Jamf After Dark: All you need to know about JNUC 2024

Jamf After Dark co-hosts Kat Garbis and Sean Rabbitt welcome Jamf Senior Event Specialists Jeff Ovik and Anna Hedstrom to answer our burning questions about this year’s Jamf Nation User Conference (JNUC) in Nashville, Tennessee.

General JNUC information

Why should I attend JNUC?

Beyond the fun times at the Jamf Nation Party, JNUC is the unparalleled best time to meet, collaborate and learn from fellow Mac admins and experts. As Hedstrom says in the episode, “the core of JNUC is about coming together, sharing ideas, networking, getting hands-on with our products and getting to meet Jamfs.”

What’s new at JNUC this year?

There are a handful of new, exciting additions to JNUC!

• Single day passes: For those who can’t make the whole JNUC experience, daily passes for Tuesday or Wednesday are available! These passes do not include the Jamf Nation Party, which can be purchased separately.
• Level-Up Program: On the Monday before JNUC, attendees with Jamf Certified Tech and Jamf Certified Admin certifications in version 10 of Jamf Pro can attend a free training and certification exam to upgrade their certifications to version 11. Register for this program after completing your registration for the full conference package.
• Jamf Global Partner Summit: Also on the Monday before JNUC, Jamf partners attending JNUC can gather together and enjoy networking, great speakers and awards. Register for the Global Partner Summit using the same registration email as you used for JNUC.

Will sessions be offered virtually?

For a couple of years, JNUC has been both in person and virtual — all breakout and keynote sessions were offered via live stream. Starting this year, JNUC will only be in person, with keynote and state of the union sessions offered virtually. This is all in the spirit of networking and collaboration, both of which make JNUC a top notch experience for admins.

However, sessions will be recorded and offered in a free, on-demand library 30 days after JNUC for attendees to catch sessions they couldn’t get to or for non-attendees to see what they missed. Sign up to be notified when the library is available.

Where should attendees stay?

We’ve reserved a number of hotel blocks with various prices and distances from the convention center; all are within walking distance. Ovik recommends the Renaissance Nashville Hotel — this hotel has the most reserved rooms, meaning you’ll be around many of your fellow attendees.

These rooms go quickly, so reserve them as soon as you can! You must be registered before making your reservation.

>> See all of our lodging options.

Sessions and more

What are the sessions like?

Breakout sessions are about 45 minutes and include time for questions. Each session is assigned a skill level from 100 to 400, with 400 being the most technical. Most sessions are in the 200 level.

We will also have 15 minute spotlight sessions in the expo hall where you can get to know our sponsors.

What are Braindates?

Braindates are “small topic-based network groups” that we’ve had at JNUC for the last few years. You and a few other attendees get focused time with experts to solve problems, brainstorm ideas and more. Braindates can also be followups to sessions, where the speaker goes into details they didn’t have time for otherwise. New this year, there will be once hourly “super groups” in the Braindate lounge for larger groups.

Braindates fill up fast, so sign up for them before JNUC starts. Popular Braindates may have additional sessions scheduled.

What topics and highlights can attendees expect?

This year’s keynote is a bit different from years past. The keynote will be shorter and more general, followed by separate state of the unions, one for commercial and security and another for education. These three sessions will also be live streamed.

We are expanding our interactive hands-on labs! Check the lab descriptions to see if you need to bring your own device.

Some common themes you’ll see this year are:

• The Apple ecosystem
• Apple in a Windows world and how to optimize cross-platform management
• Security
• Integrations
• Community, career and culture — including a revamped Women in Tech Networking Event, co-hosted by Jamf After Dark’s very own Kat Garbis

Tips and tricks

Ovik and Hedstrom list some useful info for attendees to get the most out of JNUC:

• Register early to take advantage of the lowest prices! Prices increase by $200 September 1.
• Build out your agenda in advance — breakout sessions, spotlight sessions and Braindates can fill up your whole day.

Listen to the episode for more fun details about JNUC or register now!