer Appreciation Event are the highlights of the week's social calendar. Get ready to be entertained at the Allegiant Stadium, Wednesday evening at our annual celebration event, this year featuring the power couple from NBC's "The Voice" Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani!

I could go on and on, but I would never be able to cover all the excitement in store. There is so much more you can explore on your own, and our Meet and Greet ambassadors will be happy to assist you at the show. Safe travels and a happy Cisco Live. You can follow me on Twitter @RaviBala8

Related Links

• Find all DevNet sessions, enjoy live event broadcasts June 6-8, and explore new sandboxes, learning labs, and lightning talks on the DevNet Zone event page
• Explore the full Cisco Live 2023 session catalog
• Check out a curated list of guided, hands-on learning content for Cisco technologies and platforms