Thirty-one top ops and security conferences in 2019

Whether you’re maintaining the IT infrastructure of a global enterprise or a thriving small business, you’re faced with an ever-changing and continuous set of challenges. Some of these might be unique to your organization’s situation but, more often than not, someone else has likely faced the same problem in the past.

The good news is IT folks love to share war stories and explain how they’ve solved the problems they’ve faced. That kind of sharing is at the heart of all the best conferences for cloud, cybersecurity, and DevOps pros – which is why we’ve researched the upcoming conferences around the world and created a roundup of the best ones remaining in 2019.

We have focused on the conferences that feature keynotes from industry professionals and thought leaders who share practical, actionable information, as well as breakout sessions and networking opportunities to encourage professional development.

They say it’s best to learn from others’ mistakes, especially since you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself. Our list of the best 31 IT Ops and Security Conferences provides you with several opportunities to hear what others are doing, learn from their successes, and identify the strategies and solutions you can implement to enhance your own IT environment.

Keep in mind, it’s also a good idea to get involved in your local community. Meetup.com has great “top-level” pages for key categories of meetups. Here are some examples that are related to the big once-a-year conferences on our list below.

• SysAdmin Meetups: 37 groups with 12,127 members
• Cybersecurity Meetups: 1,375 groups with 339,017 members
• DevOps Meetups: 4,428 groups with 2,212,235 members
• Backup and Disaster Recovery Meetups: 39 groups with 3,327 members
• Cloud Computing Meetups: 8,018 groups with 4,541,222 members

June 3-5 Portland, OR, USA monitorama.com Cost to attend: $700

Monitorama events bring together the brightest minds among the open source development and operations communities to push the boundaries of monitoring and trending software. The Portland conference is a three-day event that presents keynotes and workshops on how people can solve problems using the latest monitoring and trending software. Topics include: Container and Serverless Visibility, Lego-b-servability, Building Observability Teams, and Build vs Buy considerations.

June 4-5 Frankfurt, Germany gartner.com/en/conferences/emea/infrastructure-operations-cloud-germany Cost to attend: • Standard price: €2,775 +VAT • Public sector price: €2,200 +VAT

Gartner IT Infrastructure, Operations and Cloud Strategies Conference 2019 is the premier event for infrastructure and operations leaders ready to prepare their organizations for the rapid developments impacting IT infrastructure evolution. Among the sessions offered are: Defining and implementing enterprise cloud strategies, Evaluating micro data centers, Best practices in cloud management, Modernizing backup and recovery, Cost optimization, Changing the IT culture, and DevSecOps and DevOps strategies.

June 4-6 London, UK infosecurityeurope.com Cost to attend: • Visitors: Free entry if registering by June 3, or £69 onsite registration fee • Leaders: By invitation only for senior information security leaders, contact for details

Infosecurity Europe is the sourcing and knowledge hub for Europe’s information and cybersecurity community. More than 15,000 infosecurity professionals from an array of industries attend to discover the latest threats and find solutions that will ensure their protection and compliance. Featuring an interactive exhibition floor with 400+ suppliers, a far-reaching conference program and a host of networking opportunities, the event brings information and cybersecurity to life.

June 9-13 San Diego, CA, USA ciscolive.com/us.html Cost to attend: • Full Conference: $2,595 (register by June 7), $2,795 (June 8-13) • IT Management: $2,995 (register by June 7), $3,195 (June 8-13) • Explorer: $725 (register by June 7), $795 (June 8-13)

Cisco Live is Cisco’s annual customer and partner conference that is designed to build the foundation for attendee’s digital future by providing education, connections, and inspiration. Transform your outlook, career, and potential by learning directly from Cisco’s best and brightest. From technical education to future-focused thought leadership, 1:1 meetings with Cisco experts to connecting with Cisco partners, Cisco Live is the place to experience it all.

June 10-13 San Jose, CA, USA conferences.oreilly.com/velocity/vl-ca/public/schedule/stype/1364 Cost to attend: • Time-sensitive discounts available: Click for current pricing

The O'Reilly Velocity Conference is where web ops and systems engineering professionals can learn from their peers, exchange ideas with experts, and share best practices and lessons learned for handling modern systems and applications. Velocity packs a wealth of big ideas, know-how, and connections into four concentrated days that prepares attendees with information they can immediately put to use.

June 11-14 Berlin, Germany devopsconference.de Cost to attend: • Four-day Pass: By May 9: 1779€ +VAT, Standard price: 1979€ +VAT • Three-day Pass: By May 9: 1369€ +VAT, Standard price: 1469€ +VAT • Two-day Pass: By May 9: 959€ +VAT, Standard price: 1059€ +VAT • Conference Day: By May 9: 499€ +VAT, Standard price: 599€ +VAT • Workshop Day: By May 9: 499€ +VAT, Standard price: 599€ +VAT • Transformation Day: By May 9: 499€ +VAT, Standard price: 599€ +VAT

The DevOps Conference offers deep insights on innovative infrastructure and modern lean business culture through hands-on workshops, sessions and keynotes. Join us as we enable shorter delivery cycles, faster changes of functionality and a higher software quality. Attendees learn about the agile processes, microservices, continuous delivery, container and cloud technologies that are essential to today’s fast-paced software delivery.

