Earlier in my life, I used to think of Las Vegas much like everyone else that’s seen the “What happens in Vegas” ads: wild partying, befeathered showgirls and Elvis. I even entertained renewing my wedding vows in the Elvis Chapel there for my 10th anniversary, something my parents did for their 40th anniversary. I can safely say that I never anticipated associating Vegas with a place of learning, but I might be changing my mind due to Think 2018.

Think is the new IBM conference, a behemoth that will overshadow all previous conferences. Taking place March 19–22, the event is a whole new way to get in touch with the best IBM has to offer, from cutting-edge products to seasoned security experts. It will help you tackle today’s most pressing security and business issues.

Watch now! See what’s happening on the Security & Resiliency Campus at IBM Think

You might be thinking, “How is Think 2018 different from other events such as InterConnect, World of Watson and Edge? It’s still in Vegas! Has IBM changed all that much?”

Well, yes and no. We’re still showcasing transformational client stories, compelling use cases, and the best and the brightest from IBM and the industry in general, but we’ve implemented significant tweaks to improve the actual attendee experience, from food to session length to creature comforts.

No More Mad Dash to Learning

In the past, those of us with fitness trackers loved to see the steps rack up as we dashed from one end of the conference hotel to the other, up stairs and down escalators, but it’s not the best attendee experience. This year, we’ve created centers of learning aligned to main IBM offering areas. The Security and Resiliency campus will host the core curriculum from IBM Security and our colleagues at Global Technology Services Resiliency Services. But that’s only one of the four campuses at the event. Think 2018 will also host Cloud by Data, Technology Infrastructure, and Business and AI campuses.

On the Security and Resiliency campus, you’ll find our core curriculum in the main campus theater. This theater will feature 40-minute sessions on a range of topics, from infusing identity everywhere to building a cognitive SOC. After these core sessions, attendees can either break out into one of four Think Tanks to dive deep into a particular aspect of the topic or visit the activation area to see a hands-on demo. It’s worth noting that each campus also serves food whenever the campus is open, so no more worrying that you’ll miss a session because you need to grab a meal.

The full range of our core topics are listed in the image below:

Networking, Learning and More at Think 2018

Networking areas are scattered throughout the campuses to help make the most of peer-to-peer interactions during the day, or even during the Monday and Tuesday evening receptions. We also encourage attendees to make the most of user group meetings, where enthusiasts and users of IBM Security products come together to discuss best practices and share tips and tricks.

The four campuses are complemented by Think Academy, where open labs, scheduled instructor-led labs and offering deep dives are held. This is also the place to go to get certified in any IBM product and get a leg up on learning.

As you can tell, there’s a lot to take in at Think 2018. I encourage you to browse the conference website, check out the Security & Resiliency Curriculum Roadmap to see some of the great sessions planned, and then dive in and register. If you want to learn more, including a sneak peek of some of the entertainment planned, you can also check out my recent podcast conversation.

Watch now! View the Think 2018 Security & Resiliency Sessions live or on-demand