Guest post originally published on Mia-Platform’s blog by Michel Murabito, Developer Advocate at Mia‑Platform

KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2023 in Amsterdam turned out to be an extraordinary and unforgettable event. The conference provided exciting insights into emerging technology in cloud computing, as well as valuable opportunities for human connections and interactions.

With some colleagues from Mia-Platform, I had the opportunity to attend the event, listen to a lot of interesting content, and most importantly, as Mia-Platform was a Silver Sponsor of the event, we had a booth in the Exhibitor Area. To the many curious people who came by to see us, we showed our innovative product and told them about the amazing things our users are able to do with it.

In this article, I would like to summarize the event, sharing from my perspective the experience I had during the conference, the interesting meetings, and the unique atmosphere at this edition.

Location

KubeCon was held at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam. It is a spectacular location, a huge convention centre equipped with impressively large keynote rooms and a truly vast sponsor area.

RAI Convention Centre with KubeCon event "Community in Bloom" banner and KubeCon flags in front of building

The size of the venue allowed for a large number of participants (10,000, the live event was sold out) while providing the right space for the various activities and presentations.

Mia-Platform’s Booth

It was exciting to see so many people come by our booth, interested in getting to know the team and learning about the products and services. We had the opportunity to showcase our product, receive valuable feedback, and establish relationships that may lead to new collaborations and opportunities.

A lady and gentlemen taking pictures in front of Mia-Platform booth

At the event, we also distributed 200 exclusive invitations to access Mia-Platform Console Cloud, which will be released in alpha in October 2023. This initiative generated great interest among participants, who showed curiosity and enthusiasm for the launch.

Participants surround Mia-Platform booth

Focus: Kubernetes, Internal Developer Platforms, and Developer Experience

KubeCon in Amsterdam was an opportunity to reflect on the increasing adoption of cloud computing, Kubernetes, and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) projects. Cloud infrastructure and associated services are becoming increasingly popular because they offer flexibility, scalability, and low cost. This trend was evident during the event, with a large number of sessions and presentations illustrating how companies of different sizes and industries are adopting cloud-native solutions to improve their operations and create new business opportunities.

Kubernetes, in particular, has emerged as a key tool for managing large-scale containerized applications. The evolving ecosystem offers a wide range of tools and services, facilitating the integration and automation of cloud infrastructures. Several CNCF projects that are helping to improve and extend the functionality of Kubernetes were also presented, showing how collaboration between the open-source community and companies can lead to amazing results.

A topic of growing interest, which also emerged strongly during KubeCon, is the focus on Developer Experience (DevX). In an era when business is increasingly linked to technology and software, it is critical to ensure that developers can work efficiently, with tools and processes that facilitate their work.

In this context, Internal Developer Platforms (IDPs) are proving to be very interesting tools. These platforms offer an integrated, customizable development environment that allows development teams to focus on application development, reducing the time and effort required to configure and manage the underlying infrastructure. During the event, several success stories were presented where companies have adopted IDP to improve the productivity and experience of their developers.

Keynotes

The KubeCon in Amsterdam was an event packed with interesting content, with three intense days of presentations, workshops, and keynotes that offered insights and insights into various aspects of the cloud-native world.

Participants sitting in the hall watching KubeCon keynotes

Keynotes, in particular, were high-impact, impressive moments that were able to capture the audience’s attention and sparked interest in the issues addressed. Among the main topics discussed in the keynotes, the ones I found most relevant include:

The keynotes offered a comprehensive and varied overview of the trends and innovations shaping the cloud-native world, stimulating debate and reflection on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Relevant contents

The sessions at KubeCon in Amsterdam followed the thread drawn by the keynotes, offering a wide range of content and insights that highlighted the importance of cloud technologies and the growing interest in the Developer Experience. Speakers, from different fields and with specific expertise in the field of cloud-native technologies, shared their knowledge and experiences with the audience, offering food for thought and stimulating debate on topical and relevant issues.

Among the main topics covered during the event was Kubernetes, with insights into the latest innovations, best practices, and innovative solutions for container orchestration, networking, and securityServerless architecture was discussed, exploring how it can be leveraged to optimize application performance. Of course, there was no shortage of talks on CI/CD, application and infrastructure security, and monitoring.

Special attention was paid to the projects incubated by CNCF, announcing the new projects that entered this list during moments of the opening keynotes. These projects represent the latest and most innovative solutions in the cloud-native landscape and offered participants the opportunity to discover new technologies and approaches to address industry challenges.

Sessions touched on a wide range of topics, including technology innovation, best practices for cloud technology adoption, data security and privacy, and environmental sustainability. In particular, at this edition of KubeCon, there was a strong focus on DevX and the need to make their work easier, more efficient, and more rewarding. Topics covered in the sessions included how to improve the integration and adoption of cloud-native technologies within organizations, both from a technical and organizational perspective.

Innovative solutions and tools were presented that enable development teams to take full advantage of the potential of the cloud and minimize the time it takes to develop and deploy applications into production. The importance of investing in training and skill development for developers emerged, in order to enable them to meet the challenges posed by cloud technologies and take full advantage of the opportunities offered by this new paradigm.

Extra Activities

KubeCon in Amsterdam was not only an opportunity to learn more about Kubernetes and cloud computing, but also an event full of extra activities and fun times that contributed to a unique and engaging atmosphere.

Below I have gathered my impressions of some of the most exciting extra activities I experienced.

Happy Hour with KCD Organizers

One of the most memorable moments of KubeCon in Amsterdam was undoubtedly the happy hour with all the organizers of Kubernetes Community Days (KCD) from around the world, which I attended as co-organizer of KCD Italy. This unique opportunity offered the chance to meet people from different cultures, experiences, and backgrounds, all of whom share a passion for Kubernetes and the community around it.

During the happy hour, I had the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions with organizers I already knew, but also to meet new people who helped make the event even more stimulating and interesting. It was fascinating to learn how each of them is working to promote the adoption of Kubernetes and cloud-native technologies in their local communities through events, workshops, and other initiatives. Comparing with KCD organizers from different countries and backgrounds has allowed me to broaden my view of the global Kubernetes landscape, appreciating the challenges and opportunities in different contexts. I have found how some address infrastructure issues, while others focus on organizing events, creating and expanding local communities, and relational aspects with other community members.

The happy hour with KCD organizers was an inspiring and experience-sharing moment that reinforced a sense of belonging to a global community united by a willingness to learn, innovate and collaborate. It was a privilege to be able to be a part of this event, and I am sure that the relationships established during the cocktail hour will continue to grow and bear fruit in the future, both personally and professionally.

Kuberoke

Kuberoke was a fun and informal karaoke night where participants had the opportunity to socialize and network in a more relaxed setting, singing songs of all kinds together. The singing performances were not always of a top-level, but there was never a lack of that enthusiasm that makes karaoke nights unforgettable. This event strengthened relationships among participants and established new friendships, helping to create an atmosphere of collaboration and sharing.

And many other activities

Dinner on the first day offered a culinary experience with typical street food. Despite the large number of booths, the queues for the food were long: however, these moments of waiting turned into useful opportunities to meet people and chat. This convivial time allowed participants to enjoy local delicacies and share ideas and opinions in an informal and pleasant environment.

Last but not least, the LEGO® area was located right next to our booth! It attracted the attention of many visitors, providing an opportunity to unleash creativity and have fun building your own “little monster” with LEGO® bricks. This initiative helped create a playful and stimulating atmosphere, making it difficult to resist the temptation to join the challenge.

KubeCon lego in front of Mia-Platform booth

Final considerations on the Tech side

KubeCon in Amsterdam highlighted how the future of cloud computing, Kubernetes, and Internal Developer Platforms is full of exciting opportunities and challenges. The increasing adoption of these technologies and the focus on the Developer Experience are clear signs that the industry is evolving rapidly, with new solutions and approaches emerging to meet the needs of businesses and developers. The open-source community and industry players are working together to build a resilient, scalable, and innovative ecosystem.

Final considerations on the Rel side

In addition to being a great opportunity for learning and understanding the latest in cloud-native technologies, KubeCon in Amsterdam was also an event that placed great emphasis on the relational dimension and knowledge exchanges among participants. Events of this kind provide an opportunity to meet people from different professional and cultural backgrounds united by a passion for innovation and technological progress. These interactions allow people to expand their knowledge, engage with new points of view, and learn from the successes and challenges faced by others in their journey to adopt cloud-native technologies. The event fostered an atmosphere of collaboration and sharing, in which participants were able to freely discuss their ideas, projects, and experiences, finding insights and solutions to the problems that arise in the daily routine of their work.

Thanks to the variety of content presented, meetings, and interactions among participants, the KubeCon in Amsterdam was an educational experience that allowed everyone to return home with new skills, new ideas, and new inspiration, ready to face the challenges of the future and contribute to the advancement of the cloud-native technology industry. This huge conference once again demonstrated the importance of events of this kind for the development and growth of the cloud-native community, underscoring the value of human relationships and knowledge exchanges as key tools for innovation and technological progress.

Conclusion

KubeCon was a time for reflection and growth for all those working in both cloud computing and with a Kubernetes infrastructure. The lessons learned and relationships established during the event will provide us with the tools and inspiration to successfully meet the challenges that lie ahead in the future.

As the industry continues to evolve and mature, it is paramount that we continue to invest in education, innovation, and collaboration to ensure that the cloud, Kubernetes, and Internal Developer Platforms can continue to thrive and transform the way we develop and manage applications.

To recount in detail all the topics, talks, and meetings that took place at KubeCon would be impossible, given the extensive scope of the event. You can get an idea from the event schedule, which alone can show the scope of the fantastic content I was fortunate enough to attend. If you also attended the event and want to share what stood out to you, let me know by leaving a comment below!