June 12-14 Singapore usenix.org/srecon Cost to attend: • Early Bird (through May 20): US$750 • Standard (from May 21): US$900

SREcon19 Asia/Pacific is a gathering of engineers who care deeply about site reliability, systems engineering, and working with complex distributed systems at scale. It aims to serve both those new to the profession as well as those who have been involved in it for years. The conference welcomes participants from organizations exploring the adoption of DevOps and SRE principles, as well as those with longer traditions and experience.

June 17-20 National Harbor, MD, USA https://www.gartner.com/en/conferences/emea/security-risk-management-uk Cost to attend: • Standard Conference Fee: $3,700 • Public-Sector Rate: $3,150 (proof of eligibility required) • Group Rates Available: contact for details

At Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit 2019, find out how to shift organizational culture to improve cybersecurity, privacy and business resilience. You’ll learn leadership and communication skills to get business leaders on board making security and risk enterprisewide priorities. Get a comprehensive update on cybersecurity threats and solutions. Hear new best practices for cloud security, AI, IoT, blockchain, DevOps and other challenges.

June 21-23 Paris, France cloud-conf.net/cscloud/2019/cscloud/ Cost to attend: • Not available: Contact the organizers for registration fee

IEEE CSCloud 2019 gathers recent achievements in cybersecurity and cloud computing fields. While the 2019 conference program has yet to be announced, the organizers are looking at the impact of cloud-based technologies – particularly the privacy and security issues that are frequently obstacles to adopting cloud services (such as the solutions available to small enterprises to deploy their business on cloud servers).

August 3-8 Las Vegas, NV, USA blackhat.com/us-19 Cost to attend: • Briefing Prices: $2,295 by May 24; $2,495 May 25 - July 12; $2,795 July 13 - August 2; $2,895 on-site • Business Pass Prices: $595 by August 2; $695 on-site

Now in its 22nd year, Black Hat USA is the world's leading information security event, providing attendees with the very latest in research, development and trends. Black Hat USA 2019 opens with four days of technical Trainings (August 3-6) followed by the two-day main conference (August 7-8) featuring Briefings, Arsenal, Business Hall, and more.

August 5-8 Rotorua, New Zealand forumpoint2.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/trustcom19/tc19 Cost to attend: • IEEE Member Prices: NZD$1,552.20 by June 21; NZD$1,707.75 June 22 - August 5 • Non-IEEE Member Prices: NZD$1,863.00 by June 21; NZD$2,052.72 June 22 - August 5 • IEEE Life Member Prices: NZD$856.75 by June 21; NZD$943.00 June 22 - August 5

The 18th IEEE International Conference aims to bring together researchers and practitioners in the world working on trusted computing and communications, with regard to trust, security, privacy, reliability, dependability, survivability, availability, and fault tolerance aspects of computer systems and networks, and providing a forum to present and discuss emerging ideas and trends in this highly challenging research field.

August 25-29 San Francisco, CA, USA vmworld.com Cost to attend: • Individual Prices: $1895 by June 21; $2,195 June 22 – August 24; $2,395 on-site • Group Discount (5+) Prices: $1,795 by June 21; $2,095 June 22 – August 24; $2,295 on-site • Group Discount (20+) Prices: $1,685 by June 21; $1,995 June 22 – August 24; $2,195 on-site

VMworld is the preeminent digital infrastructure event of the year. From deep-dive technical breakout sessions to visionary keynote addresses to hands-on training, the breadth and depth of information will help you drive your career forward.

September 8-12 Chicago, IL, USA gsx.org Cost to attend: • All-Access Pass Prices:    o Member: $930 by June 14; $1,030 June 15 - July 26; $1,130 on-site    o Nonmember + ASIS Membership: $1,145 by June 14; $1,245 June 15 - July 26; $1,345 on-site    o Nonmember: $1,185 by June 14; $1,285 June 15 - July 26; $1,385 on-site    o Government/Military: $980 by June 14; $1,080 June 15 - July 26; $1,180 on-site • One-Day Pass Prices:    o Member: $545 on-site    o Nonmember: $695 on-site    o Government/Military: $595 onsite, except September 11 when military, law enforcement, and first responders get free access • Expo-Only Pass Prices:    o Member: Free    o Nonmember: Free by September 8; $75 on-site

Global Security Exchange (GSX) is the most relevant and pioneering security event that unites the full spectrum of the industry. Cyber, operational, and physical security professionals from across the private and public sectors, allied organizations and partners, and the industry’s leading solution providers come to GSX for the most comprehensive security education and innovative technology in the world.

September 11-13 London, UK 44con.com Cost to attend: • Standard Ticket Prices: £349 by September 6 • Late Ticket Prices: £399 September 7-11

44CON is an information security conference and training event taking place in London. It’s designed to provide something for the business and technical information security professional and brings together the best in UK and international information security research and networking opportunities.

September 23-25 Austin, TX, USA spiceworks.com/spiceworld Cost to attend: • IT Pro Registration Prices: $299 by June 14; $399 June 15 – August 16; $499 August 17 – September 22; $599 on-site

SpiceWorld is a three-day opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate all things IT. Connect with 1,500 IT pros and share best practices, meet more than 70 vendors to find products and solutions that fit the needs of your upcoming projects, attend more than 50 tech sessions to learn about key topics with actionable takeaways to help you be even better at your job, and get one-on-one face time with Spiceworks staff.

September 23-25 Las Vegas, NV, USA 451research-hcts.com Cost to attend: • Registration opening soon. Click here for more information.

For digital transformation to truly meet its potential, infrastructure needs to become invisible, with service providers – both inside and outside the IT organization – competing on their ability to deliver an ‘invisible experience’ that focuses on delivering outcomes and service levels across a range of off-premises and on-premises resources. The 2019 Hosting & Cloud Transformation Summit (HCTS) will focus on how service providers can increasingly deliver that invisible experience and empower the digital revolution.

September 24-25 Rome, Italy italy.cybertechconference.com Cost to attend: • 2-Day Conference Pass: €420 by September 5; €550 September 6-23; €650 on-site • 1-Day Conference Pass (September 25): €270 by September 5; €350 September 6-23; €400 on-site

Cybertech Europe 2019 is a two-day conference and exhibition of the latest innovations, solutions and developments from the world of cyber. Company executives, government officials, startups, investors, leading academics and professionals discuss topics ranging from the global cyber threat, strategies and solutions for diverse challenges including finance, transportation, utilities, defense, and government to protecting operations, infrastructure and people.

September 27-29 Lviv, Ukraine itarena.ua Cost to attend: • Standard Prices: $150 by July 19; $180 July 20 – September 24; $220 September 25-27 • Senior Prices: $210 by July 19; $250 July 20 – September 24; $299 September 25-27 • Executive Prices: $450 by July 19; $499 July 20 – September 24; $599 September 25-27

IT Arena is a tech event with a global outlook and scale. Productive networking, business matchmaking and festival spirit are IT Arena trademarks. Three intensive conference days catalyze exponential growth and inspire new solutions and business ideas. IT Arena expands the limits, uniting global tech in Ukraine.

September 29 – October 2 Phoenix, AZ, USA drj.com/events.html Cost to attend: • Standard Registration Prices: $1,295 • Certified Individual Registration Prices: $1,165.50 • Contingency Group Individual Registration Prices: $1,165.50 • Three or More Individuals from the Same Company Registration Prices: $1,165.50

DRJ is returning to Phoenix, AZ for their 61st conference. Gain the skills and knowledge you need to feel confident your organization is resilient and prepared for risk. Their goal at all of their conferences is to give you ample opportunities to learn, network, relax and to connect with your peers.

October 1-3 Singapore sicw.sg Cost to attend: • Not available: Contact the organizers for registration fee

Singapore International Cyber Week, the region’s most established cybersecurity event, is the ideal platform to discuss, network, strategize and form partnerships in the cybersecurity space, with an emphasis on international and regional cooperation, cyber ecosystem development and ever-evolving innovation. Bringing together governments, industry, and academia, the topics range from cybersecurity trends and solutions, cyber norms of behaviour, to capacity building efforts.

October 2-4 Dublin usenix.org/srecon Cost to attend: • Not available: Contact the organizers for registration fee

SREcon19 Europe/Middle East/Africa is a gathering of engineers who care deeply about site reliability, systems engineering, and working with complex distributed systems at scale. It aims to serve both those new to the profession as well as those who have been involved in it for years. The conference welcomes participants from organizations exploring the adoption of DevOps and SRE principles, as well as those with longer traditions and experience.

October 9-10 London, UK ipexpoeurope.com/europe/en/page/dtx-europe Cost to attend: • Not available: Contact the organizers for registration fee

Entering its 14th year, IP Expo Europe has a reputation as one of the best event for cloud, infrastructure and cybersecurity pros in Europe. The 2019 event will also address the latest in data analytics, AI, software development, IOT and blockchain. In addition to insightful speakers, attendees can enjoy technology demos, case studies, training courses, and more.

