Over the past 20 years, advances in Information technologies have continuously remade the business world. Think– the Internet, virtualization, cloud, the smartphone to name a few. That has however been one exception – the wide area network (WAN), that is … until now. One of the hottest topics in IT Infrastructure is Software Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN or SDWAN). It is a specific application of software-defined networking (SDN) technology applied to WAN connections. WAN links are used to connect enterprise networks – including branch offices and data centers – over large geographic distances. SDWAN technologies promise the moon; lower costs, faster performance, business agility to name a few. So, what is real and what is pure marketing?

Come hear from someone who has been an Oregon pioneer in SD-WAN. John Spiegel from Columbia Sportswear will provide an overview of SD-WAN, relate his first-hand experiences implementing this new technology, the results he has seen and how it has changed John’s approach to the ever-evolving landscape of IT infrastructure (both good and bad).

John Spiegel is the Sr Manager of Infrastructure at Columbia Sportswear Company. He is a leader with 20 years of experience in Information Technology and Networking. Forward-leading, big thinker with a passion for transformative and cutting-edge technologies such as SD-WAN and Cloud. Believer in the power of sharing and collaborating with other like-minded individuals to evolve the industry. Outside of work, focus and energy is on family, brewing beer, Duck and Packer football and currently planning a trip to Africa with his family.

Agenda
5:30 PM Social
6:30 PM Dinner
6:50 PM Meeting Start
7:00 PM Keynote and Q&A
8:15 PM Close

About the event
Please join us for the SIM Portland September 2018 meeting when a panel of experts from the Office of the State CIO will review what is happening in IT in the State of Oregon, and what new opportunities and challenges are being worked on, and how can public and private IT organizations lead and partner to implement these goals.

Key topics that will be explored include,
• Review of current State of Oregon IT planning and initiatives, including,
• State of Oregon Cybersecurity initiative including Cybersecurity Advisory Council and awareness
• Statewide Broadband initiative and addressing the Digital Divide with OregonFIBER
• What does this all mean to IT leadership? How can we partner and collaborate? What should we be planning for?

The Distinguished Panelists
• Melody Riley Ralphs, Chief Technology Officer, Oregon’s State Chief Information Office
• Dave McMorries, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, State of Oregon
• Jordan Masanga (Panel Chair), CIO, Oregon PERS

Agenda
5:30 PM Social
6:30 PM Dinner
6:50 PM Meeting Start
7:00 PM Keynote and Q&A
8:15 PM Close