An RSA hangover
I just got off a completely full (as opposed to just full, I love how flight attendants add unnecessary words to things) redeye from San Francisco to JFK.My journey back east follows four non-stop days at the RSA Conference, so needless to say I am exhausted.
But I think our site looks great, with a lot of dynamic content (videos, podcasts) and updated news stories. And our annual awards show was an across-the-board hit.
I don't think my body will allow me to work a full day today, but before I leave, I felt obliged to give at least a couple of thoughts on the show, so here it goes:
- I agree with other bloggers who have said there didn't seem to be any one specific offering that emerged as a theme. However, I did hear a lot about identity management, data-centricity and product integration as a way of responding to sophisticated attacks and compliance regulations.
- Consolidation hasn't taken root yet, as judged by the large number of vendors - from the best-of-breed start-ups to the big IT infrastructure players - pushing solutions.
- From a news perspective, the show lacked many headlines. But there were a couple of interesting research revelations (related to routers and virtualization), and DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff drew widespread coverage for placing the spotlight on the threats cyberattacks pose to national security.
- As for major product announcements, none stole the show, so to speak. One person I spoke with thinks that RSA has gotten so big, companies figure it's better to announce major news during another time of year in hopes of getting more ink from the trade pubs.
- Still, the RSA show is the only time all year where you don't have to walk around for long without bumping into a mover or shaker. It's a chance to connect faces with names. There are a number of great sessions addressing timely topics. And most of all, as I said prior to leaving for the show, it's an opportunity to connect with peers.
I'm happy to say, I saw a lot of networking going on. Whether it was over coffee before the 8 a.m sessions began or over a last-call cocktail at the W.
