Now you can watch the keynotes that took place during the OpenInfra Summit in Berlin!

The OpenStack Summit
FAQ


For a good taste of the experience, check out our videoa from the prior OpenStack Paris Summit.

2014 Paris Summit Experience 


Some Frequently Asked Questions

Please find answers to frequently asked questions about the Vancouver Summit here:

Summit Timeline:

December: 

January:

 February:

  • Call for Speakers submission deadline
  • Session voting opens for the OpenStack community

March:

 April:

  • Deadline to sign sponsorship contract
  • Middle Bird Registration deadline
  • Registration prices increase

 May:

GENERAL INFORMATION

How often do the OpenStack Summits take place?

The Summits are scheduled every 6 months to take place immediately after the OpenStack software release cycle. The dates change slightly from year to year but in general the OpenStack Summits take place every April/May and October/November.

Where do the OpenStack Summits take place?

The OpenStack Summits relocate each time. The May 2015 Summit will be held in Vancouver and the October 2015 Summit in Tokyo. Previous Summits have been held in the following cities: 

  • Spring 2010 - Austin
  • Fall 2010 - San Antonio 
  • Spring 2011 - Santa Clara
  • Fall 2011 - Boston
  • Spring 2012 - San Francisco
  • Fall 2012 - San Diego
  • Spring 2013 - Portland
  • Fall 2013 - Hong Kong
  • Spring 2014 - Atlanta
  • Fall 2013 - Paris 

When/where is the next OpenStack Summit after Vancouver?

The next OpenStack Summit will be in Tokyo, October 26-30, 2015.

Summit Format

The Vancouver Summit will run for five days, Monday - Friday, May 18-22, 2014.  

  • Keynotes run Monday - Tuesday
  • Marketplace Expo Hall is open Monday evening - Thursday 
  • Main Conference Breakout sessions run Monday – Thursday
  • Design Summit developer & operator working sessions runs Tuesday - Friday

REGISTRATION 

How can I register?

You may register for the Summit onsite at the Vancouver Convention Centre. You can find a schedule HERE. All major credit cards will be accepted.

I have a discount registration code, how do I use it?

When registering on Eventbrite, you will need to FIRST enter your code BEFORE you select the ticket. Please view this image!

Is there a Student Discount for Summit Registration?

Yes, but the deadline to apply for it has unfortunately already passed (on April 3, 2015). Discounted passes to the Summit are given out to individuals who are currently university students, government or non-profit employees who do not receive reimbursement from their employer for the cost of registering to attend the Summit. If you are involved with OpenStack or interested in learning more about the open source software project you can apply for a discounted registration pass to attend the Summit in Vancouver. The deadline to apply was April 3, 2015 - remember to check back and apply early for discounted registration to the Tokyo Summit later this year. 

What is included in the Full Access pass?

Access to all Breakout Sessions and Workshops, Design Summit working sessions, Keynote presentations, Marketplace Expo Hall, Lounges, etc. This pass includes lunch 

What is included in the Keynote + Marketplace pass?

Access to the Keynote presentations from industry leaders and Marketplace Expo Hall to explore sponsor booths and to network. This pass includes lunch.

This pass does NOT include access to any breakout sessions (including sponsored sessions and tracks) taking place Monday - Thursday or the Design Summit developer working sessions taking place Tuesday - Friday. This pass ONLY includes access to the Keynote presentations and the Marketplace Expo Hall. 

Can I purchase multiple tickets?

Through our Eventbrite registration page you can buy up to 40 passes at once. If you'd like to purchase more than 40 passes, please contact us at [email protected]. Please send us your name, billing address, the quantity and types of passes you'd like to purchase and we will invoice you for them. 

Can I get a receipt of my registration?

Once you've registered, you will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite directly entitled "Your Tickets for OpenStack Summit May 2015 - Vancouver". If you do not receive this email please contact us at [email protected] stating your name and the email you used to register the Summit pass.

If you require an invoice for the ticket you purchased, please also email [email protected].  

How can I transfer or cancel my Summit pass?

If you'd like to transfer your pass to someone else, login to the Eventbrite account tied to your ticket and go to "My Tickets" > "View Order" > "Edit" where you can change the name and email on your ticket. See a more detailed tutorial here.

If this doesn't work for you, please email [email protected] and provide your name and Eventbrite order number. 

If you'd like us to cancel your ticket, please email [email protected] before May 13, 2015 stating your name and Eventbrite order number. We can provide you with a full refund if you email us before this date.

Refunds and Transfers will be granted until May 13, 2015 - after this time no refunds or transfers can be made. 

