Subject: Re: Query to the community -- An additional IETF Meeting event?

From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2012 09:18:48 +0000

Hello everybody,

The beer and gear seems to work pretty well at Nanog, and therefore it is
a good idea to consider it for the IETF. However, I am a bit worried that
we are, however, not seeing the difference between the IETF and Nanog.
Nanog is a Network Operator Group. Hence, the name. Vendors come there and
show their products to their potential customers. In addition, sometimes
the people that come to the meetings are a bit different - though, a
significant overlap does exist.

We are a bit different.Though, we do have many operators, many of the
people are from the vendor camp, and other camps (such as academia). For a
vendor, it might seem a bit that showing your product at the IETF, you're
mostly showing it to your competitor.

Therefore, I don't believe an IETF beer would have quite the same interest
than the Nanog one would. I am very skeptical if this concept would work
at the IETF..

That said, if trying it out does not carry financial risk for the IETF,
perhaps we can try this out, and see what happens. I guess we are supposed
to believe in running code, aren't we...

Cheers,

Jonne.

-- 
Jonne Soininen
Renesas Mobile

Tel: +358 40 527 4634
E-mail: [email-masked]

On 3/16/12 10:13 PM, "IAOC Chair" <[email-masked]> wrote:

>
>The IESG and IAOC are considering an addition to the IETF meeting week,
>and we would like your views before we develop the idea further.
>
>At NANOG, there is a Beer and Gear reception one evening.  There are
>exhibitor tables with product vendors (hardware and software) and service
>providers (registries, registrars, ISPs, ESPs, etc.) and anyone else
>interested in face time with NANOG participants. They show their
>equipment and services.  There is bar in the center of the room serving
>beer, wine, and soft drinks. There are hors d'oeuvres scattered around
>the room.
>
>  QUESTION:  What do you think about doing a Beer and Gear style
>             of event on an evening that does not conflict with
>             other IETF activities?
>
>This would be an opportunity for free food and drink for attendees, for
>vendors and service providers to talk with IETF participants, and for
>additional revenue to the IETF.  Obviously, attendance would be optional.
>
>Technical people are at the tables, not sales or marketing staff.
>Vendors know that the audience is very technical, so they send the people
>that can communicate with that audience.
>
>We would charge for exhibit tables, to raise additional funds for the
>IETF. A stronger base of opportunities for IETF sponsorship distributes
>our funding, making it less fragile; this could make it less likely that
>we would have last-minute scrambles for additional sponsors, including
>hosts. A successful Beer-and-Gear like event would not solve this but it
>would help.
>
>In the past, the IETF has avoided vendor exhibits and demonstrations.
>However it is clear that NANOG has found a balance that works and that
>NANOG participants and the vendors consider the event valuable.  We
>believe this could translate well to the IETF.
>
>We are considering some test events, hopefully to be held at IETF 84
>(Vancouver, July 2012) and IETF 85 (Atlanta, November 2012).
>
>The kinds of evaluation criteria we are considering could include:
>
>- Did participants enjoy the event?
>
>- Did vendors consider the event successful?
>
>- Did the IETF raise additional funds?
>
>- Did the event "steal" potential sponsors away from other
>  aspects of the meeting?
>
>So, what do you think?  Is this something that we should try?
>
>Please respond on the [email-masked] mail list.
>
>On behalf of the IESG and the IAOC,
>
>Russ Housley
>Bob Hinden

---

From: Scott Brim <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2012 10:35:28 -0400

Those vendors who want to organize themselves into a beer & gear
should do so and then coordinate with the IETF early in the planning
process in order to have space they can pay for.  They can either pay
the IETF or pay the hotel for the incremental meeting cost.  There is
no need for the IETF to take responsibility for this, or to spend yet
more administration time on it.