At ApacheCon North America, Felix Cheung, member of the Project Management Committee (PMC) for Apache Spark, Zeppelin, and Incubator, will be leading the Big Data, Machine Learning and Streaming tracks. Below is the first of three Q&As with Felix on what to expect from each track, starting with the Big Data Track Q&A below. You can also listen to Felix’s full podcast interview on our Big Data Feathercast.. Plus, find the full series of ApacheCon Q&As and Feathercasts interviews with Felix and other track leaders below along with helpful links..

Q: Tell us about yourself. What are you working on at ApacheCon this year?

A: I’ve been contributing to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) for over four years. I am a member of the PMC for Apache Spark, Zeppelin, and Incubator projects. I’ve been at Uber for almost two years and have been leading the data platform team.

 This year at ApacheCon, we’ve created a set of tracks, including the Big Data Track, the Machine Learning Track, and the Streaming Track. Overall, the three different track sessions include about seven days of content and over 40 sessions in total.

Q: What can attendees look forward to in the Big Data Track?

A: The Big Data Track will showcase new Apache Incubator projects, like Iceberg and Nemo, as well as how Apache projects are staying relevant with new technology. Attendees will learn about the types of companies leveraging the “Apache Way” in their projects and understand how enterprises are using big data technologies.

 Ryan Blue from Netflix will be speaking at our first session. We also have several people from Alibaba and Cloudera talking about technologies like Kubernetes, Cloud, and Ozone. We will be discussing some of the new computing, storage and cloud developments in space. Track presenters will share how they leveraged the Apache Way in big data and real-time optimization projects by LinkedIn, Alibaba, and more. The last session in this track is enterprise themed and we’ll discuss Hadoop updates as well as cloud storage.

Q: What makes this a must-attend track?

A: Big Data has been one of the biggest industry trends for the last decade or so. By observing how a vast amount of data can be used to gain insights, attendees will learn how it brings value to many different companies across the industry.

I'm very excited for attendees to see the latest trends and developments from different companies and different communities. The Big Data Track will feature several upcoming Apache Incubator projects, which is a great way to extend our support in the Apache Software Foundation and the community.

 ApacheCon Q&As and Feathercasts 

* ApacheCon Q&A and Feathercast with Rich Bowen

* Big Data Track Q&A and Feathercast with Felix Cheung

* Streaming Track Q&A and Feathercast with Felix Cheung

* Machine Learning Track Q&A and Feathercast with Felix Cheung

* Geospatial Software Track Q&A and Feathercast with Geoge Percivall

* Geospatial Software Track Q&A and Feathercast with Geoge Percivall

Important Dates and Deadlines

* Register at https://apachecon.com/acna19/.

* Discounted Hotel Rooms: Book your room before prices go up 29 August! We are offering special room rates at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino. Secure your spot by registering at https://www.apachecon.com/acna19/location.html.

Ways to Get Involved, or Get Questions Answered

* Join our mailing lists: http://events.apache.org/involved/mailing-lists.html

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