Greetings from Danielle! I had the privilege of arriving a few days early to explore and familiarize myself before what I anticipated to be an amazing yet demanding week. Naturally, we couldn’t pass up the remarkable Christmas exhibit at the Bellagio, immersing ourselves in the marvel that is the Sphere – and naturally, it had a focus on AI.
However, the most unforgettable moment happened as I entered baggage claim at Harry Reid International Airport – the T-symbol plastered on all the screens – a flawless welcome! Needless to say, both of us were compelled to snap photos of Trend’s daring advertisements. As marketers, witnessing ads you contributed to “in the wild” is a special occasion.
Day 1
The enthusiasm on Day 1 of re:Invent is infectious…in a positive manner. In a post-pandemic era, I sense the need to clarify that. There’s a hum of excitement in the atmosphere and a feeling of expectation that appears to have all 60k+ participants enthralled. Being veteran re:Invent enthusiasts, we made sure to retrieve our badges early so we could kick off Monday morning running.
In classic tradeshow style, I had breakfast while strolling to the Expo Hall. Danielle and I rendezvoused at the intersection of Restaurant Row and the renowned hallway to the Expo – even amidst the bustling crowds, we encountered some of our acquaintances along the way. We seamlessly navigated the immersive walkway experience, collected our swag, and entered through the sponsor entrance with finesse, adeptly steering through the exhibition floor to monitor the booth’s development and catch up with our fellow Trenders before commencing on-site training.
Following our team check-in, we swiftly moved to the Sponsor Lounge and extracted our schedules, prepared to commence officially. Indeed, Danielle and I meticulously craft schedules encompassing everything from dates and times to attire and venues. However, at an event brimming with activities, there was no time to squander. A strategy is essential to tackle all your “must-do” engagements. It was time to divide and conquer. I ventured to inspect the Certification Lounge – being a certified cloud practitioner – while Danielle proceeded to a video filming session.
Danielle back again! Customers are at the core of all our endeavors at Trend, and there’s nothing more invigorating than hearing their narratives firsthand. And naturally, we always value the chance to capture those narratives on video – precisely what we did with audience measurement customer Numeris. We don’t want to spoil the video, set to release in Q1 2025, but you won’t want to miss Muhammad Gagan, Manager Information Security at Numeris, elaborating on how collaborating with Trend and AWS assisted them in reducing response time by up to 50% and attaining 99.9% uptime, enabling them to concentrate more on strategic initiatives.
While Danielle completed the filming session with Numeris, I concluded my visit to the Certification Lounge and headed to the Wynn for our initial breakout session. This session, AI in the Cloud: Heroes, “villains,” and security strategies, was fully booked, so I had to secure – pun intended – a spot in the stand-by line. A line had already formed more than 30 minutes prior to the session. Following an exceptional presentation (linked above) from Fernando Cardoso, Director of Product Management, Danielle and I proceeded to the AWS Women of the Cloud Networking Reception, conveniently hosted at the Wynn.
Were you aware that women constitute only 26% of the STEM workforce? While we are fortunate to collaborate with a diverse and skilled group of women at Trend, not everyone shares this experience. The AWS Women of the Cloud Networking Reception unites women and allies from across the tech sector to educate, celebrate, and form connections.
Standing alongside our sisters in STEM as women in tech for the inaugural Women Walk the Floor event was an truly exceptional experience. We paraded together from the Wynn to the Expo to “walk the floor” as a unified group. Cheering and asserting our presence!
We concluded a phenomenal Day 1, reveling in the night at XS Nightclub for the AWS Partner Appreciation Reception. Given that Trend clinched two AWS Partner of the Year accolades (Technology Partner of the Year – Nordics & Germany), we had much to celebrate with our European colleagues.
Day 2
Oh my! That was a jam-packed Day 1. Danielle and I convened bright and early at Black Tap for the Trend buyout experience. Witnessing the restaurant adorned in Trend branding was a marketer’s delight. The team executed a remarkable job integrating our brand into the restaurant’s aesthetics, which exuded a quirky vintage ambiance. I even procured a Trend-branded cup for my latte from the espresso cart.
After assessing the premises, we ascended to my suite to view Matt Garman’s, CEO at AWS, keynote. It was entertaining to watch together on the couch as we could react and discuss the latest announcements. We also joyfully observed as Trend’s logo graced the main stage – see if you can spot it in the recording (linked above)!
Following a tour of the Expo, a stop at the Trend booth, and another visit to Black Tap, we rendezvoused with the team to stroll to our partner marketing meeting with our associates Chris and KB from AWS. Their meeting suite was absolutely splendid, offering a picturesque view of the Wynn’s golf course. As we reminisced on another successful year and strategized for 2025, we indulged in some delectable snacks (yes…I am dwelling on food again). These interactions with our counterparts at AWS are crucial, and we relish brainstorming novel avenues to expand our partnership.
In the late afternoon, I returned to my quarters to freshen up for the evening – one of the perks of staying onsite for the event that I adore. Subsequently, I convened with my fellow product managers at Black Tap ahead of the evening reception. We discussed the progress of our meetings, exchanged customer feedback, and explored AWS training opportunities. After replenishing our candy and popcorn, we delved into Trend’s recent cloud security and AI unveilings. We launched several new features for AWS re:Invent 2024, including an Amazon EC2 Image Builder Integration and local currency transactions in AWS Marketplace, both of which we are proud launch partners for, as well as pay-as-you-go pricing for Trend Vision One.
