Inside Interop 2011 Hot Stage

Start The Discussion  |  Mike Fratto  |  May 09, 2011 09:00 AM

Three months of planning the Interop network. Two weeks staging the equipment and preparing the network. Dozens of people from as many vendors all focused on putting together a network that will go live for six days. Glenn Evans, Interop network project lead and benevolent dictator, works with the vendors and volunteers to design, build, troubleshoot, and manage the InteropNet.

The hot stage is when all of the planning comes together. The InteropNet team documents every detail, down to where patch cords are connecting, ensuring that when the equipment is moved to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, it can be rolled to position, connected, and powered on in preparation for the exhibitors showing up and the show starting.

After the equipment is moved to the convention center, engineers check the equipment, reseating cables that might have come loose and fixing any problems that occurred. Much of the work after that involves running the network, including getting exhibitors connected and resolving any issues they may have.