Virtual Vegas: Nasuni and AWS re:Invent 2020

AWS re:Invent is always one of the highlights of my work year. There’s insane buzz, great talks, fantastic networking with technology leaders, and nonstop news about exciting releases and developments in the AWS world.

Plus, you know, Vegas.

Last year’s event was incredible. This year? Well, it’s 2020, so instead of the background buzz of slot machines and roulette tables, I heard my kids fighting with each other and the dogs barking at the Amazon Prime delivery driver. I traded the bright lights of the strip for the dull glow of my desk lamp. As with everything else 2020, we all tried to make the best of it, and in the end I have to say that AWS re:Invent 2020 was another unforgettable conference.

On the Nasuni and AWS front, some of the highlights included:

• The official announcement of our participation in the launch of Professional Services in the AWS Marketplace. This allows consulting partners and ISVs to sell their services through the Marketplace, and it means AWS customers can burn down their AWS Enterprise Discount Program by purchasing Nasuni services in the AWS Marketplace.
• New product innovations around Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) that demonstrate the company’s continued commitment to its object storage platform.
• Our inclusion in the ISV Accelerate program, which strengthens our partnership with the AWS Sales organization. This allows the AWS Field Team to get compensated for selling our service, and it’s been in the works for a while, so we’re thrilled that it finally transitioned from double top secret to public knowledge.

As always with re:Invent, there were great individual sessions, like this one from Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec, AWS VP of Block and Object Storage, on how to innovate faster with applications on AWS storage.

No, it wasn’t the usual re:Invent, and I’m sure most of the attendees are looking forward to returning to the intensity and excitement of the next in-person event – hopefully in 2021. But re:Invent 2020 was certainly unforgettable, and it cemented AWS’ status as one of the true leaders of cloud innovation.