AWS re:Invent ~ Three Must See Talks
My favorite things at re:Invent from an AWS Security Hero
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AWS re:Invent is here! Can you believe it? Time flies.
I’m not going to AWS re:Invent but still going to watch a few things from afar. I love AWS re:Invent but unfortunately this is a busy time of year for people who need penetration tests ~ which is one of my primary sources of income.
Also lately, I tend to mostly attend conferences where I’m speaking. Been doing this for a long time but for anyone newer to AWS or tech in general, this is a conference you should not miss. I’ve been to a lot of conferences and can honestly say there is nothing like it.
You cannot get the full AWS re:Invent experience from afar and I recommend going at least once — if not every year — and especially if you are younger or new to AWS. There’s nothing quite like an AWS keynote.
But if you can’t make it — there are few things you will want to catch.
I already wrote about how to register for AWS re:Invent if you want to watch remotely here:
If you are short on time, here are three things I would recommend you definitely watch.
The AWS keynote with Adam Selipsky, CEO of AWS. Most of the biggest new products and features AWS announces will be in this keynote. If you can happen to make it in person, this keynote is the best I’ve ever experienced at a conference, generally with a DJ and/or live music and awe inspiring screens and lighting. I will never forget when they wheeled a semi truck on stage to announce a new service to move your data to AWS. You won’t find out about every new announcement in this keynote but you will hear about a lot of the big ones customers have asked for that AWS implemented or plans to release soon.
Tuesday, November 28 | 8:0–10:30 a.m.
The AWS keynote with Dr. Werner Vogels, Vice President and CTO of Amazon. I have followed what Dr. Werner Vogels is talking and writing about for years on his blog — All Things Distributed. If you want to hear the latest thoughts in systems architecture and engineering and new concepts and ideas in technology this is where you want to be. Honestly, it is my favorite keynote. He often has actual engineers come up and talk about what they have been working on — either engineers at AWS or from some other company — rather than CEOs and CTOs or AWS product managers (though you may see some of them as well). Werner Vogels has also been a long time supporter of women in tech— not by hosting women on panels to fill the quota — but by actually bringing women on stage who are highly technical who demonstrate what they have been working on at AWS or elsewhere. Thank you, Werner Vogels.
Thursday, November 30 | 8:30–10:30 a.m.
Move Fast, Stay Secure by Stephen Schmidt, CSO of Amazon. I don’t know why this is not a keynote. Perhaps because he is the CSO of Amazon, not AWS specifically. Security should be top of mind for anyone working in a cloud environment and security is extremely complex. AWS has been a leader in security innovation in the past and has had to grapple with the problems caused by trying to go fast and stay secure, and somehow, so far, has figured out a way to do it. The other thing is that Stephen Schmidt often has an excellent talk with relevant data points and astute insights. If you want to know the latest in cloud security and problems AWS is addressing, this is a must-see presentation.
Monday, November 27 1:30–2:30 PST
You can find all of those events here — if you can’t get to this link, register first and then you’ll get an email to click a link to get to it.
All of the other keynotes will be interesting, of course. I heard some of the other speakers at an event in Seattle in August for AWS Heroes and their new ideas coming to life at AWS were intriguing. I wonder how many of those will be announced at re:Invent. There are so many smart people working at AWS. These are just a few of my favorites.
If you are at AWS, when I was learning AWS, I would attend as many sessions as possible on key topics I wanted to learn. In general, I found the presentations by AWS employees and customer engineers and architects to be the most informative. The talks explaining the new services and how they work are always insightful as they help you understand the use case and application of new services and features — but sometimes those sessions are so popular you can’t get in. No worries! You can usually catch everything online after re:Invent.
In addition, key architecture talks will help you design your AWS architecture in ways that avoid pitfalls. One of my favorite talks of all time was this one:
If you can find talks like that where you can learn about the large scale problems AWS is facing and solving from top architects at AWS, you can learn a lot. Choose the talk that matches your level. For me, these days, nothing less than an advanced topic is usually very informative. If you are just starting out, the lower level talks will explain the basic terms and concepts in a way almost anyone can understand.
I am especially fond of architecture — not just individual components — but how all the pieces work together in a cohesive, resilient, and secure manner.
That’s what I write about on this blog from a security standpoint.
Attending AWS in person has changed over the years. It used to be in one or two buildings and you would have to leave one session early to get in line at the next one. Now you have to register in advance and there are big gaps between sessions. Some sessions may have filled up if you have not already registered. One tip for anyone registering at the last minute — it is very hard to get between buildings.
Traffic is a nightmare, and even with the buses it can be a challenge. Taxis and Ubers can’t get in and out of building driveways. This year, there’s potentially even more construction due to remnants of the NASCAR (car racing) event held recently in Vegas. Consider registering for sessions at one location for the day or at least half the day and then switch to another building after lunch if you must.
If you are just starting out at AWS, I was able to get a handle on how CloudFormation worked when I randomly popped into an AWS GameDay event. If you are in person and you want to meet people — which is generally why you go in person right?! — attend parties and check out hands-on learning events. This is where you will be able to interact with other people. For me it’s easier to meet people when you are solving a problem together, rather than standing around at a party — but everyone is different.
It’s always fun to check out the vendor booths and technology displays. The last year I attended AWS I was randomly walking around looking at interesting uses of technology in the utility industry space and ran into my first technical boss, who happened to be working at AWS and I didn’t even know it! Who knows who you will meet or what you will see. There are a lot of cool displays to check out.
And, of course, you can replenish your wardrobe with vendors who offer you socks, t-shirts, bags, and other swag you might enjoy.
I’m seeing a new type of meet me option which I’m not familiar with where you can schedule time to meet various people. That sounds like an interesting idea. Just make sure if you schedule time to meet with people that you also take the time to attend and attend and listen to any sessions at which they are speaking as a show of support and to thank them for taking the time to meet with you. 😊
Well, I’ll be here living vicariously through all of you there at AWS re:Invent. Say hi to everyone for me and have a blast! And don’t forget to check out the must-see sessions above plus as many others you can.
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Teri Radichel | © 2nd Sight Lab 2023
About Teri Radichel:
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⭐️ Author: Cybersecurity Books
⭐️ Presentations: Presentations by Teri Radichel
⭐️ Recognition: SANS Award, AWS Security Hero, IANS Faculty
⭐️ Certifications: SANS ~ GSE 240
⭐️ Education: BA Business, Master of Software Engineering, Master of Infosec
⭐️ Company: Penetration Tests, Assessments, Phone Consulting ~ 2nd Sight LabNeed Help With Cybersecurity, Cloud, or Application Security?
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