Workshops

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Join Your Peers for Three Days of Focused Discussion

Senior sysadmins will want to participate in one or more of these full- and half-day workshops. Attendance is limited for each workshop, which ensures a seminar-like atmosphere.

Each half-day workshop costs $90 and each full-day workshop costs $180. Please make sure you do not select another session whose timing conflicts with that of your workshop.

Questions? Contact conference@usenix.org.

Wondering about the icons? Find out about our conference themes here.

SUNDAY:
Real-World Configuration Management  |  Security

MONDAY:
HPC Computer Cluster  |  Government and Military Computer System Administration  |  Virtual Infrastructures and Cloud Computing

TUESDAY:
Teaching Sysadmins  |  State of the Profession: What Are the Unresolved Issues in System Administration?  |  Knowledge Management  |  Monitoring Process and Implementation Solutions  |  Advanced Topics

 

Sunday, December 9

Full Day

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

1: Real World Configuration Management

CLOSED. CLASS FULL.

Seabreeze 1 & 2

Narayan Desai, Argonne National Laboratories; Cory Lueninghoener, Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kent Skaar, VMware, Inc.

This workshop covers configuration management processes in real-world settings. The focus will be on practical tactics that attendees can apply directly. Attendees will discuss the issues they face in their deployments and will compare their experiences and tactics with other attendees. This workshop is a tool-agnostic discussion, which will be widely applicable, regardless of the configuration tool used. Attendees should be sysadmins with a deployed configuration management system in place who want to talk with and learn from others on the subject.

This workshop covers configuration management processes in real-world settings. The focus will be on practical tactics that attendees can apply directly. Attendees will discuss the issues they face in their deployments and will compare their experiences and tactics with other attendees. This workshop is a tool-agnostic discussion, which will be widely applicable, regardless of the configuration tool used. Attendees should be sysadmins with a deployed configuration management system in place who want to talk with and learn from others on the subject.

2: Security

Cloud Computing

Spinnaker 1

Piotr Zbiegiel, Argonne National Laboratory; Alex Malin, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Information security is important to many system administrators, yet it is challenging to make security a high priority or to stay updated on this very wide and fluid topic. This workshop offers a personal and flexible venue for systems, security, and network administrators to discuss security challenges and experiences with other interested admins and experts. Discussion topics and potential presentations will depend on the interests of the attendees.

Information security is important to many system administrators, yet it is challenging to make security a high priority or to stay updated on this very wide and fluid topic. This workshop offers a personal and flexible venue for systems, security, and network administrators to discuss security challenges and experiences with other interested admins and experts. Discussion topics and potential presentations will depend on the interests of the attendees.

Monday, December 10

Full Day

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

3: HPC Compute Cluster

Seabreeze 1

Clay England, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Administering a compute cluster in a production environment is a niche area of system administration. Challenges include cluster management, customer usage, and specialized software. The topics will be based on the attendees’ interest but may include OS deployment, software deployment, disk-less compute nodes, management tools, schedulers and resource managers, and customer issues. Attendees should be admins of a compute cluster or interested in adminning this type of cluster. They should come prepared to discuss openly their admin experiences, problems and successes with this class of machine, and the pros and cons of their existing cluster management tools.

Administering a compute cluster in a production environment is a niche area of system administration. Challenges include cluster management, customer usage, and specialized software. The topics will be based on the attendees’ interest but may include OS deployment, software deployment, disk-less compute nodes, management tools, schedulers and resource managers, and customer issues. Attendees should be admins of a compute cluster or interested in adminning this type of cluster. They should come prepared to discuss openly their admin experiences, problems and successes with this class of machine, and the pros and cons of their existing cluster management tools.

4: Government and Military Computer System Administration

Seabreeze 2

Andy Seely, Science Applications International Corporation

This workshop is for sysadmins who have primary responsibility for computing systems owned by government or military agencies and for sysadmins who work in secure environments, deal with classified data, provide GOTS support, or deploy to military hot spots. This includes contractors, uniformed members, government civilians, vendors and suppliers, and anyone who has a direct hands-on technical support role in the government sector. Specific goals and topics will be solicited in advance from registered attendees in order to ensure a relevant and useful workshop. All discussions will be strictly unclassified.

This workshop is for sysadmins who have primary responsibility for computing systems owned by government or military agencies and for sysadmins who work in secure environments, deal with classified data, provide GOTS support, or deploy to military hot spots. This includes contractors, uniformed members, government civilians, vendors and suppliers, and anyone who has a direct hands-on technical support role in the government sector. Specific goals and topics will be solicited in advance from registered attendees in order to ensure a relevant and useful workshop. All discussions will be strictly unclassified.

5: Virtual Infrastructures and Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing

Spinnaker 1

Kyrre Begnum, Norwegian System Architects

Virtualization and cloud computing have become household technologies for data centers and large infrastructures as well as small shops and startups. This tool-agnostic workshop is for practitioners who want to share their experiences and challenges with others. The workshop is mostly intended for people who are managing virtual infrastructures and clouds. We will have discussions on a wide range of topics, from educating users, through deployment strategies, to storage and networking issues. Everyone who cares about cloud technologies is welcome to attend. Participants who want to contribute content such as experience reports or short intros on specific topics that interest them are invited to send a short description to lisa12ws-cloud@usenix.org.

