Extreme Connect was back and bigger than ever!
On June 7, 2022, tech experts, professional analysts, Extreme executives, partners, and customers came together in Nashville, TN, for Extreme Connect 2022. Plus, the event was live-streamed for over 2,500 virtual attendees who got to see our platinum sports league panel and analysts discuss the network of the future.
The event was kicked off by Extreme Networks COO Norman Rice, who recapped how the pandemic impacted the world over the last few years. He highlighted how Extreme customers could keep businesses running smoothly despite challenging times.
When times got tough, Extreme helped businesses find new ways of working that helped them ultimately achieve better outcomes. Throughout all of the uncertainty of the last several years, Extreme helped our customers remain adaptable to keep up with any changes and address any challenges that came their way.
With those challenges came the rise of the modern network – or the infinite enterprise. Carla Guzzetti, the Vice President of Customer Experience and Product Messaging at Extreme Networks, took the stage with Mike Toussaint, a Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, to discuss the key drivers affecting enterprise networking today. They provided a sneak peek of Extreme Network’s vision of the infinite enterprise — a primary focus of future discussions throughout the event.
To further explain the infinite enterprise, Nabil Bukhari, Chief Product and Chief Technology Officer at Extreme, spoke of the future — what the infinite enterprise is and the three ingredients that can help your organization achieve this status. He shared insight into what makes Extreme unique, showed on-stage demos, and talked about new solutions that Extreme is adding to our portfolio.
Nabil’s main message was the idea of the infinite enterprise comprising of “one network, one cloud, and one Extreme.” The purpose is to help simplify how your network is managed and deliver the necessary tools to help organizations across the globe reach their desired business outcomes.
With a clear vision communicated by Nabil, next on stage was the analyst panel to discuss technology trends. Experts included Camille Mendler from Omidia, Bob Laliberte from ESG Global, and Zeus Kerravala from ZK Research.
Panel experts discussed the importance of embracing new technology, encouraged automation, and mentioned why digital transformation is essential to thriving in today’s markets. In a lively conversation, the panelists brought their unique perspectives and debated subjects like WAN edge and 5G versus Wi-Fi.
These topics were expanded on by Extreme COO Norman Rice, who was joined by an all-star panel of Extreme pro sports league reps. Aaron Amendolia, VP of IT for the NFL, John Martin, VP of Media and Event Technology for NASCAR, and Chris Kemmerer, Director of Intelligent Network & 5G Wireless at Verizon Business, did a round-panel recount of the plans for their next-generation experience.
Attendees learned how technology can enhance the fan experience in arenas and stadiums and what innovations are taking over the hospitality industry. Aaron Amendolia of the NFL recounted how Extreme’s connectivity made the difference at Superbowl 2022. And the panel took turns sharing tips and tricks for creating the ultimate user experience, whether that fan is trying to learn stats about the team, share a picture, or place a bet.
To close out the mainstage keynote event, Extreme Networks CEO Ed Meyercord was introduced by Dave Baker, former CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ed dove more into the goal of providing “New Ways, Better Outcomes” to our customers which will be our main emphasis in the future. To quote Ed, “this is a mindset at Extreme,” and we are committed to it because we are constantly evolving. Technology is continually improving and giving us more opportunities to grow alongside it. Extreme wants to provide our customers with the latest and greatest in network management to leverage data and insights to improve their organization and reach their goals.
Throughout the event, over 30 different breakout sessions covered topics ranging from SD-WAN to Wi-Fi and 5G, along with live demos and opportunities to meet with executives. The in-person event was wrapped up on June 8th with a keynote speech from Olympic Athlete and Four-Time Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn!
Congratulations again to our 2022 X-Factor Customer Award Winners, who were announced on night one of the conferences!
This year’s event was unique, and we can’t wait to see you all at Extreme Connect 2023 in Berlin, Germany (May 8 – 11)!
