Conference hosted by Dox Electronics

'Hackerfest' Focuses on Computer Security

by Dan Smith photo by Todd Krupa Published Sep 25, 2008

It seems that you can't protect yourself enough when it comes to staying on top of computer fraud; "Hackerfest 2008" gives us some of the latest technology to keep ahead of the game.

The network and Internet technology conference hosted by Rochester's Dox Electronics draws IT professionals from across the northeast and Canada.

Now in its 10th year, Hackerfest has evolved from focusing mainly on computer security to cover all aspects of information technology.

"Since it is a comprehensive show, it's not just regarding security. But storage, IP telephony. You can talk to various vendors that offer various solutions that may impact your business," said Ken Michael, Hackerfest founder. "How to do more with less. How to become more efficient. More competitive by using these types of technology."

This year's Hackerfest featured presentations from industry giants like Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM as well as a keynote address from global information security expert Paul Henry.

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Hackerfest

Hackerfest Teaches About Protection

by Dan Smith Photo by Scott Barstow Published Sep 20, 2007

An information technology trade show and conference doesn't really live up to its name. Hackerfest isn't for computer criminals. It features ways to stop them from hacking into your system.

Dox Electronics invited vendors from across the country and speakers to share ways to stay proactive. They say hackers are the ones who usually get the head start.

"You have to stay up on technology," said Ken Michael of Dox. "You can't bury your head in the sand and hope that problems are going to go away. How we did things 10 years ago is not how you should do them now."

A number of vendors here agree that the first line of defense is right at your fingertips.

"We're looking at spam all the time, looking at viruses," said Stephen Gee of Barracuda Networks. "I think the important thing for users is to know that just don't go and click something from someone you don't know."

More than 500 IT professionals and 26 vendors attended the ninth annual Hackerfest at Henrietta's Doubletree Inn.

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Dox Electronics
Hackerfest

September 21, 2007

People using their computers just want the things to work. But the potential pitfalls and problems are legion, from hackers and viruses to power outages.

Scores of western New Yorkers whose job it is to make sure the computers at businesses, schools and government agencies stay up and running were in Henrietta on Thursday for Hackerfest 2007.

The annual event, put on by Rochester tech firm Dox Electronics Inc., saw vendors pitching everything from spam filters to backup generators and potential customers looking for the best and newest finds for their employers' information technology systems.

For Rick Coliccia, the annual event is a chance to window shop.

"I come here each year to see what's the new security technology that maybe I haven't seen yet," said the network manager for State University College at Geneseo.

The annual computer security summit and trade show also is a time to network with colleagues in IT departments at other schools and compare notes, he said. "Our problems don't really fit the problems of industry or the business office."

The trade show in the Doubletree Hotel had 29 vendors, from blue chip companies such as IBM and Microsoft to R.L. Kistler Inc., which makes backup generators.

While the event began with a technology focus, it has since grown to include broader technology issues, said Ken Michael, Dox founder and vice president.

The event started nine years ago as a way of bringing the latest technology to the Rochester area instead of local businesses having to go to far-flung cities for trade shows there, Michael said.

MDANEMAN@DemocratandChronicle.com

Hackerfest Draws IT Pros from across WNY
Rachel Ward

HENRIETTA, NY (2007-09-20) A conference that attracted IT professionals from across Western and Central New York has a lot of the same things that big conferences on the West Coast have, like seminars about the lastest technologies and vendors from IBM, HP and Microsoft. One thing it doesn't have is a thousand dollar price tag. The Hackerfest Conference, staged at the Doubletree Hotel in Henrietta today is free.

Ken Michael is the founder of Dox Electronics in Rochester, which organizes the event. He says the conference offers local IT decisionmakers a chance to get an annual update on the industry. And the decisionmakers come - he says he sees chief information officers, purchasing agents, and directors from as far as New York City and Canada. Public sector entities send representatives too. This year the event attracted attendees from local municipalities, Monroe and Ontario counties, the city of Rochester and local hospitals.

Michael says the advantage of his show is that large vendors send representatives, but the conference isn't so crowded that attendees have to compete for their time. And because it's free and local, it offers public agencies a significant cost savings on travel costs.

Dox has been putting on the event has been hosted for the past 9 years, over which Michael says it's evolved from just focusing on security to encompassing all new technology issues. Michael says for him, hosting the conference is an act of giving back to the community, in a way that few others are able to do.

But despite Hackerfest's success, Michael says he won't take it on the road. He says conferences that have emulated his model elsewhere haven't been successful, and that since it takes him 8 months to prepare the event, he simply doesn't have the time.

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