Virtualization and cloud computing have become household technologies for data centers and large infrastructures as well as small shops and startups. This tool-agnostic workshop is for practitioners who want to share their experiences and challenges with others. The workshop is mostly intended for people who are managing virtual infrastructures and clouds. We will have discussions on a wide range of topics, from educating users, through deployment strategies, to storage and networking issues. Everyone who cares about cloud technologies is welcome to attend. Participants who want to contribute content such as experience reports or short intros on specific topics that interest them are invited to send a short description to lisa12ws-cloud@usenix.org.

Tuesday, December 11

Full Day

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

6: Teaching Sysadmins

Seabreeze 1

David Byers, Linköping University; Ismail Hassan, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences

This workshop is for educators and practitioners who are interested in influencing the ways we can better teach students to become well-rounded sysadmins. This year’s topic is: “Cultivating an employable sysadmin through education programs.” We will focus on what makes a strong sysadmin education program. What is the foundation of a solid system administrator? How has education changed in the past decade and how will it change in the next decade? Everyone interested in the education of the next generation of sysadmins is welcome to join our discussion.

This workshop is for educators and practitioners who are interested in influencing the ways we can better teach students to become well-rounded sysadmins. This year’s topic is: “Cultivating an employable sysadmin through education programs.” We will focus on what makes a strong sysadmin education program. What is the foundation of a solid system administrator? How has education changed in the past decade and how will it change in the next decade? Everyone interested in the education of the next generation of sysadmins is welcome to join our discussion.

Half Day Morning

9:00 a.m–12:30 p.m.

7: State of the Profession: What Are the Unresolved Issues in System Administration?

SuperSysadmin

Spinnaker 1

Tom Limoncelli, Author and Sysadmin at Google, Inc.;
Kyrre Begnum, Norwegian System Architects

System administrators are responsible for keeping key components of our society up and running. With the globalization and rise of of the big Internet services over the last decade, our role has become more important than ever. This workshop will be a half-day mini-conference where professional practitioners come together to discuss the challenges of being a good system administrator today. What are the unsolved problems in systems administration? How can we improve our own practice? Everyone with a passion for our profession is welcome to attend. Presenters: Send topic statement or draft slides to lisa12ws-state@usenix.org prior to the event for scheduling. Time limits will be strictly enforced; please rehearse fastidiously.

System administrators are responsible for keeping key components of our society up and running. With the globalization and rise of of the big Internet services over the last decade, our role has become more important than ever. This workshop will be a half-day mini-conference where professional practitioners come together to discuss the challenges of being a good system administrator today. What are the unsolved problems in systems administration? How can we improve our own practice? Everyone with a passion for our profession is welcome to attend. Presenters: Send topic statement or draft slides to lisa12ws-state@usenix.org prior to the event for scheduling. Time limits will be strictly enforced; please rehearse fastidiously.

Half Day Afternoon

1:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

8: Knowledge Management

Spinnaker 1

Mark Burgess, CFEngine Inc.

Knowledge management is probably the single greatest challenge for system administrators today, but one of the least represented in terms of resources and tools. Knowledge management includes a variety of issues, including the understanding of specification of systems, relationships between system dependencies, version control on system changes, strategies for streamlining information from logs and monitoring feeds, and more. This workshop will discuss the scope and techniques for knowledge management in system administration. We aim to have an open discussion.

Knowledge management is probably the single greatest challenge for system administrators today, but one of the least represented in terms of resources and tools. Knowledge management includes a variety of issues, including the understanding of specification of systems, relationships between system dependencies, version control on system changes, strategies for streamlining information from logs and monitoring feeds, and more. This workshop will discuss the scope and techniques for knowledge management in system administration. We aim to have an open discussion.

Full Day

9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

9: Monitoring Process and Implementation Solutions

Seabreeze 2

Scott Koch, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The area of cluster and network health monitoring provides ample opportunity for creative and diverse process and tool implementations. Attendees in this workshop will discuss the issues they face in their deployments and compare their experiences and tactics with others. This workshop is a tool-agnostic discussion of practical issues; the discussion will be widely applicable. The focus will be on practical tactics that attendees can apply directly. Attendees should be sysadmins with a deployed monitoring system in place who want to talk with and learn from others on the subject. Tool developers interested in hearing the needs of their users and/or offering suggestions are also welcome.

The area of cluster and network health monitoring provides ample opportunity for creative and diverse process and tool implementations. Attendees in this workshop will discuss the issues they face in their deployments and compare their experiences and tactics with others. This workshop is a tool-agnostic discussion of practical issues; the discussion will be widely applicable. The focus will be on practical tactics that attendees can apply directly. Attendees should be sysadmins with a deployed monitoring system in place who want to talk with and learn from others on the subject. Tool developers interested in hearing the needs of their users and/or offering suggestions are also welcome.

10: Advanced Topics

Marina 6

Adam Moskowitz

This workshop, intended for very senior administrators, provides an informal roundtable discussion of the problems facing system administrators today. Attendance is limited and based on acceptance of a position paper (plain ASCII, three paragraphs maximum); a typical paper covers what the author thinks is the most difficult or important issue facing system administrators today, why this is a problem, and why this problem is important. A more complete description of the workshop and information about position papers is available at atw.menlo.com. Position papers should be sent to lisa12ws-atw@usenix.org. Attendees are required to bring a laptop.

This workshop, intended for very senior administrators, provides an informal roundtable discussion of the problems facing system administrators today. Attendance is limited and based on acceptance of a position paper (plain ASCII, three paragraphs maximum); a typical paper covers what the author thinks is the most difficult or important issue facing system administrators today, why this is a problem, and why this problem is important. A more complete description of the workshop and information about position papers is available at atw.menlo.com. Position papers should be sent to lisa12ws-atw@usenix.org. Attendees are required to bring a laptop.