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Conference Sessions

 

Keynote Presentation: Technology Association of Georgia Presents the 2008 State of the Industry: Technology in Georgia Report

11/12/2008 9:15:00 AM

ITEC Atlanta will open this year with a panel discussion of the results from the annual State of the Industry: Technology in Georgia Report. In its fourth year of publication, the report contains current statistics, critical trending information, and additional facts and figures on issues important to a variety of technology stakeholders. Last year, this session was a standing-room only sneak preview presentation at the 2007 ITEC Conference and Exhibition. This year's report will contain additional features such as information on IT spending trends for the state, statistics regarding women in technology in Georgia, and comparative state-by-state data on venture capital, employment, and university R&D trends. Confirmed 2008 partners include the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia Research Alliance, Southern Polytechnic State University and Lassiter & Associates. Sponsors include TechCFO, Morris, Manning & Martin, IBT Enterprises, Technisource, DeVry University, Arketi Group and Georgia Power. If you care about the state of the information technology industry in Georgia, you'll want to join TAG President, Tino Mantella and a panel of distinguished guests at 9:15am or 3:00pm on November 12th.

Speakers:

Tino Mantella
President
Technology Association of Georgia

Nancy Chambers
Founder and Managing Director
Lassiter & Associates

Steve Bachman



Kelly Gay
Past Chairman, CEO and President
KnowledgeStorm

[TOP]

 

SECURITY: UTM: Simple, Elegance and Power

11/12/2008 10:15:00 AM

Modern IT security managers are essentially required to protect against multiple attack vectors while ensuring optimal performance for their organization. This session offers information about Unified Threat Management solution for comprehensive perimeter security. Featuring:

  • Network Security - Firewall, VPN and Intrusion Prevention
  • Web Security - URL Filtering, Malware Detection, Bandwidth Management and Application Control
  • Mail Security - Antispam, Antivirus, Antiphishing and Email Encryption
  • Deployment as hardware, software or virtual appliance

    Astaro Security Gateway provides immediate protection for your network, web access and email traffic. The Astaro solution integrates more security applications than any competitor in one award-winning management device. A complete range of hardware appliances scale to the performance level that you demand.

    Speakers:

    Imran Virk
    Channel Manager
    Astaro

    [TOP]

  •  

    SECURITY: The Enemy Within

    11/12/2008 10:15:00 AM

    There was a time when simple things such as transferring files from one location to another was just a matter of getting your IT guy to install an FTP client on your machine. These times are over, and in a world where security has become paramount, auditors, shareholder and customers are requiring organizations to scale up their security efforts. Getting it right is not easy, and unbeknown to them, many companies still rely on unsecure legacy protocols such FTP for file transfer or Telnet for remote access. Join us in this session as we explore the threats and financial impact of using these protocols and discuss how Connectivity Secure Server, Hummingbird new high-performance secure shell solution, can help you achieve secure file transfer and network protection.

    Speakers:

    Xavier Chaillot
    Director of Products & Marketing
    Hummingbird

    [TOP]

     

    ENTERPRISE & SOCIAL SOFTWARE: The Next Generation of Business Intelligence

    11/12/2008 10:15:00 AM

    The term Business Intelligence 2.0 (BI 2.0) is cropping up more and more in the industry, generally referring to the next generation of BI just as Web 2.0 has come to refer to the next generation of the Web. The focus, like Web 2.0, is on people, empowering users to express their creativity, allowing them to freely access information and produce something meaningful from it while focusing on information sharing, communication, and collaboration.

    Take away points:

  • Understanding the relationship between BI 2.0 and Web 2.0
  • How BI is changing
  • Establishing ROI with BI 2.0

    Speakers:

    Steve Vandemark
    Vice President, Consulting Solutions
    CerkiTek

    Joe Crowley

    CerkiTek

    [TOP]

  •  

    THE NEXT WORKPLACE: Beyond E-Mail: Moving your entire workplace to the cloud

    11/12/2008 10:15:00 AM

    How will advanced mobile devices like iPhone and fast developing web 2.0+ technology change the workplace? Globally dispersed teams, telecommuters, flex-time workers, all are now adopting new technology for working together online, often without top management support. But real teamwork is not easier to achieve online than it is offline. It may even be harder.

