Can't miss Cloud Operations Sessions at re:Invent 2022
Tags: aws, cloud, opensource, operations
Published: 2022-11-11 14:17:40

Today, I want to share with you the sessions and events I'm more excited about as an AWS Community builder with a focus on the best way to operate securely in AWS.

Launched in 2012, [re:Invent](https://reinvent.awsevents.com/) is the annual developer conference hosted by Amazon Web Services. 

With more than 60000 attendees and 2500 technical sessions, it's the most entertaining week of the year in Las Vegas.


![My first AWS re:invent](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/to3zbq6sryka2iwf0ge6.jpg)


I want to thank [Chris Farris and his post](https://steampipe.io/blog/reinvent2022-security-sessions) for inspiring me to write this article.

The link to the session brings you directly to the Session Planner. If it's hard to schedule your re:Invent Calendar, [try to use the unofficial planner](https://reinvent-planner.richardfan.xyz/).

## Sessions type @ AWS re:invent

### Chalk Talks

Chalk Talks are highly interactive sessions with a small audience. 

Each begins with a short lecture (10–15 minutes) delivered by an AWS expert, followed by a 45- or 50-minute Q&A session with the audience.

This is by far my favorite session type for the event, and this type of session WILL NOT be available later on [YouTube AWS Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/amazonwebservices)

### Breakout Sessions

AWS re:Invent breakout sessions are lecture-style and one hour long. Those sessions are made by experts and will be available a week after the event in a dedicated playlist on YouTube.
Be sure to follow one if you wanna meet the speaker or ask anything from him, otherwise, you have the opportunity to learn the topic easily the week after.

### Builders’ Sessions and **Workshops**

Builders Sessions are small-group sessions led by an AWS expert who guides you on new technology, followed by a hands-on practice of the topic.

## A list of can't-miss sessions and events

**- [COP305](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/COP305) - Best practices for organizing and operating on AWS**

[Bianca Lankford](https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancalankford/) is the Senior Director of Global Cloud Engineering @ Warner Bros. Discovery. I'm interested to hear more about a big enterprise relying on Tools and Best practices to manage a complex cloud environment.

Description:

> Managing and operating cloud environments from multiple business units can be challenging. In this session, hear from Bianca Lankford, Senior Director/Global Head of Cloud Engineering & Governance from Warner Brothers Discovery, about how they organized their cloud environment to allow teams to develop with agility while being able to manage and operate their applications in a secure, automated, reliable, and cost-effective way. See how you can use AWS Organizations and AWS Systems Manager to operate your applications at scale, manage mergers and acquisitions, and develop governance as a product for your environment.
> 

**- [SEC001](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/SEC001) - Building more AWS accounts? One IAM Identity Center to rule them all**

[Jonathan VanKim](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanvankim/) is a Security Specialist in Cloud Systems Architecture @ AWS. 
The peculiarity is that the session will be at the AWS Village in the Demo Theater. Having a networking opportunity to better access the Cloud in an Organization from a single place.

Description:

> Want to simplify your workforce access with AWS IAM Identity Center (successor to AWS Single Sign-On)? This session explores how to use AWS Managed Microsoft AD integrated with IAM Identity Center. Learn how to quickly and simply manage your workforce users and scale in your AWS organizations.
> 

**- [BOA202](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/BOA202) - Take these open-source tools on your AWS adventure**

AWS Developer advocate [Curtis Evans](https://twitter.com/curtEYEvan) and [Darko Meszaros](https://twitter.com/darkosubotica) will introduce [Build on Live during the event,](https://twitter.com/darkosubotica/status/1586124006809182208) and I can't wait to know the best Open-source tools they will explore. I'm hoping to [see Leapp there](https://github.com/Noovolari/leapp), too (" Making my AWS adventure easier” was one of the main points that brought me to build the OSS tool)🙂

> You've set out on a grand adventure to learn, build and expand on AWS. Like any good adventure, it has its challenges. Time to gear up! Grab your best tools and gear to help you on your way. In this session, have a look at open-source tools that can help make your AWS adventure easier. See something for security and permissions, something for cost management, and a few more things for building in the Cloud—tools like Infracost, IAMLive, and more.
> 

**- [COP323](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/COP323-R) - Delegating access in a multi-account environment with IAM Identity Center**
    
This is a Chalk talk. A smaller group talks about the problem and how to address it together. In this case, I'm particularly interested in seeing ABAC models with IAM Identity Center. Before this session, I advise watching [this amazing session](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrWnKZ0DQ8&t=3091s) by [Quint Van Deman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/quint-van-deman/) (One of the best sessions I've ever attended). 
    