October 13-16 Miami, FL, USA acronis.events/summit2019 Cost to attend: • Early Bird (available until August 31): $560 • Standard Ticket: $625

The Acronis Global Cyber Summit is bringing together the world’s largest community of cyber protection professionals for a two-and-a-half-day global conference committed to the improved protection of critical data assets and systems. Featuring business and thought leaders from around the world, it is the must-attend event for IT infrastructure managers, CIOs, managed-IT service providers, reseller, ISVs, and developers. Attendees will learn the latest about how artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud services can help protect against loss and security breaches.

October 16-18 Geneva, Switzerland conferences.isaca.org/euro-cacs-csx-2019 Cost to attend: • Member Price: $1,900.00 +VAT • Non-Member Price: $2,100.00 +VAT

EuroCACS/CSX 2019 brings together experts and practitioners in the areas of audit, security, cybersecurity, compliance, risk, privacy, control and IT from a wide range of industries, including finance, banking, tech services, government, insurance, medical and more. EuroCACS/CSX sessions are for professionals at any point in their career, with three learning levels, hands-on labs, technical and soft-skill training, lectures, and panel discussions.

October 20-24 Orlando, FL, USA gartner.com/en/conferences/na/symposium-us Cost to attend: • Standard Conference Fee: $6,200 • Public-Sector Rate: $4,600 (proof of eligibility required) • Group Rates Available: contact for details

IT Symposium/Xpo 2019 is the place to hone leadership skills, refine strategies, and find the innovative technologies that will help to power digital transformation. Attendees can explore the strategic trends and technologies that are shaping the future of IT and business. Thousands of CIOs and IT executives will discuss key topics including data and analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, culture, customer experience, cybersecurity and more.

October 26-29 Dublin, Ireland securityforum.org/events/world-congress/isfs-30th-annual-world-congress/ Cost to attend: • Not available: Contact the organizers for registration fee

ISF’s 30th Annual World Congress offers attendees an opportunity to discuss and find solutions to current security challenges, and gain practical advice from peers and leading industry experts from around the world. More than 1,000 global senior executives and business leaders gather for three days of keynote presentations, workshops and networking sessions to share knowledge, best practices and thought leadership in a confidential peer-group environment.

October 30 - November 1 Orlando, FL, USA connectwise.com/theitnation/connect-na Cost to attend: • Early Bird (valid until June 27): $799 • Advanced (June 28 - August 30): $899 • Full Price (August 31 - October 29): $999 • Group Rates Available: contact for details

IT Nation Connect is for companies that sell, support, and service technology. In-depth breakout sessions provide updates on the latest industry trends, while keynotes from business and industry thought leaders offer valuable, actionable advice. IT Nation Connect puts companies in control of their success for 2019 and into the future.

November 4-8 Orlando, FL, USA microsoft.com/en-us/ignite Cost to attend: • Not available: Contact the organizers for registration fee

Microsoft’s Ignite developers’ conference provides the latest insights and skills from the technology leaders and practitioners who are shaping the future of cloud, data, business intelligence, teamwork, and productivity. Attendees get a look at the latest tools and tech, with a focus on architecture, deployment, operations, security, implementation and adoption.

November 4-7 Barcelona, Spain vmworld.com/en/europe/index.html Cost to attend: • Early Bird (May 7-July 26 @ 18:00 BST): €1,275 • Regular Rate (July 26 @ 18:01 BST - November 3): €1,475 • Onsite Rate: €1,675 • Group rates and other discounts are available: contact for details

VMWorld is considered one of the leading digital infrastructure events of the year, drawing 12,000+ attendees and 3,500+ companies from more than 100 countries. Designed to help attendees propel their expertise and their careers, it offers deep-dive technical breakout sessions, keynote addresses from industry experts, training programs, and networking opportunities.

November 25-26 London, UK gartner.com/en/conferences/emea/infrastructure-operations-cloud-uk Cost to attend: • Early-bird price (valid until 27 September): €2,450 +VAT • Standard price: €2,775 +VAT • Public sector price: €2,200 +VAT • Group Rates Available: contact for details

Gartner IOCS 2019 gets to what IT infrastructure and operations professionals need. Technologies like the cloud, edge computing and IoT cutting across the functional roles of typical infrastructure and operations teams, challenging their skills and demanding a new kind of dexterity. The 2019 conference offers hands-on, how-to advice that won’t be found at any other I&O management event.

December 2-6 Las Vegas, NV, USA reinvent.awsevents.com Cost to attend: • Full Conference Pass: $1,799

Amazon’s re:Invent event gives AWS developers and customers a chance to discuss new products and features, and explore how different tools can be leveraged for cloud, IT, and cybersecurity needs. Featuring keynotes, training sessions, certification opportunities, and networking activities, the user conference is ideal for AWS customers, developers and engineers, system administrators, and systems architects.