How can I have an ATC Designation on my Summit Name Badge? 

If you are an Active Technical Contributor (ATC) and would like to be designated as so on your name badge, please register for the Summit via EventBrite using the unique ATC-specific registration code that is provided to you. If you register using a different code (speaker, sponsor, etc) then you will not have the ATC designation printed on your Summit name badge.  

VANCOUVER TRAVEL

Do I need a visa to travel to Vancouver?

Please check HERE if your country requires you to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to visit Canada

How do I apply for a visa?

To obtain a TRV (Temporary Resident Visa), please apply through your nearest Canadian consulate. You can view a list of visa offices and the countries they serve HERE.

You will need to hand in a visa invitation letter from the OpenStack Foundation as part of the visa application. To receive a visa letter, please fill out the following google form.


What is the deadline to submit a visa letter request?

Requests for visa letters must be received before May 1, 2015. We will send your visa letter to the email you provide on this form. No hard copies will be sent.

Visa letters will be issued within 3 - 5 business days after the request has been submitted.  Visit the VISA Information page for more details.

How long does it take to get a visa?

As a general planning guideline, if a visa is needed, a foreign traveler should apply for his or her visa as soon as possible, preferably no later than 60 days before the travel date. 

Processing time for TRVs vary depending on the office and the time of the year. You are encouraged to apply early and to submit complete applications including all supporting documents. 

General processing times at the various visa offices are available HERE. For more accurate processing times, please consult the website for the visa office responsible for processing your application. 

What is the Travel Support Program?

The OpenStack Travel Support Program's aim is to facilitate participation of key contributors to the OpenStack Design Summit by covering the costs for their travel and accommodation. The OpenStack Foundation will set aside a fund to support this program. If you are a key contributor to OpenStack and your company does not cover the costs of your travel and accommodation to Vancouver, you can apply for the Travel Support Program. The total amount of the fund is to be divided among the approved key contributors. 

You can apply for the Travel Support Program HERE.  The deadline to apply February 26, 2015 and approved grantees will be notified in March 13.

MISCELLANEOUS 

Dietary Restrictions 

If you have a special dietary restriction please make note of this on the Eventbrite form when you register for the Summit.  

Language

All Summit presentations will be given in English. At this time we are not planning to offer any translation. 

 

SUMMIT AGENDA & SESSION INFO 

How can I submit a talk to the OpenStack Summit?

The Call for Speakers closed on February 9. All submitted presentations will be made available to be reviewed and voted on by the OpenStack community at openstack.org/summit

You also have the opportunity to present a Tech Talk in the #vbrownbag room. These TechTalks offer a forum for community members to give ten minute presentations. TechTalks have a small in-person audience and will be livestreamed in real time. Additionally the presentations are video recorded and published to YouTube. Those interested in participating in the #vbrownbag TechTalks can complete a submission form HERE.

Where is the Summit Agenda? 

The general Summit agenda will be published in late March 2015. A link to the agenda will be made available on openstack.org/summit.  

A separate Design Summit agenda will be published 2-4 weeks before the Summit in early May. Details regarding the Design Summit are available HERE

Are you livestreaming the keynotes or any sessions?

The keynote presentations will be livestreamed on openstack.org. The keynotes and all main conference breakout sessions (except working sessions) will be recorded and uploaded to the OpenStack Foundation YouTube. 

You can check out the presentations from the November 2014 Summit here. 

EVENING EVENTS

Are there any sponsored evening events? 

Yes, there will be evening events organizaed by Summit sponsors during the OpenStack Summit. These have yet to be finalized but you will be able to find them in the agenda under the track 'Evening Events' once the agenda is published. 

The OpenStack Foundation does not share or sell any Summit attendee data (unless it was directly collected by sponsors through badge lead retrieval scanners). However, we do not have any say over how sponsors use the attendee data they collect through sponsored evening events.

SPONSORS

How can I sponsor the Summit?

Having a presence at the OpenStack Summit is a great way to engage with the OpenStack community. There are five available levels of Summit sponsorship and many add-on opportunities. Please fully read the Become A Sponsor page for all the details. 

The Sponsorship Prospectus for the Vancouver OpenStack Summit is available for download HERE. The executable electronic Summit contract is available now HERE. Sponsorships are being sold on a first come, first serve basis. The sponsorship deadline is April 13.

If you plan to sponsor, make sure you've already signed the OpenStack Master Sponsorship Agreement.

If you have any sponsorship questions, please email [email protected]   

CONTACT US

How can I contact the conference organizers?

You can contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to you within 72 hours, during business hours Monday - Friday.