Welcome to LISA17!

I’ve been coming to LISA since 2009, and I’ve always wondered why the official conference opening was on Wednesday, when the party really starts on the Saturday prior. This year’s LISA in San Francisco is no different.

Only a quick jaunt across the bay from the USENIX home office in Berkeley, the Hyatt Regency San Francisco is a beautiful tower in the Embarcadero Center with a voluminous atrium and dozens of floors overlooking the lobby, bar, and sculptures, looking a bit like something out of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner.

(Image courtesy of Johann Agnarsson.)

Conference registration is a floor below the atrium level, and our Sunday through Tuesday classes are spread around this floor and the one below it If you’re taking classes, make sure to avail yourself of the included breakfast and coffee before your course. Note that we also have flavored coffee syrups this year, too. Nice touch!

The locations of the individual classes are very easy to find with the brand new USENIX app, available for iPhone and Android. In previous years, we’ve used third-party scheduling apps, but the experience I’ve had so far with the USENIX app is far better than I’d had in the past. I’m very impressed—you should download it from the app store and check it out yourself.

There are a lot of really great looking spots for dinner within walking distance, as well as convenient coffee shops and pharmacies. This is a really sweet location for a conference, and I’m looking forward to exploring the area after training tonight. If that sounds fun, make sure to get on the USENIX LISA Slack “dining” channel (hit up the Invite app if you’re new!)

Time for my first class, so welcome to LISA, get involved, meet people, have fun, and learn a lot!