    How do you prepare a workforce for a "virtual workplace"?

  • What are the challenges?
  • What tools are needed?
  • What problems must be addressed?

    This session is based on 10 years successful online team building. You will see case studies of successful globally dispersed teams. You will learn about a platform, process and tools that have been proven successful in forming online teams. And you will see live examples of online project management, time management, document management, contact management, online training, video conferencing, and more.

    Speakers:

    Tom Simon
    Founder and CTO
    iPrismGlobal

    [TOP]

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    NEXT WORKPLACE: Winning Them and Keeping Them: The Ancient Chinese Secret of Relationship Technology

    11/12/2008 10:45:00 AM

    Winning and Retaining; that is the way to stay in business. But it isn't just our relationships with customers that matters; it is our interactions with partners and employees which help us stay profitable, reliable, and responsive. Behind the strategy and business practice of winning new customers and keeping them, is the technology that helps you manage the relationship, support partners, and provide your own teams with the information they need to be successful. It isn't an ancient Chinese secret, but it does take the right approach and collaboration between people and technology.

    Be our guest and learn more about:

  • How technology enables your company to win and keep customers, partners, and employees.
  • Considerations for IT professionals when proposing technology improvements / changes.
  • Collaborating to achieve internal customer-centric, partner-centric, and employee-centric initiatives.
  • Building a connection between technology and business results.

    Speakers:

    Julio Quintana
    Vice President of Education Services
    Plus Consulting

    [TOP]

  •  

    NEXT WORKPLACE: Are Energy Costs Eating Away At Your IT Budget?

    11/12/2008 10:45:00 AM

    New backup power system designs are delivering more power in a smaller space and saving you thousands of dollars is energy costs, almost paying for themselves in the life of the product.

    Eaton's newest technological advancements can work for you.

    What you will learn in this session:

  • How simple decisions you make can effect our environment
  • What changes may you see in deploying VoIP
  • Where can you find help when trying to determine actual power draw from IT equipment
  • How one customer fit the high power UPS they needed in the only space they had
  • How high efficiency products effect TCO

    Speakers:

    Kevin Macomber
    Business Development Manager
    Eaton

    [TOP]

  •  

    SECURITY: Network Security Myths, Fact or Fiction?

    11/12/2008 10:45:00 AM

    It's a tough job separating truth from legend,especially when it comes to network security. In this session, three common network security myths will be presented and analyzed in an attempt to separate fact from fiction. What you will learn:

  • Does consolidated network security mean sacrifices in performance?
  • Can consolidated network security be as effective as standalone solutions?
  • Does optimizing the data center traffic break security infrastructure?

    Speakers:

    Chris Simmons
    Director, Product Strategy
    Fortinet

    [TOP]

  •  

    VIRTUALIZATION: Storage Virtualization, Increasing Flexibility While Reducing Costs

    11/12/2008 10:45:00 AM

    Today's dynamic storage environments put significant strains on existing IT infrastructures and management. With 30%-50% capacity growth, multiple vendors to support and constantly changing SLA requirements, most IT directors are constantly battling fires vs. proactively moving towards strategies that increase the reliability and reduce the costs of their storage environments. Storage Virtualization is the next step technology in the virtualization of the data center that helps provide a flexible framework from which to battle the day to day challenges around data management, efficiencies, movement, costs and risk. This session will focus on management advantages of using storage virtualization, cost benefits to using storage virtualization and customer use cases that exist today.

    What you will learn in this session:

  • How to reduce costs by maximizing your efficiencies around storage utilization.
  • How to lower TCO around the management of multiple storage vendors and disparate data formats.
  • How to reduce costs through consolidation of management interfaces and leveraging end user skill sets
  • How to take advantage of storage virtualization to reduce costs and complexity in DR environments
  • How to reduce cost and risk during day to day provisioning, planned maintenance and infrastructure upgrades

    Speakers:

    Keith Baskin
    Storage Practice Manager
    Optimus Solutions

    [TOP]

  •  

    SECURITY: Botnets: Battling the Borg of the Internet

    11/12/2008 11:45:00 AM

    Sure, you've heard of bots and botnets. But have you ever actually seen a bot, bot source code, or a bot herder's Command and Control (C&C) center in action? Now you can. In this presentation, WatchGuard Technologies, uncovers what makes bots tick. The talk covers topics both beginning and advanced:

  • What a "botnet" is
  • What bot source codes looks like and does
  • How bot herders control bots via C&C centers
  • How a crook might recruit an army of bots
  • How to render bots powerless on your network

    During the talk, you'll see the inner workings of some real-world, malicious bots, found in the wild on underground sites. Learn about the many attacks botnets can launch, and how to defend against them. Since the best way to understand these sophisticated attacks is to see them unfold right before your eyes, we will present video captures of bots in action. Once you understand how these evil botnets get built, you'll have the power to avoid assimilation. Resistance is not futile.

    Speakers:

    Scott Burgin
    Field Sales Engineer
    WatchGuard

    [TOP]

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    UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS: The Power, Flexibility, and Affordability of the Asterisk, the Open Source IP PBX

    11/12/2008 11:45:00 AM

    This session will discuss the benefits of buying refurbished hardware in today's economy and will touch upon the following:

  • The structure and value of the open source development model
  • What Asterisk is and how it can be used
  • The commercial products powered by Asterisk that can be purchased and implemented (and run on re-marketed hardware)
  • Case studies of high-profile, successful Asterisk implementations
  • The future of what is possible with Asterisk

    Speakers:

    Chad Brown
    Director of Sales
    Aventis Systems

    Bryan M. Johns
    Partner
    Shelton / Johns

    [TOP]

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    ENTERPRISE AND SOCIAL SOFTWARE: Email Archiving: Improving Productivity and Meeting Compliance Requirements

    11/12/2008 11:45:00 AM

    Email today contains discussions, agreements, documents, notifications, contact information, and many other kinds of critical business information. By automatically storing email records, your organization can ensure that they are not loosing or misplacing the information they need. In this session you'll hear how to easily and automatically maintain the required records and to search and find specific information. Takeaway points include:

  • Options for eliminating the need to retain large volumes of old emails on your mail server.
  • Details about the government regulations (Sarbannes-Oxley, HIPAA, etc.) that require the retention of and access to email records.
  • How to use a compact network appliance for your archiving needs.

    Speakers:

    Scott Wizner
    Eastern U.S. Sales Manager
    ArcMail Technology

    [TOP]

  •  

    ENTERPRISE & SOCIAL SOFTWARE: Top 10 Technology Trends to Revolutionize Your Business

    11/12/2008 11:45:00 AM

    All of us have probably felt that our small business requires Herculean strength. After all, to compete in the marketplace, our businesses have to: adapt quickly to changing conditions, squeeze maximum productivity from a limited staff, and keep overhead low.

    In short, we have to do more with less.

    Fortunately, we have help. There are ten powerful trends that can help small businesses compete by boosting flexibility, productivity, and communications, and by reducing costs. Join us for Cbeyond's Top 10 List of Tech Trends and walk away with powerful knowledge on how you can take your business to that next level.

    Speakers:

    Tiffany Andrews

    CBeyond

    [TOP]

     

    Keynote Presentation - The New Telephony Initiative for Business

    11/12/2008 12:15:00 PM

    This session will discuss how advances in the cellular market and VOIP/unified communications have increased expectations and impact of voice in the workplace. I'll discuss the measurable impact that customers should be looking to obtain, and manufacturers / providers should be looking to deliver in 2008 and beyond.

    Speakers:

    Kevin Brown
    President and CEO
    IPcelerate

    [TOP]

     

    VIRTUALIZATION: Application Virtualization

    11/12/2008 1:30:00 PM

    In this session Mike Clarke with CreekPointe will discuss application virtualization and demonstrate how it can be effectively deployed to workstations in a corporate environment. Application Virtualization is the next generation of software technology and yet fits into how software is being deployed today. Application virtualization enables the execution of software without modifying either the local or virtual operating system or file system. It allows software to be delivered and updated in an isolated environment ensuring the integrity of the operating system and all applications.

    The unique, client-less architecture allows virtualized applications to be run from any LAN, WAN, USB, CD-ROM drive, etc., with zero-footprint on the host PC. The applications run exclusively in user mode, ensuring seamless execution on locked-down desktops with no device drives installed, enabling administrations to maintain a secure, clean and stable user desktop and consequently, a heightened level of security.

  • Key differences between Operating System Virtualization, Machine Virtualization, and Application Virtualization
  • Why it is easier to deploy Virtualized Applications
  • How to run multiple versions of the same application side by side
  • Reduce costs by eliminating application conflicts
  • Eliminate the problems associated with deploying applications to remote machines

    Speakers:

    Mike Clarke
    Vice President
    CreekPointe

    [TOP]

  •  

    SECURITY: Green Security

    11/12/2008 1:30:00 PM

    With the increased push for companies to go "Green" the numbers of electronic material being re-used, re-deployed, re-marketed or recycled, has increased measurably.

    While many companies require their IT professionals to ensure that their data storage devices have been removed or "cleaned" before the items are transferred to their new homes, many are not properly wiped if at all.

    We will discuss the options available for the proper disposal of assets and the consequences of not following the proper procedures. The following points will be covered:

  • Legal Compliance
  • Available Options
  • Software Licensing Infringement
  • Corporate Compliance
  • Penalties

    Speakers:

    Bill Munday
    National Accounts Manager
    Great Lakes Electronics Corporation

    [TOP]

  •  

    VIRTUALIZATION: Virtualization and Its Impact on the Enterprise Data Center

    11/12/2008 1:30:00 PM

  • The power of virtualization and what these technologies can do for an organization.
  • Implementation challenges
  • Management challenges
  • Proven strategies for implementation and management
  • Virtualization and its role in Business Continuity

    Speakers:

    Terry Murray
    Storage Practice Manager
    Lumenate

    [TOP]

  •  

    ENTERPRISE & SOCIAL SOFTWARE: Social Commerce: The Changing Face of Online Shopping

    11/12/2008 1:30:00 PM

    From airline tickets to clothes, ecommerce has quickly become an essential part of our shopping lives. At the same time, social networking has made quick strides in our daily interaction both with people and with technology. Just how much influence will, and should, web-based social interaction have on the online shopping experience? Join Jeff Hilimire, President of Engauge Digital (formerly Spunlogic) for an informative presentation that will discuss:

  • How social media is changing the landscape of ecommerce
  • What elements of social media are being used today
  • Case histories of successful social/ecommerce integration
  • What the future of ecommerce might look like

    Speakers:

    Raghu Kakarala
    Vice President of Strategy
    Engauge Digital

    [TOP]

  •  

    Explaining Geeks to Humans and the Inverse

    11/12/2008 2:00:00 PM

    Geeks love technology but don't understand non-technical employees. Non-technical employees don't understand technology or geeks. The only common ground for these groups? They both hate the idiot vice presidents who can't communicate to employees from either side of the geek divide.

  • Learn fun facts like how to tell if someone is too stupid to use a computer,
  • what traits say "I'm a geek",
  • how to tell if you're a geek wannabe, a geek or an uber geek,
  • and why HR says there are no good technical people available.

    James Gaskin explains how geeks and non-geeks can work together for the same end results: improving their business and avoiding idiot vice presidents. Along the way geeks and non-geeks will learn how to better communicate and work together. Idiot vice presidents will remain clue-free.

    Speakers:

    James Gaskin
    Author and Columnist


    [TOP]

  •  

    Sneak Peek, Georgia's State of the Industry Report

    11/12/2008 3:00:00 PM

    In this turbulent economic time, Tino and a panel of experts will discuss what they see in respect to the state of Georgia's technology industry. TAG is, again, conducting a comprehensive state of the industry report, which will be distributed at the March 3rd, 2009 Georgia Technology Summit. The presentation at ITEC will be the first early glimpse into key elements of the report. TAG, through Lassiter Associates, has commissioned two primary research studies that will provide Georgia's technology stakeholders with critical information related to what entrepreneurs, in our state, are looking for in order to sustain growth. The second study will provide information on why venture capitalists do, or don't, invest in Georgia companies.

    Speakers:

    Tino Mantella
    President
    Technology Association of Georgia

    John Yates
    Partner
    Morris, Manning & Martin

    Nancy Chambers
    Founder and Managing Director
    Lassiter & Associates

    Sigmund Mosley
    President
    Imlay Investments

    [TOP]

     

    TAG Society Showcase Reception on The Expo Floor

    11/12/2008 4:00:00 PM

    [TOP]

     

    Keynote Presentation: Technology is Broken and How to Fix IT

    11/13/2008 9:15:00 AM

    James Gaskin will explain how Technology Is Broken, and that it may not be your fault. By focusing on four critical areas for businesses, Gaskin shows how to effectively put technology to work in business, and how to choose the right technology for the job at hand. The four discussion areas, laptop and mobility safety, data safety, network safety, and enhanced e-mail value, all follow Gaskin's TPT Rule: Task, Process, Tools. Using dozens of real world examples gathered during years of consulting and writing 17 technology books and thousands of articles, Gaskin balances technical frustration with laughter. Wearing Hawaiian shirts and delivering objective information stripped of marketing hype in his trademark "unbiased and unboring" style, Gaskin explains how to "un-break" your broken technology.

    Speakers:

    James Gaskin
    Author and Columnist


    [TOP]

     

    NEXT WORKPLACE: Asset Management: Do You Know What You've Got?

    11/13/2008 10:15:00 AM

    "Companies that blow off asset management do so at their own peril" (Kathleen Lau, Computer World) br>
    According to Gartner, companies are recognizing that "output fleets (print-copy-fax) are one of the most overlooked and undermanaged corporate assets...representing a hidden gold mine of savings." Moreover, the long stagnant office equipment market has experienced tremendous growth over the past two years. Recent trends dictate the following:

  • Cost not understood: 90% of all companies do not know what they are currently spending on internal printing, nor do they fully understand their real and total cost per page
  • Printing growth: the Internet has created an explosion in the number of print jobs generated by users. Paper use is increasing 6-8% each year, and is expected to continue growing. Print volume surpassed copy volume in 1995.
  • Increasing costs: 1%-3% of a company's revenue is spent on printing; that's $1-$3 million for a $100 million company. Up to 50% of helpdesk calls are related to printers.

    In this session you will learn how to
  • Understand costs associated with copier / printer and fax solutions.
  • Where to start in understanding current assets
  • How to choose the right company to do the asset study.
  • How to increase employee productivity in relation to print assets.
  • What type of printer related assets are best to purchase for your business.

    Speakers:

    Nathan Gerber
    Managed Print Services Manager
    Milner Document Products

    [TOP]

  •  

    SECURITY: The Enemy Within

    11/13/2008 10:15:00 AM

    There was a time when simple things such as transferring files from one location to another was just a matter of getting your IT guy to install an FTP client on your machine. These times are over, and in a world where security has become paramount, auditors, shareholder and customers are requiring organizations to scale up their security efforts. Getting it right is not easy, and unbeknown to them, many companies still rely on unsecure legacy protocols such FTP for file transfer or Telnet for remote access. Join us in this session as we explore the threats and financial impact of using these protocols and discuss how Connectivity Secure Server, Hummingbird new high-performance secure shell solution, can help you achieve secure file transfer and network protection.

    Speakers:

    Xavier Chaillot
    Director of Products & Marketing
    Hummingbird

    [TOP]

     

    UNIFIED COMMUNICATION & VoIP: Next-Generation Business Communication for the SMB

    11/13/2008 10:15:00 AM

    As businesses of all sizes work to improve the bottom line, they are looking for new ways to enhance communication and collaboration both internally and externally; Next-Generation Business Communication solutions provide the tools needed. Long gone are the days of the traditional telephone as the primary SMB communication tool. In today's business environment, companies must be able to communicate rapidly and effectively; internally and externally with a reliable, cost effective solution. This session will take a look at communication needs of SMBs today and how Next-Generation Business Communication can fill those needs (self-service applications, unified messaging, outbound notification, presence, etc.). Five Things You Will Learn In This Session:

  • How Unified Communications allows SMBs to change business processes
  • What is the Old Workspace versus the New Workspace
  • What is meant by Collaboration is the Platform for SMB Businesses
  • What is the SMB Unified Workspace
  • What is the difference between ROI and TCO for SMB Business Communications

    Speakers:

    Joe Davis
    VP Professional Services
    Howard Technology Solutions

    [TOP]

  •  

    VIRTUALIZATION: My Present Data Center does not Meet Our Changing Business Needs. Now What?