> In this chalk talk, learn about delegating access management with AWS Organizations and AWS Control Tower using AWS IAM Identity Center. Using customer-managed policies and permissions boundaries, you can enable a decentralized access management model with permissions guardrails that enforce coarse-grained authorization standards that apply in both role-based and attribute-based access control (RBAC and ABAC) models.
> 

**- [COP318](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/COP318) - Setting up controls at scale in your AWS environment**
    
[Michael St.Onge](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cybersaint/), senior security manager @ AWS, will speak about the Control tower's ability to delegate access and make it easy to implement a least-privilege permission easier for AWS Users
    

> Companies are challenged with balancing compliance and security requirements with the desire to allow engineers to make their own design choices. Many companies take an allow-list approach: restricting developer access to AWS services until risks are defined and controls implemented. In this session, learn how to use AWS Control Tower features to meet control objectives and reduce the time it takes to approve AWS services for use.
> 

**- [NFX305](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/NFX305) - Reimagining multi-account deployments for security and speed**

Netflix has proven to be one step forward in many fields among Cloud operations in a multi-account strategy. [Netflix Tech blog](https://netflixtechblog.com/?gi=f62f7c632913) is one of my favorite resources to be on top of technology ideas. Every time I [go back to this presentation](https://www.infoq.com/presentations/netflix-infrastructure-security/) by [Travis McPeak](https://twitter.com/travismcpeak) and [Will Bengtson](https://twitter.com/__muscles) to explain the level of excellence of Netflix
This time they will present a new paradigm for a multi-account deployment, take it. 

> In this session, discover a new paradigm for multi-account architecture based on decoupling a workload's identity and permissions from its underlying cloud infrastructure. Efforts to segment cloud environments are often stymied by complex migrations and excessive operational overhead, hindering organizations from capturing the desired security and scalability benefits. Join us to learn how Netflix is deploying applications in isolated AWS accounts without relocating their compute or network resources, and discover how they are increasing developer velocity along the way.
> 

**- [NFX302](https://portal.awsevents.com/events/reinvent2022/dashboard/event/sessions/NFX302) - Accelerate insights using AWS SDK instrumentation**

How could you figure out an application's identity across an AWS account? It’s a question I ask myself often, and I'm intrigued to figure out the Netflix way to do so. 

> Migrating an application's identity across AWS accounts requires a clear picture of its identity-resource relationships. In this session, learn how Netflix filled gaps in cloud data sources by instrumenting AWS SDKs to create new categories of visibility.
> 

## **Open Source Zone and Noovolari Leapp**

I won't do any pitch for re:invent, but I will present Leapp at the Open source Zone (Third floor of the Venetian near San Polo and the Press area) on Wednesday from 1 pm to 3 pm.
I will speak about [my open-source project Leapp](https://github.com/Noovolari/leapp) and how to better operate in Cloud daily as a CloudOps.


![Open source Zone AWS re:invent 2021](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4iu85lwbqi253zjb7e5s.jpg)



## Re: Invent is firstly a Networking event

This year will be my third AWS re:invent, so my most extensive advice is to explore our partner expo, including the [AWS Village](https://reinvent.awsevents.com/learn/expo/) and the [AWS Modern Applications and Open Source Zone](https://reinvent.awsevents.com/community/public-spaces/).

My advice is to be prepared and [look at the Partner Expo map](https://awsreinvent22.mapyourshow.com/8_0/exhview/index.cfm?selectedBooth=622) at the Venetian before landing in Vegas.

Could you make time for a meeting with your professional network? Let people know you'll be at re:Invent (changing your Twitter and LinkedIn name is an excellent point to start from).

Do you think that your evening will be free? Not at all. T[here are plenty of Parties to participate](https://conferenceparties.com/reinvent2022/) in before [the epic re:play party](https://reinvent.awsevents.com/community/replay/). Check them out and grab your ticket!


![AWS re:play party image 2021](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/kcj776xdkm0wf590317y.jpg)


## Final thoughts

Re:Invent, to me, is a community event and is the yearly opportunity to meet with all the [Top of the Ops community](https://join.slack.com/t/noovolari/shared_invite/zt-opn8q98k-HDZfpJ2_2U3RdTnN~u_B~Q) we have built with Open-source.
The amount of Cloud experts from all around the world is a unique opportunity to peer and create long-term connections with many people, and this is the best part of re:invent. Don’t miss having fun and visiting all the best of Vegas.

![AWS re:invent community meeting](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/f57angt98uz69wb7ht0j.jpg)



So please, [text me if you want to grab a drink together!](https://twitter.com/a_cava94) I’m a big fan of Bourbon and Rye Whiskeys 🥃 and I will be happy to connect with you in front of a good cocktail or beer 🍺!
I hope to see you all in Las Vegas!