Still deciding whether to spring for Dell World User Forum 2014? It’s coming up November 4-7 in Austin, and we’re doing everything we can to make it easy for you to attend. I want to point out a few highlights of what you can expect, especially as a KACE customer, then I’ll let a few DWUF veterans tell you about their ROI.

BOGO and a free pass to Dell World

User Forum is a lot more than panels and exhibits. User Forum brings you together with the Dell experts – engineers, architects, product managers – who build and support the products you work with day in and day out. It’s your chance to come in with a five-pound bag of questions and get them answered face to face, whether in a lab, at the Geek Bar or in a hallway.

User Forum features hands-on labs in which you can finally sit down for that hour you’ve been promising yourself and dive deep into Dell products like KACE appliances. As soon as you get back to the office – and sometimes even before then – you’ll start to see a return on your investment in productivity.

And speaking of investment, we have two financial incentives for you:

• Your User Forum pass includes a pass to the Dell World main track event as well. Catch keynotes and presentations by Peter Diamandis of the X PRIZE Foundation, Erik Brynjolfsson of MIT and Michael Dell of – well, you know which company he works for.
• We’re running a BOGO – a Buy-One-Get-One offer so you can share a pass with a colleague at no additional charge.

If you or your organization is a current Dell customer, User Forum is the place for you.

Sessions

Here are some of the most popular KACE sessions and labs to look for:

• K1000 Advanced Topics. Our engineers will help you understand what's under the covers of your K1000. You’ll take away a deeper understanding of how best to use this systems management platform in your environment.
• Software Packaging/Scripting. We’ll talk about packaging, with real-world examples of tough deployments.
• Software Distribution. We’ll go beyond the basics to some unconventional wisdom around deploying software, including large installers, complex installers and repackaging.
• Patching: Getting Started, and Going Beyond Basics. Learn how to patch your environment with the K1000, then design a sustainable patching system with integrated automation and reporting.
• Troubleshooting the K1000. Understanding how to debug is a skill all admins should hone regularly.

We’ll cover these topics and more in breakout sessions, self-paced labs and hands-on labs led by instructors.

3 veterans weigh in on Dell World User Forum

But you don’t have to take my word for it. I asked a few real-world system administrators why they think User Forum is worth it. Here are some of their answers:

• Ron Falkoff, System Analyst, Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (Missouri)

“User Forum was productive for us because it accelerated our use of the KACE appliances. This is when we can raise specific issues we are having with others during birds-of-a-feather, or just with our peers in other industries having the same experiences.

“On the way home one year, I implemented Smart Labels from San Francisco Airport, they populated by the time I got to O’Hare, and I began using them when I got to the St. Louis Airport. Another year, I fixed patching remotely on my appliance while talking to an expert at the Geek Bar.

“I would tell people to not miss the product feedback, and to go to one session outside their comfort zone.”

• Stacy Crotser, Computer Lab Administrator, Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas

“I got some great stuff out of the instructor-led labs. Getting to watch a presentation, then jumping right in to try it myself was fantastic! I learned lots of techniques and implemented them when I got home. I have referred time and again to the USB key with all the instructor-led presentations and training sessions. That USB key was the single best thing I have EVER gotten from a conference, and I got value out of it all year long.

“If you are a KACE administrator, then the User Forum is a MUST! There was more information jam-packed into the conference than you could pick up otherwise in a whole year.”

• Deedra Pearce, Director of Information Systems, Green Clinic Surgical Hospital (Louisiana)

“Before I attended User Forum, I didn't interact much with our KBOXes; I did what I needed to do, then got right out, so I didn't realize all the capabilities they had. At User Forum it was so nice to see all the software integration, especially with all our other appliances. As soon as we returned, we got involved in the 6.0 update and couldn't wait to use the new user-friendly dashboard we’d learned about.

“As IT director I learned so much at User Forum. I’ve been able to help make our CIO’s daily job so much easier in the past year as I've learned more about the system. User Forum has helped me develop a relationship with Dell, and especially with the KACE team.”

Your turn

So there you have them – three seasoned veterans telling you why Dell World User Forum 2014 is worth it. As KACE training lead, I keep in regular contact with peers at lots of companies using KACE. The networking and user base at User Forum grow steadily year upon year.

• Have a look at the User Forum agenda and start picking out the labs and sessions you want to attend.
• Double your internal expertise by grabbing your BOGO now. Register for User Forum and get a pass to all Dell World sessions.