We also celebrated a successful year in cloud security, achieving the top spot for global cloud-native application protection platform market share according to IDC, and introducing several new features in Trend Vision One. We introduced AI-DR, AI-SPM, DSPM, CIEM, and runtime malware scanning for containers! You can find more details in this press release.
Allow me to share my experience at re:Invent. Trend always ensures unforgettable experiences and connections for our customers and partners during this event. The atmosphere was buzzing at Black Tap during the day, with numerous meetings, new connections, and personalized notebook and luggage tag engravings.
In mere hours, Black Tap transformed into the go-to spot on Tuesday night at re:Invent, a unique experience named Trend After Dark in collaboration with NVIDIA.
The venue glowed with light-up glasses, featured duelling saxophones, a digital graffiti wall, and a refreshing outdoor patio in Vegas, creating an electrifying energy filled with engaging conversations. This was our debut at Black Tap, and it was truly a remarkable experience with exceptional staff and ambiance.
Day 3
We are halfway through re:Invent. I’m Ashley, and I’m excited to share insights from Dr. Swami Sivasubramanian’s impactful keynote. He delved into leveraging a solid data foundation to create innovative solutions and encouraged customers to showcase real-world examples of using data and AI for various use cases. This session left me informed and motivated. I recommend watching the recording for detailed insights!
After the keynote and a coffee boost, I headed to our booth to witness the enthusiasm of attendees participating in our Trend Vision One booth challenge. It’s gratifying to see attendees engaging with our platform in real-time, swiftly navigating the single console experience and learning to proactively secure their cloud environments within minutes. A #ProudTrender moment!
Returning to the spotlight is Danielle.
During Ashley’s absence, I proactively secured a front-row seat for Dr. Ruba Borno’s partner keynote, learning from past experiences. Ruba emphasized the synergy between partners and AWS, drawing parallels with concepts like resonance, amplitude, tempo, orchestration, and harmony in our collaborative innovation to support customers on their security journey. The AWS Partner Network ensures harmonious collaboration. This harmony was enhanced by IDC’s projection of security product revenue reaching $200 billion by 2028.
Ruba highlighted AWS’s growth to over 100 Security Competency ISVs and unveiled four new competencies for partners to join, including AI Security, Digital Sovereignty, Amazon Security Lake Service Ready, and AWS Security Incident Response. Trend proudly serves as a launch partner for the latter two.
AWS launches numerous initiatives and services with partners throughout the year, including the Buy with AWS program facilitating AWS purchases from partner websites (another milestone for Trend), the Generative AI Innovation Centre collaboration with our product team, and Partner Connections, an avenue for partners to foster relationships and seize opportunities within the ecosystem.
While capturing the audience’s attention at such events can be challenging, this session struck the right chord with attendees.
Recognizing its launch partners, AWS hosted a reception to honor the partners involved in AWS Security Incident Response launch. Marcia Sequeira, VP Global Alliances, and Hernan Armbruster, SVP Global Cybersecurity Services, proudly accepted the competency award at the Marquee Nightclub in the Cosmopolitan.
Day 4
Congratulations on reaching Day 4 of our re:Invent review. Thank you for your support!
I wore comfortable shoes for my final stroll on the show floor, having already covered over 60,000 steps. I joined our marketplace specialist, Elizabeth, and explored the Expo teeming with GenAI robots, interactive booths, and myriad innovative showcases — a sensory feast!
Our second breakout session showcased the collaborative effort with Mike and Zach, bringing the Xsolis narrative to life on stage. Watch the recording to witness how this rapidly growing healthcare tech leader achieves stringent HIPAA and HITRUST compliance, swiftly addresses vulnerabilities, and securely transitions to a microservices architecture aided by Trend’s guidance.
The week concludes with re:Play, a pivotal re:Invent experience. As the night wound down, I unexpectedly ran into Danielle one last time while boarding a party bus with fellow Trenders for re:Play 2024. We arrived at the event in style and danced the night away to Weezer and Zedd, a perfect finale to an intense week!
As the night closed, I bid farewell to my colleagues before retreating to my room for a brief rest (only about 2 hours) before heading to the airport. Living in Ottawa necessitates early departures for North America travel, often with multiple layovers — not the most pleasant experience! Grateful for access to lounges and endless snacks to help pass the time.
Following Ashley’s lead, I chose to catch a red-eye flight to return home. Post-re:Invent, I typically schedule well-deserved time off, necessitating a speedy return, laundry, and subsequent outings. I emphasize the importance of post-event relaxation to recuperate, unwind, and reflect on the remarkable week that transpired.
Completing the week is always surreal. AWS re:Invent is truly a unique event, a whirlwind leaving you with achy feet, hoarse voice, and drained energy. But the experience is rewarding, offering fresh connections, a wealth of knowledge, and countless cherished memories.
Until next year!
Stay updated with our latest resources and get early insights into what’s in store for AWS re:Invent 2025. Visit www.trendmicro.com/reinvent.
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