    11/13/2008 10:45:00 AM

    In today's ever-evolving business environment, the need for day-to-day IT operational support and data center expertise is becoming more prevalent. Businesses are finding that outsourcing their data center needs to be more cost-effective vs. building and maintaining in-house. Hosting providers are challenged with an increase in demands for space and power and staying ahead of the technology curve, while continuing to meet regulatory compliances. This leads to several questions regarding how one finds the "perfect fit" when selecting a hosting provider.

    What you will learn from this session:

  • Requirements for Data Center Facilities
  • Building to meet present and future requirements
  • Staying Ahead of Technology Curve
  • Data Center Services Available
  • Why Outsource?

    Speakers:

    Michael Kurtz
    General manager, Southeast
    Quality Technology Services

    [TOP]

  •  

    ENTERPRISE & SOCIAL SOFTWARE: Break On Through To The Other Side

    11/13/2008 10:45:00 AM

    Successful companies know that their most profitable investment is in their employees. When people are at their peak performance, productivity increases, business operations are more accurate, and the costs involved with human error decrease. Join us as we discuss the key concepts to help your company "break on through to the other side".

  • What new technologies are available to your company.
  • Learn how to effectively train your employees for these new technologies.
  • Understand the different training platforms available for your company.
  • Develop and nurture your company's strongest resources.
  • Learn money saving principles in today's slowing economy.

    Speakers:

    Scott Walker
    Business Development Manager
    LearnKey

    [TOP]

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    NEXT WORKPLACE: Faster Business Solutions with Web 2.0 Collaboration

    11/13/2008 10:45:00 AM

    Qtask, Inc., is the developer of a unified collaboration environment that increases productivity and eliminates communication and organization problems through a secure web-based service. (SaaS)

    Qtask was created to help people get things done. You will learn how you can:

  • Leverage a private and secure project centric collaboration environment
  • Experience transparent and self-organizing communication
  • Easily and securely store information and build institutional knowledge
  • Track and organize all tasks and projects over time
  • Increase productivity, save money and improve bottom line results

    Qtask drives transparency accountability, while focusing everyone on what is important. Hear how email is dead and how web 2.0 collaboration tools like ours are going to change the way the world works.

    Speakers:

    Russell Mix
    CEO
    Qtask

    [TOP]

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    SECURITY: Laptop Safety Seminar, Part 1

    11/13/2008 11:30:00 AM

    How to keep your laptop safe, your data safer, and your reputation spotless.

  • How to keep your laptop from being stolen.
  • How to use labels to get lost laptops returned.
  • How to track stolen laptops.
  • How to back up laptop data intelligently
  • How to protect your data when thieves steal your laptop just for that data.

    Speakers:

    James Gaskin
    Author and Columnist


    [TOP]

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    SECURITY: Laptop Safety Seminar, Part 2

    11/13/2008 12:00:00 PM

    Speakers:

    James Gaskin
    Author and Columnist


    [TOP]

     

    Master Mind Panel and Lunch: Security for Second Circle Technologies

    11/13/2008 12:45:00 PM

    Our panelists will discuss the latest twist on security risks associated with the proliferation of web-based applications, SaaS, Web 2.0, social networking and anything that might impact your network. You'll get detailed information and analysis from a panel of experts who are ready to share the trends and challenges of securing second circle technologies. Light lunch will be provided during this session and you can pick it up at one of our mobile lunch stations on the Expo Floor.

    Speakers:

    James Gaskin
    Author and Columnist


    Scott Burgin
    Field Sales Engineer
    WatchGuard

    [TOP]

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    Event Details
    Dates:
    November 12 - 13, 2008

    Conference Hours:
    Nov. 12: 8:45 AM - 2:30 PM
    Nov. 13: 8:45 AM - 1:30 PM

    Expo Hours:
    Nov. 12: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
    Nov. 13: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

    Location:
    Cobb Galleria Convention Centre
    2 Galleria Parkway SE
    Atlanta, Georgia
    Map | Venue Link