CONNECT is the next installment of MuleSoft’s massive conference that happens over the course of three days. It boasts over 60 sessions, 100 speakers and a ton of networking opportunities. This year, CONNECT will take place in San Francisco, CA. from April 18 to April 20.

According to the CONNECT website, the conference offers classes from experts, training and certification in MuleSoft programs, and official parties that will allow conference-goers to network with the best and brightest in their fields. It certainly is not an event to miss! We’ve gathered a few highlights of the conference here:

Why Should You Attend MuleSoft CONNECT?

Connect is an opportunity for business leaders, enterprise architects and developers to improve their businesses. Connect offers keynote speakers, training and certification classes, hands-on labs, over 60 sessions, a partner expo, and after-hours parties that offer great networking opportunities.

For those that need a little help convincing their boss that they need to attend CONNECT, MuleSoft has provided a letter explaining the benefits of attending the conference.

Is your business interested in API-led connectivity? Click here for a free white paper on the next step in the evolution of SOA.

Breakout Sessions You Shouldn’t Miss at CONNECT

The global leaders, innovators and top thinkers hosting the breakout sessions at CONNECT are the main reason everyone is there! Here are a few sessions you should make sure someone on your team has a chance to go see:

Microservices on Anypoint Platform

This session will give a more in-depth look at microservices in application networks and how developers should design, implement and manage them. Attendees will explore the technology underpinning microservices on Anypoint Platform through a live demo.

DevOps on Anypoint Platform

Applications are constantly changing. However, pushing those changes from design to production in hours is something traditional software delivery models cannot handle. DevOps is a viable way to enable speed and quality when it comes to design changes. This session highlights DevOps practices and tooling, which can be applied with Anypoint Platform when implementing and managing an API.

Secure by Design: Scaling Security Across the Enterprise

According to the CONNECT website, "As security failures quickly become headline news, CIOs and CISOs are under tremendous pressure to keep the business secure – without slowing the business down. That's why incorporating security by design into applications and services is so crucial for the enterprise." This session discusses how applications networks are helping organizations create new security best practices and leverage machine learning to respond quickly to security threats.

Anypoint Platform for Pivotal Cloud Foundry

Consumers want choice when it comes to deployment environments, whether they are on MuleSoft's cloud or in a private cloud using a platform as a service (PaaS). This session will teach conference-goers how MuleSoft and Pivotal work together to deliver applications networks within a secure, private cloud. It will discuss various deployment modes of Anypoint Platform on Pivotal Cloud Foundry.

You can check out the ever-growing list of great speakers and breakout sessions for CONNECT on their website.

How to Get Certification and Training at the Conference

MuleSoft Connect offers training and certification programs throughout the weekend of Connect. Those who register through the website even get a discount! After completing the course on-site, participants are able to attempt the MuleSoft Certified Developer (MCD) exams for no charge (normally, these exams cost $250). Some courses offered are:

Getting Started with Anypoint Platform
API Design
Advanced API Design
DevOps on Anypoint Platform
Developing Mule Applications for Performance
Advanced DataWeave
Architecting Anypoint Platform Solutions

Spots in these classes are filled on a first come, first served basis, so make sure to sign up in advance!

CONNECT San Francisco Links and Resources

San Francisco is a one-of-a-kind city that has tons of sightseeing, history, great food and drinks, and tons more to offer. Connect is also hosting the “ultimate official party” for conference-goers that will be a great networking opportunity.

Where to Stay

The conference its self will be happening at the Marriott Marquis hotel, which has a special room rate for CONNECT conference-goers. More information on booking can be found here.

If your team is not going to stay at the official hotel, there are other options in the San Francisco area. These include:

The official party will be hosted at The Bently Reserve. Parking for the conference will be at the Marriott Marquis.

Where to Play

San Francisco has a plethora of shopping, tourism and dining options throughout the city. While you’ll likely be busy enjoying all of the great events CONNECT has to offer; if you find yourself with a few hours to kill here are a few entertainment options close to the conference’s location: