Must-Attend Talks and Activities at KubeCon 2024

KubeCon + CloudNativeCon North America 2024 kicks off on 12th Nov, and if you're one of the lucky ones heading to Salt Lake City, you're in for a real treat! Not only will you be immersed in fascinating talks and hands-on workshops at the Salt Palace Convention Center, but you'll also get a taste of the city’s unique vibe.

With projects like Kubernetes and Prometheus having thousands of contributors from around the globe, KubeCon is as much a celebration of the amazing community behind these technologies as it is about the cutting-edge innovations themselves.

Whether you're there to enhance your skills or just check out the local scene, here's a quick look at some must-attend talks and cool spots to explore in town!

Top 3 Tracks to Attend at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2024

All keynotes and sessions will be recorded and available on the CNCF YouTube channel within two weeks after the event.

If you’re wondering where to focus your attention at KubeCon 2024, these three tracks are sure to give you plenty to geek out over:

Observability

The Observability track is all about keeping your Kubernetes environments in check. It covers how to gather and analyze important data like metrics, logs, and traces, so you can spot issues before they become problems. You’ll learn how to make sense of all the data by processing, storing, and querying it to get the insights you need.

Don’t forget to check these talks:

• Unlocking Cost Savings & New Possibilities: Your Guide to Prometheus Remote Write 2.0 - Callum Styan, Grafana Labs & Bartłomiej Płotka, Google
• Unifying Observability: Correlating Metrics, Traces, and Logs with Exemplars and OpenTelemetry - Kruthika Prasanna Simha & Charlie Le, Apple
• Watching the Watchers: How We Do Continuous Reliability at Grafana Labs - Nicole van der Hoeven, Grafana Labs
• Measuring All the Costs with OpenCost Plugins - Alex Meijer, Stackwatch
• Lessons Learned Adopting OpenTelemetry at Scale - Alex Arnell, Heroku / Salesforcecheck

Emerging + Advanced

The Emerging + Advanced track is where things get really exciting. It’s all about the latest research, new technologies, and high-performance computing in the cloud-native world. This track is a perfect place for exploring the future of cloud-native tech and discussing the latest breakthroughs and innovations in the field.

Do check out these talks while you’re there:

• Building Reliable Cross-Cloud Kubernetes Clusters on Spot Instances with Drafter and PVM - Felicitas Pojtinger, Loophole Labs
• Experience in Designing & Implementing a Cloud Native Framework for Farm Data Analytics - Braulio Dumba, IBM & Gloire Rubambiza, Cornell University
• Faster Containerized LLM Serving via Knowledge Sharing - Junchen Jiang, University of Chicago & Zhou Sun, Mooncake Labs

Operations + Performance

The Operations + Performance track is all about making cloud-native projects run smoothly at scale. It digs into the nitty-gritty of optimizing performance, solving runtime issues, and ensuring your systems stay up and running.

Check out these talks:

• Does My K8s Application Need CPR? Performance Evaluation of a Multi-Cluster Workload Management App - Braulio Dumba & Ezra Silvera, IBM
• Setting New Standards for Reliability in Cloud Native Multi-Region Applications - Trey Caliva, Global Payments
• The State of Kubernetes Optimization and the Role of AI - James Wilson, nOps; Haoran Qiu, Microsoft; Katie Gamanji, Apple; Jasmine James, Square; Josh Cypher, Sonos
• What Containerd 2.0 Means for You - Samuel Karp, Google

Must-Attend Events and Activities at KubeCon

In addition to the amazing talks, there are plenty of exciting events that you won’t want to miss!

Cloud Native StartupFest

Cloud Native StartupFest is the perfect event for anyone in open-source or cloud-native startups. You’ll hear from successful entrepreneurs, check out exciting new startups, and get a look at the latest in fundraising trends.

[Check out the full schedule here]

Observability Day

Observability Day is all about bringing people together to dive into cloud-native observability projects like Prometheus, Fluentd, OpenTelemetry, and OpenMetrics. It’s a chance to share best practices, tools, and strategies for tackling observability challenges in a neutral, open space.

