Open Networking & Edge Summit North America 2020 was a Linux Foundation event co-hosted by LF Networking and LF Edge. Its final program ran virtually from September 28–30, 2020, under the theme “Distributed But Always Connected.” It brought together open networking, edge computing, IoT, cloud-native networking and 5G topics for carrier, enterprise and cloud audiences.
When and how the summit took place
The final event was virtual and ran September 28–30, 2020. Its archived schedule uses Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC−04:00). The LF Events archive preserves the schedule and links to recordings.
![Computer Networking Bible: [3 in 1] The Complete Crash Course to Effectively Design, Implement and Manage Networks. Including Sections on Security, Performance and Scalability](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41H4YJnxKgL._SL160_.jpg)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
An April 9 announcement described an earlier plan for an in-person event at JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles. That was not the final format: the event listing and post-event archive establish that the summit ultimately took place online.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What the summit covered
The organizers positioned the summit at the intersection of open networking and edge technology. Intended audiences included technologists and executives from enterprises, telecommunications companies and cloud providers. Topics included edge computing and edge cloud, IoT, cloud-native networking, enterprise IT, carrier and cloud operations, and AI/ML-enabled applications for 5G, IoT, edge and enterprise deployments.
#1 Best Overall
The announced tracks were Carriers – Core, Edge & Access; Enterprise Networking & Edge; Cloud Networking & Edge; Business Critical & Innovation; and Sponsored Tutorials. The program combined keynotes, technical deep dives, breakouts, panels, tutorials, case studies, Ask the Expert sessions and technical showcases. LF Networking’s September 23, 2020 pre-event article described the planned program as having 80+ sessions across five tracks; that is an organizer pre-event figure, not an independently verified session count.
Projects and use cases featured
Examples from the program show how the summit connected infrastructure projects with practical edge deployments. LF Edge highlighted demonstrations and discussion topics including:
- Real-time sensor fusion for loss detection using EdgeX Foundry.
- Industrial IoT data management using Project EVE and Fledge.
- Low-touch device onboarding and application delivery using Secure Device Onboarding and Open Horizon.
- Distributed cloud for telecommunications networks and edge, Akraino use cases, and updates on LF Edge projects.
The event also discussed applications in manufacturing, retail, oil and gas, transportation and telco edge cloud. These were project examples and technical showcases, not recommendations or endorsements of particular hardware.
Recommended Free Tools
What the organizer reported about attendance
The Linux Foundation’s 2020 post-event report recorded 1,778 registrations: 1,322 for the live event and 456 additional registrations for post-event platform access at the time of reporting. The figures below are organizer-reported and distinguish registrants, attendees and survey respondents where applicable.
| Measure | Organizer-reported result |
|---|---|
| Organizations represented | Attendees from 523 organizations |
| Countries represented | Attendees from 71 countries |
| Live participation | 74% of registrants attended the live event |
| Regional distribution | 54% of attendees were from the United States, Canada and Mexico |
| Industry roles | 44% of attendees worked in information technology and 40% in telecommunications |
| Job level | 32% of attendees were individual contributors |
| Gender representation | 14% of attendees identified as women or non-binary individuals |
| Event Slack | 6,345 messages were sent; among attendees who used Slack, 86% said they could network and collaborate effectively there |
| Sponsored tutorials | Four, hosted by CNCF, Futurewei, HPE and IBM |
| LF Edge End User Community co-located event | 73 attendees |
LF Edge’s post-event recap also reported that 51% of attendees spent at least 10 hours on the platform, 69% were first-time summit attendees and overall satisfaction was over 95%. These are event-organizer figures, not independently audited measures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to find talks and recordings now
The LF Events archive links to session recordings on YouTube, and LF Edge’s recap describes recordings spanning keynotes, lightning talks, tutorials, panels and project or use-case sessions. The event platform was originally promised to remain accessible for one year; that access period has elapsed. The archive points readers to recordings, but the present availability of every individual recording or platform feature is not established, so check the linked destinations directly.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →
