Making of Boise DevOpsDays

IT professionals gather in Boise to discuss the latest news with DevOps every spring. There are many different IT branches, so what makes DevOps worthy of its own conference? I talked to Paul Remeis, Senior VP at In Time Tec and one of the organizers of Boise DevOps Days, to find out the event's history and what it takes to put the event together.

DevOps, a mix of software development and operations, helps programmers produce better software. Bridging the gap between development and operations results in better code, less flaws, and a more reliable end product.

"The nice thing about DevOps is that it’s really something that everyone who makes software can invest in to help with their throughput and reliability,” Remeis said.

A conference is born

Since DevOps has universal appeal and applications, it made the ideal choice for a local tech conference.

“It started off with us looking for a conference where we could get a lot of the technology folks in the area,” Remeis said. “With all the high tech happening here in Idaho, to have a conference where there’s a common theme.”

In Time Tec helped cofound Boise DevOpsDays by bringing the international conference to Boise and merging it with an existing Treasure Valley conference. DevOps Days started in Ghent, Belgium, in 2009. Since then, the conference has grown to happen across the world.

Boise DevOpsDays

The local conference offers an opportunity to network and learn about DevOps. Sponsors present their technology, software, job openings, and much more. Speakers in the past have included presenters from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Duke Choice Awards Winners, Microsoft engineers, and others.

Planning this event takes lots of support and organization. IBL Events, a local company, and other vendors assist with organizing the day of the event.

“Logistically, you have to get a big, strong group of organizers who have experience in both recruiting the people to be able to speak and put on an event,” Remeis said.

DevOpsDays 2022 Edition

This year marks the grand return of Boise DevOpsDays. The COVID-19 Pandemic caused the cancellation of the previous two year’s worth of conferences. He said it’s a priority to make sure this year’s attendees feel safe.

“We feel like we’re in a good space right now, especially in Idaho,” Remeis said. “Boise Centre has a lot of precautions and protocols in place to make sure the event center is hygienically prepared as possible.”

2022 also marks the first partnership with the Idaho Technology Council (ITC). ITC has supported the conference by helping Boise DevOpsDays gain nonprofit status and helping promote the event among its members.

This year's conference theme centers around Cybersecurity. The slate of speakers’ topics focuses on DevOps for technology and business needs.

“To get the community together for the first time in two years is super exciting for me,” Remeis said.

This year’s conference is scheduled for May 3 from 8-7 at the Boise Centre East. You can get tickets here.