Jon Klaus is an IT infrastructure and cloud consultant who specializes in storage, backup and virtualization. When Jon isn't tinkering with IT, he is riding a snowboard or motorbike or is underwater. Jon is based out of the Netherlands. Check out his FastStorage blog or follow him at @JonKlaus.
Jamie: How did you get initially get involved in Tech Field Day events?
Jon: I started blogging in early 2013, hoping to share my in-the-field experiences with the tech community. These contributions got me selected for the former EMC Elect community recognition program.
A few years later, I met Stephen Foskett, the founder of Tech Field Day, during one of the EMC events in London, where we were part of the same interview group. We briefly talked and a few months later Stephen sent me a Twitter DM: “Would you like to be part of the delegates panel at Storage Field Day 6 in Silicon Valley?” Somewhat stunned, I accepted, not fully realizing what was going to happen. The rest is history.
Jamie: What’s your favorite memory from your first Tech Field Day events?
Jon: I remember being both intimidated and in sheer awe by the very smart people at the Tech Field Days, both at the delegate table and at the vendor side. There I was, sitting amongst some true legends, not just the field of storage but IT as a whole. People whose blog posts I read to troubleshoot issues at work. Famous company founders and seasoned (delegate) veterans that have been in the industry longer than I am alive. And yet, everyone was very warm and welcomed this young, Dutch storage geek to the table.
When we moved to a different presenter (in the stylish limo!), I saw all the famous companies and offices in Silicon Valley glide past. Brand names that I only knew from product packaging or TV (like NASA!). It felt unreal, and I might have pinched myself a couple of times just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Jamie: What’s the best part about how Tech Field Day events have evolved over time?
Jon: New formats and new types of Field Days (Cloud and Security) were introduced. There’s a newsletter, roundtable podcasts, Tech Field Day Extras at vendor events. And the number of events each year has increased, and there’s now one event every month. Yet, with all these changes, Tech Field Day has kept its old, successful vibe of sharing deep, technical information between vendors, delegates and live stream viewers. It has evolved, yet kept its core values.
Jamie: Do you miss anything about past Tech Field Days?
Jon: I only joined the Tech Field Day family five years ago, so I missed the first events. There are now a few rules, including a “No throwing things!” rule. That sparks my curiosity…
Jon attended his first Storage Field Day in 2014.
Jamie: How do vendors approach to Tech Field Day events?
Jon: They take Tech Field Day seriously. Instead of a generic marketing presentation, we get deep technical information about the inner workings of a product. And the last few events, vendors specifically asked for a few minutes of off-camera time to discuss NDA roadmaps with us. It shows that vendors appreciate the insight, questions and feedback from the delegates.
Jamie: Why do you participate in Tech Field Day? What’s the value to you?
Jon: Tech Field Day combines innovative IT technology with friendships among peers. I learn a lot in terms of technology, market trends and product use cases. This allows me to do my day-to-day job better.
During the time we spent together talking tech, many friendships were formed. I like to travel and it is truly amazing to be able to drink a beer with a friend at the other side of the world, whom you would never have met if it wasn’t for Tech Field Day.
