AWS re:Invent 2024: The Complete Guide

AWS re:Invent 2024 is just around the corner! Taking place December 2nd-6th, 2024 in Las Vegas, this conference is a must-attend event for cloud enthusiasts.

This year, Splunk is proud to be a Diamond Sponsor and you can visit us at Booth 1342. Check out Splunk at AWS re:Invent 2024.

Read on to learn all the details about AWS re:Invent 2024.

Passes and pricing

There are two primary pass types:

1. Full conference pass - $2,099
2. Virtual-only pass - Free

Register now on the AWS re:Invent website. With the full conference pass, you can experience:

• 5 keynote presentations featuring leading AWS executives and guest speakers from notable customers.
• Over 2,000 learning sessions addressing AWS core solutions, emerging trends, and a wide range of other topics.
• Engaging learning experiences including chalk talks, workshops, and builders’ sessions.
• One-on-one interactions with AWS Partners who can assist with problem-solving and accelerating transformation.
• Receptions and lounges hosted by top-tier sponsors, offering opportunities to network with peers and forge new connections.
• Meals, transportation between venues, and discounted hotel rates.
• DJs, live music, interactive games, and dancing at the re:Play closing party.

What is AWS re:Invent?

AWS re:Invent bills itself as “the most transformative event in tech”, inviting participants to “get inspired and rethink what’s possible”. It’s been around for 10+ years, and it focuses on all things cloud computing. Which is to say: every angle of technology.

Interestingly, re:Invent is also the name of a 37-story office building at the Amazon headquarters in Seattle. Which came first? The building only opened in 2019, and it was named after the already-established event. Our guess is the views here are pretty amazing.

Why attend AWS re:Invent

AWS re:Invent is your best opportunity to get hands-on access and learn from AWS experts. No matter if you're a certified AWS expert or a newbie, all are welcome here to pick up new skills, explore new use cases, and, ultimately, learn about the latest in all things AWS.

Wondering who attends this event? The better question might be who doesn’t attend it. Beyond the great Amazon community itself, you can expect to see employees and fans, booths, and networking opportunities from all the biggest names in tech (and tons of smaller ones too) including Cisco, PwC, Infosys, and yes, Splunk!

The global cloud community has been meeting at re:Invent for 10+ years in order to network, get inspired, and imagine innovation. Attendees at re:Invent can expect all sorts of programming, including:

• Bootcamps designed to expand your understanding of AWS services, and solutions to help prep you for certification.
• Breakout sessions, organized by experience level and led by AWS experts.
• Expo, the busy floor where it all happens: peer networking, hands-on chats, and interactive demos.
• AWS Builder Labs, where cloudies and devs can experience AWS in a live sandbox environment.
• Partner experience shares stories of cloud-powered innovation and how partners like Splunk use AWS Cloud.

Tips for new attendees

Scour Reddit or the internet and you’ll definitely pick up some tips from the attendees who’ve been doing this for a while. Here are some tips to think about before you get to Vegas:

• Book sessions ASAP with the mobile app. AWS will release a mobile app for the 2024 event. Book sessions as soon as you can, because many of the popular ones will fill up in advance.
• Use your sessions to pick your hotel. Walking around Vegas can take a long time, so if you see a bunch of your must-do activities in one place, try to sleep as close to that venue as possible.
• Meet people, meet people, meet people! These events are great for formal and informal networking. Introduce yourself, wear some fun swag, and even schedule meetings in advance with colleagues, friends, or clients that you know will be there. With the event so spread out, it’s impossible to just “bump into” someone you’re looking for.
• Plan for packed shuttle buses. AWS does run shuttle buses, but at particularly busy times like mid-morning or for major keynotes. That’s why your comfortable shoes are key.
• Explore Vegas. Yes, the cloud is everywhere, but Vegas itself is worth experiencing IRL. Book a special restaurant or check out one of the many excellent museums for yourself.

Splunk and AWS

At the core of Splunk’s solutions is our extensible data platform that provides end-to-end visibility into an organization’s entire technology stack, including AWS, on-premises, and other environments.

Splunk and AWS celebrate 12 years of strategic collaboration – that’s more than a decade of teamwork, co-innovation, and exceptional data-driven outcomes for our joint customers. With Splunk and AWS, customers can innovate with confidence, migrate and modernize existing environments, scale without limits, and keep systems secure.