[Learn more about Observability Day here]

OpenFeature Summit

The OpenFeature Summit centers on the role of feature flagging in modern software development. This event provides an opportunity to engage in discussions on how feature flags can drive innovation and improve business agility within cloud-native environments.

[Read more about the summit here]

Kids Day

Kids Day is a day of hands-on activities and workshops for children aged 8 to 14. It’s focused on introducing them to cloud computing, Kubernetes, and open-source technologies in a fun, engaging, and educational way. Whether already curious or just beginning to explore, Kids Day provides a welcoming environment for kids to learn about the tech world.

[See the details here]

Local Experiences to Enjoy in Salt Lake City

Who doesn’t love checking out the famous cafes and local spots when visiting a new city?

Cafes & Coffee Spots Near the Salt Palace

Looking for a quick coffee break? Salt Lake City has a variety of cozy spots near the Salt Palace to fuel you up. The Rose Establishment offers a relaxed vibe, perfect for a mid-session recharge, while Café Expresso is your go-to for a quick caffeine fix. Both are just a short walk away, so you won’t miss much!

Food to Try

When it comes to food, Salt Lake City has you covered. For a hearty meal, check out Killer Burger—serving up mouth-watering burgers. If you're in the mood for some great Mexican, Red Iguana is a local favorite that won’t disappoint. Both are sure to hit the spot.

Quick Local Sights

If you have a little free time, head to Trolley Square, a historic shopping spot, or take a stroll through Downtown Salt Lake to soak up the city's atmosphere. Whether you’re window shopping or just enjoying the sights, these areas offer a nice break from the conference.

Craft Breweries and Casual Dining

For craft beer lovers, Squatters Pub Brewery is a laid-back place where you can sample local brews and enjoy some great food. It’s the perfect spot to unwind after a busy day at KubeCon.

Relaxing Outdoor Experiences

Need a breather? The Great Salt Lake is a short drive away, offering a tranquil spot to unwind. Alternatively, you can visit the Wasatch Mountains for scenic views and a bit of fresh mountain air. Both are great for clearing your head after a full day of sessions.

Bonus Outdoor Adventure: If you’re up for a bit more adventure, Antelope Island State Park has incredible hiking trails with panoramic views of the Great Salt Lake. For something more relaxed, the City and County Building offers a peaceful outdoor area for a stroll.

Fall Activities (September-November)

Salt Lake City is a great spot to be during the fall, with plenty of seasonal activities to enjoy:

• Hiking and Camping: The cooler weather and colorful fall leaves make it a perfect time to hit the trails or camp out in the nearby mountains.
• Apple Picking: Local orchards are ready for visitors looking to pick fresh apples and soak up the fall vibes.
• Hot Air Balloon Festivals: If you’re in the mood for something unique, the hot air balloon festivals offer a chance to see the city and surrounding areas from up above.
• Fall Foliage Drives: Take a drive through the Wasatch Mountains to see the stunning fall colors—it's a perfect way to unwind and enjoy the season.

Make sure to check dates and availability, as some activities vary from year to year.

Getting Around Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is super easy to navigate, whether you prefer walking, hopping on public transit, or using ride-sharing apps.

The TRAX light rail system is a convenient and budget-friendly way to get around, connecting you to popular spots across the city. For those who enjoy a stroll, downtown is compact and incredibly walkable—perfect for a quick sightseeing tour between sessions.

If you want to save while exploring, Visit Salt Lake has teamed up with local attractions, restaurants, and retailers to offer discounts through a FREE, mobile-friendly passport. Get instant deals on your phone and check back for fresh offers!

More details here!

Conclusion

KubeCon + CloudNativeCon 2024 is all about the cloud-native world, networking, and learning from the best in the industry. But don't forget to balance those busy days with some fun in Salt Lake City! 

And, if you're around, be sure to stop by booth Q31—we’d love to meet you and give you some fun merch that you’ll absolutely love!