Conserver/Consoles BoF at LISA 05?

  I know that the idea has been suggested before, but I'll stir the
bucket again here...

  Looking at the LISA 05 BoF page (http://www.usenix.org/events/lisa05/bofs.html)
I see that Wednesday has a Lantronix vendor BoF (in teh "Ascot" room) at 7-8p,
and a Raritan vendor BoF in the "Garden Salon" Wed from 8-9p. I'd suggest
anyone there (who is on *this* list ;-) to consider going to both of these
sessions. The may have the marketing types presenting, or they may have
some clueful tech folks there...ASK YOUR QUESTIONS! Don't let them off
the hook if you don't like the answer. All of the vendors want your
business, so it's in *your* interest, as well as theirs, for you to
tell them what you want to buy, what you want from their products.
And don't just think about their BoF! Go to the vendors room, and see
if you can find clueful tech folks. There will be a few useful vendors,
(Logical Solutions (booth 18), Lantronix (26), Raritan (23), Avocent (29), 
Carlo Gavazzi (28), Cyclades (4), Digi (16), Server Technology (56)), so
you can get on mailing lists, and ask about integration with power control,
utilities/facilities to help upgrade your Console Servers, and ask for
the features that you want to see.

  Thursday also has a good BoF session, in the Garden Salon, by Brent
Chapman, 8p, about automating network configuration and management. I missed
his recent presentation at BayLISA here, because I was working on my
slides, and I was sure I'd get a chance to hear him at LISA...you know
what they say about the best laid plans of mice. ;-)

  Their are also still a few rooms open, if folks want to set up a BoF
for Console Services in general, or Conserver specifically. Does anyone
want to take the lead on this? (If you *DO*, make sure you let the 
vendors clueful folks know about it. As long as it isn't a vendor demo,
there won't be a 'sponsorship fee' assessed by USENIX.) Again, this
would be a good chance to discuss what YOU want to see these products do.
(As a reminder, reverse-TCP was a feature added late in the game to the
Terminal Server devices, and it was added as a customer-need feature
request.) Most of the programmers don't really know all the ways we want
to use this gear, so help them out...give the clueful reps some ideas,
let them take the ideas home, and see what they bring to the marketplace!

  I will not be able to attend. The main issue is the time-off needed,
because I slated vacation time long before the boss though about the
end-of-year crush that would be coming. When I cancelled my plans
originally, he wass relieved. (I did get an offer of help from one
CS vendor, but it was not to be. I'm sorry that I can't come set up
a BoF myself. But, I could probably be on IRC or Yahoo Chat for
an event, if one gets organized. Keep me in the loop! :-)

  As a follow-up, it seems like there would have been more interest in
some half-day tutorials instead of the learn-it-all full-day session.
I know for next time, and I've already got a good start on four sessions.
Thanks for your interest and feedback.

   Regards,

       -Z-    http://www.conserver.com/consoles/