VMblog:  As a KubeCon 2019 sponsor, how can people find you at the show this year?

Dave Van Everen:  Mirantis is a Platinum sponsor located at booth #P21. We're expecting to send over 35 people to KubeCon, although many of them are not expected to staff the booth. We are also hosting a K8s or Die! party.

VMblog:  Is there anything interesting or unique about your booth?  Is there a theme this year?  

Van Everen:  Our booth design/theme is inspired by 80's skateboard culture, embodied by our "K8s or Die!" tagline. Our fun and creative approach to the Mirantis branding is always unique and stands out at KubeCon events.

VMblog:  If an attendee likes what they see and hear at your booth... what message about your product can you send them back with to sell their boss on your technology?

Van Everen:  Mirantis provides the best path to cloud, avoiding the lock-in of a single cloud and the complexity and risk of other multi-cloud environments.

VMblog:  What are some of the reasons why you believe a KubeCon attendee should add you to their MUST SEE list?

Van Everen:  Mirantis will be announcing major new Kubernetes technology news at the event. We don't want to spoil the surprise, but it will be considered a significant news item in the container management platforms industry.

VMblog:  You've sponsored this event before.  What brings you back as a sponsor? 

Van Everen:  Yes, Mirantis has sponsored KubeCon for several years. It's a great way for our team to connect with the broad Kubernetes community and ecosystem, share ideas, and make lasting memories together.

VMblog:  Can you give VMblog readers a sneak peek as to what you will be showing off at your booth?  What should attendees expect to see and hear at your booth?

Van Everen:  Mirantis will be providing live demos of our latest Kubernetes technology throughout the event, and will also have a variety of original raffle prizes and our legendary swag on hand.

VMblog:  Thinking about your company, give readers a few reasons why your product or service is considered unique.  

Van Everen:  Mirantis is probably the most "holistic" provider of cloud technology on the market.  We consider not just the Kubernetes cluster, but also the infrastructure below it and the applications above it. We work to make certain that everything works together in the most bulletproof, efficient way by embracing the most pure DevOps methodology around, enabling reliable, repeatable deployments.

VMblog:  How does your company and product fit within the container or cloud ecosystem?

Van Everen:  Mirantis provides a continuously delivered multi-cloud container management platform based on Kubernetes and a full stack of ecosystem technologies. We couple our technology with enterprise support and managed services from our leading open source experts.

VMblog:  What are you looking forward to most at this year's event?

Van Everen:  The KubeCon events continue to grow, with over 12,000 attendees expected in San Diego. Mirantis is looking forward to sharing our exciting news and technology with such a large audience, and hosting an epic party for the community on Tuesday, November 19.

VMblog:  What would you say to prospective attendees who are thinking about attending KubeCon but aren't sure if it's worth it or not?

Van Everen:  If your role is involved with container technology in any way, you should consider attending KubeCon. In particular, if you are involved in providing a container management platform, managing DevOps for containerized applications, or running cloud-native apps in production, KubeCon includes in-depth presentations and content from many of the leading minds in the Kubernetes industry.

VMblog:  What do you think we need to do collectively as an ecosystem to strengthen the industry?

Van Everen:  The Kubernetes industry needs to remain focused on enabling application portability through open standards, removing complexity and risk when running full-stack K8s in production, and expanding capabilities around application and cluster management.

VMblog:  At what stage do you feel we are at with regard to containers?  

Van Everen:  We're at the end of the beginning, in that containers are now accepted as the forward line, but they're beginning to serve as the infrastructure for other technologies such as serverless, the same way that VMs can serve as an infrastructure for containers.  But just as there is no going back from virtualization, there's no going back from containers. They're here to stay.

VMblog:  What, if anything, is holding the container market back?  Or what is holding back wider deployment?

Van Everen:  What's holding the container market back is the same thing that holds every new technology back: people's fear of moving forward. What most people forget is that "mass adoption" only happens after a technology is "boring".

VMblog:  What do you attribute to KubeCon's growing success this year?

Van Everen:  KubeCon is growing because Kubernetes adoption is increasing. As companies increasingly seek to containerize with Kubernetes, they are seeking connections with their peers to help them understand how to best transition to cloud-native technology.

VMblog:  What do you hope to come away with from exhibiting at KubeCon?  What does event success look like to you?

Van Everen:  Mirantis is hoping to connect with the many thousands of industry peers at the event, learn about their aspirations and challenges, and share our thoughts on how Kubernetes can help companies make the move to cloud on their terms.

VMblog:  Do you have any tips for first time attendees that you'd like to share?

Van Everen:  Plan your time at the event efficiently, so that you can attend the sessions that are most aligned to your needs, while still allowing time for making connections at the sponsor showcase and evening events.

VMblog:  Attendees always enjoy a good trade show tchotchke.  Are you guys giving away anything special or interesting this year?

Van Everen:  Of course! Mirantis is known for having the most original and creative swag at KubeCon. In San Diego, we'll be giving away t-shirts and water bottles with original artwork, plenty of stickers, some skateboard decks, and more!

VMblog:  Does your company have any speaking sessions during the show?  If so, can you give us the who, what, when and where?

Van Everen:  Mirantis is providing live demos at our booth in the sponsor showcase during all open hours.

VMblog:  Are you guys throwing or involved with any type of party during the event?  Can you share the details?  

Van Everen:  The legendary K8s or Die! Party is kicking off KubeCon in one of San Diego's most extraordinary spaces - Venue 808. Mirantis will take you on a trip through the looking glass for an evening of dreamlike wonder and curiosities. Connect with your fellow peers, enjoy an open bar, live music, mystery, intrigue, and tasty delights!