The new year is underway and already there is a lot going on. I’m going to order this edition’s content based on how soon the deadline is approaching and how urgent it is for your attention.

Three Alarm

AWS Training Cohort

The NET+ AWS training cohort is ready to go. This combined synchronous/asynchronous program will prepare participants for the AWS Solutions Architect Associate certification. Participants will be guided through Pluralsight training and testing materials by higher education cloud veteran Sharif Nijim, Assistant Teaching Professor, IT, Analytics and Operations at the University of Notre Dame. 

The cohort is limited to 15 participants and is being advertised to NET+ AWS subscribers a few days in advance of opening it up to the entire community, so do not delay. Details are available on the registration form. You can register yourself or you can nominate members of your team. If you have additional questions, please contact netplus@internet2.edu

Kion Infoshare

Over the past year we have been hearing from schools in the higher education cloud community that they are looking for some help sorting through the plethora of 3rd-party tools swirling around the cloud infrastructure space. The top needs expressed were:

  1. account automation and maintenance
  2. security monitoring and remediation
  3. cost tracking management and savings 

One product specifically suggested and already being piloted by a few schools is Kion (formerly known as cloudtamer.io). We asked Kion to show the community around their tools and answer your questions. 

Two Alarm

Program Satisfaction Survey

One of the vital roles of the NET+ team is to bring the community together, making and sharing opportunities to learn from each other and from the cloud vendors. NET+ Program Development  Manager Tara Gyenis has put together a brief survey to get your take on how well we are doing with community engagement. We also want your feedback on vendor (AWS) and reseller (DLT) performance. The survey is designed to get input from everyone from the cloud team to procurement to management. We ask that you share it with others at your institution.

Speaking of engagement…

One of our most powerful engagement tools are our meetings. Yeah, yeah, I know, meetings… But no, seriously. When we bring you, the members of the community together, magic happens. The sharing of challenges, successes, approaches, obstacles, plans, etc. sparks some of the best conversations and most productive networking and collaboration. 

By popular demand, we are going to put a little more structure and variety in our NET+ AWS engagement calendar. Here’s what we have planned. Calendar invitations to come out soon.


We will be sending calendar invitations to all of these to the NET+ contacts we have. Please accept the invitations for the meetings that interest you and decline the rest. And please do forward them on to others in your organization for whom they may be appropriate. 

Make a difference in your community. Join the NET+ AWS SAB


While NET+ Cloud IPS Manager Bob Flynn provides the staff time to address program mechanics and keep things running, it is the NET+ AWS Service Advisory Board (SAB) that provides the leadership and guidance to move the program forward. We are seeking new voices, new schools and new perspectives on the SAB. Make 2022 the year you get more involved in this community. Help make a difference to schools all across the country. Submit your name to be on the NET+ AWS SAB by emailing netplus@internet2.edu

One Alarm

ICYMI – re:Invent re:Cap

On December 15 legendary AWS Solutions Architect and friend of higher education, Kevin Murakoshi gave a high-speed and high-information presentation on all the most important announcements coming out of AWS re:Invent 2021. It was fun and full of great resources. Find the recording and list of all of the links referenced here.

Credits

The images in this newsletter come from a variety of sources. Credit where credit is due.

Requests?

Do you have ideas or requests for a future newsletter or engagement event? Email bflynn@internet2.edu