Some of you may know that my favorite word (after my little one calling me Mommy) is WHY. I have always liked learning, studying, pushing boundaries, crushing challenges. So a few years back, I started listening to the Packet Pushers Podcast. Because there was always something to learn and both Ethan and Greg were discussing things which were up and coming, in depth, arguing back and forth about technologies we thought of implementing but were so bleeding edge learning them was about reading RFPs and digging the web for tidbits of information. From Packet Pushers I got involved with the awesome Wi-Fi community. PP made me realize other people in the world were speaking my language aside from my network architect. I wasn’t an odd duck (or there was a whole lot of us!)

The very first blog I read was Jennifer Huber’s. I was so amazed that a woman like me was this passionate about Wi-Fi (and she still is today!) She was kicking arse making vlogs and posts about complex topics she encountered while studying for her CCIE Wireless lab.

A few years later, working on an overhaul of our controllers, I met Steve Williams, who introduced me to more blogs, people and to Tech Field Day. The minute I read up on the event I knew I wanted to be part of it. TFD, if you are not familiar with it, brings together the manufacturer’s side and from the 4Ds side (ie peeps who define, design, deploy and diagnose technologies for a living) for in-depth conversations about the innards of technologies. Skip the marketing hype (most of the time) and get to the juicy, meaty stuff. The HOW and the WHY. Sometimes even the WHEN. No fluffy unicorns.

TFD, and its creator, Stephen Foskett, evolved in a series of events which became more and more specific to specific fields. Wireless Field Day (which is now Mobility Field Day), Network Field Day, Cloud Field Day, Storage Field Day and Security Field Day are the current flavors of events run by Gestalt IT. Surrounded by an awesome team of advisors and organizers, the events occur a few times a year, with special editions sprinkled throughout various manufacturer conventions.

So, remember, I told you way back in the day I was dreaming of attending a TFD event? Well…a few months ago I got a DM on Twitter from Tom Hollingsworth (@NetworkingNerd). Tom has been working with TFD, organizing and attending the events so my little heart began beating extra fast…I knew that MFD4 was scheduled for August and was looking forward to watching the presentations and reading the blogs from the delegates about what was coming in wireless and mobility.

AND THEN….it happened.

Yep. I got an invite. I was offered the chance to be a delegate. Before anyone had the chance to blink, I had run up to my two bosses’ offices. I had rescheduled a vacation. Even had the time to stumble in the stairs and almost land on my rear end (because this clumsy and emotional geek couldn’t see the steps you know. Must have been something in my eyes, I swear it’s because of pollen or dust or…well being invited to MFD!)

So as I am sitting now, on a plane flying over DEN ( Jim! I picked up your impostor syndrome as we flew over so that mine doesn’t feel too alone, hope you won’t miss it this week, hugs and cookies, Mae xxx) and on my way to Santa Clara, I am trying to gather my thoughts, hopes and expectations for the coming week. We are at a point in the wireless world where things are moving a LOT.

• In the last year or so, Aerohive became Extreme. Mist became Juniper. Ekahau was purchased by Ziff Davis (insert sigh about departure of several ppl which gave Ekahau its color here…)
• Some key players abound in the sense of strengthening their portfolios by consolidating and limiting their offer while 802.11ax is still in the works. Others seem more interested in meeting every single customer need through a large variety of devices.
• 802.11ax is not a standard just yet. 
• A lot of people are hoping for improved security which was in the books with WPA3. Just as we thought it would be a simple matter of software update, the publication of new papers by the same research team that brought forward the issues with WPA2 (‘memba KRACK?) seem to indicate that there is still work to be done for those of us who are concerned by the safety of our users (who, we all know, do not run a VPN systematically at their local coffee shop but are really scared because big research guys say Wi-Fi security is broken.)
• IoT is everywhere (because manufacturers can, yet don’t seem to care about security or providing solid drivers and updates)
• Automation, coding and APIs abound
• Single pane of glass management, Big Data analytics, self learning and AI are buzzwords which are so hip one wonders if they are for realz or just the latest edition of a pink fluffy unicorn dancing on a rainbow.
• Crowdsourced QA is still way too popular to go away and is still very much a pain.
• CBRS has seen a few trials in the US and 5G efforts are in the works yet I regularly hear of indoor issues with mobile coverage for which I would like to find a better solution than just whining and adding a few picos here and there.

So the lineup of the week at MFD4 includes presentations from:

• Aruba
• Cisco
• Fortinet
• Metageek
• Mist (Juniper)
• NetAlly
• And a few surprises….

I am sure it will be an awesome week in this Wi-Fi geek’s life. I am nervous and humbled and thrilled to be part of this experience. Also, thankful to Tom and Stephen for having me as a delegate and their very helpful team for working out every detail for our group. (Un bonjour spécial pour Mademoiselle Claire qui ne peut être du groupe cette semaine.) Can’t wait to meet my super awesome fellow delegates, most of them friends, mentors and esteemed members of the community. Really happy that there will be TWO delegate ladies in attendance because the awesome Jennifer Minella will also be around the table (the more women in STEM the merrier!)

You can follow the event and our adventures over the web through the TFD casts here

You can also watch out for the #MFD4 hashtag on Twitter

This will be awesome!