• Splunk has been recognized with 8 AWS Competencies, 4 Service Validations, and 3 Partner Programs and is a Premium AWS Marketplace Seller and a top AWS ISV Workload Migration Partner.
• Splunk was an AWS launch partner for Amazon Security Lake and AWS AppFabric. The Splunk Add-On for AWS allows Splunk to efficiently ingest OCSF-compliant data from Amazon Security Lake and AppFabric, enabling security teams to readily use data from AWS and other sources to achieve comprehensive attack-surface coverage.
• Splunk OpenTelemetry instrumentation for AWS Lambda enables you to effectively manage and monitor Lambda functions as part of your serverless applications, ensuring reliability and efficiency.

Splunk at AWS re:Invent 2024

Meet Splunk representatives at Booth 1342. Below is important information you don't want to miss:

• Diamond Sponsorship: Splunk is proud to be a Diamond sponsor at AWS re2024, underlining its leadership in security and observability.
• Live Demos: Experience the latest Splunk Observability, AI, and AWS solutions, including a demo of the newest AWS-integrated Federated Analytics release.
  
• Breakout Sessions: Attend sessions led by Splunk thought leaders for insights into industry trends and best practices.
  
• Welcoming AppDynamics: Discover how AppDynamics and Splunk are joining forces, combining best-in-class capabilities for enhanced observability and security.
  
• Interactive T-Shirt Store: See Splunk’s optimizations in action through a live t-shirt store demo.
  

Splunk’s end-to-end resilience solutions are designed to prevent incidents, accelerate threat response, and enable rapid adaptation to evolving opportunities. Additionally, explore Splunk’s innovative updates that expand its technology stack capabilities, supporting secure and resilient digital transformation on AWS.

Here are some sessions that Splunk is holding:

• SEC106-S | Turning data into action: Cisco & Splunk's strategic blueprint on AWS
• DOP110-S | Troubleshooting in complex environments faster with Splunk

AWS re:Invent 2023 keynote speaker from Pfizer

See below for a clip of a keynote speaker, Lidia Fonseca, Pfizer's chief digital and technology officer, at the 2023 AWS re:Invent conference where she discusses how AI and AWS helped to treat more than 1.3 billion people around the world with medicines and vaccines.

(Related reading: Top announcements of AWS re:Invent 2023).

Hotel recommendations

When traveling, finding a hotel that fits your needs can be quite challenging! Most folks have been to Las Vegas and may have hotels in mind, but below is a short list sorted by price and quality to get you going. All hotels on this list are in good proximity to the conference locations and the Strip in Las Vegas.

Find all of the information on hotels, transportation, and the schedule breakdown for each day here.

Note that AWS re:Invent has designated hotels with discounts available only for November 29th-December 7th when booking through the attendee portal. The bolded hotels below are a campus venue for the conference.

Transportation

When navigating Las Vegas, there are two aspects to consider: How to get from the airport to your hotel and then how to navigate the Strip once you are at the hotel.

Airport to hotel:

• Uber/Lyft/Taxi (most convenient)
• Rental car
• Airport shuttle (most economical if you have the time)
• Luxury car service

On the strip:

• Walking - the cheaper (and health-conscious) option!
• Uber/Lyft/Taxi - walking may be faster unless you’re going from one end to the other!
• Las Vegas Monorail - convenient & cheap!
  • You can purchase a monorail pass that has a total of 7 stops all down the Las Vegas Strip. The 7 stops include MGM Grand, Horseshoe/Paris, Flamingo, Harrah’s/The LINQ, Las Vegas Convention Center, The Westgate, and Sahara.

Conference shuttle

Shuttles will be available to campus venues including Caesars Forum, Mandalay Bay, and MGM Grand from various hotels. Additionally, AWS re:Play shuttles will provide service to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds.

Nightlife

Vegas is known for its nightlife and clearly beyond the scope of this post, but once the conference is over each day, you are free and able to participate in whatever you choose. That could mean finding a nice restaurant for some dinner, decompressing in your hotel room, or exploring the plethora of casinos as that is what Las Vegas is known for!

Hope you enjoy AWS re:Invent and your trip to Las Vegas!