RSA Show impressions

[Steve Schear]

This year's RSA show was, like it predecessors, mostly a schmooze 
event.  Shrunk at least 1/3 in floor space from the 2001/2 events, it 
certainly reflected the changes in this industry.

I was surprised and a bit dismayed that I saw few familiar faces.  A brief 
talk with Stacy Cannan, of L.J. Kushner, the leading security industry 
recruiter, confirmed my suspicions that many senior level people had left 
the industry in the past two years.  The booths were mostly manned with the 
latest generation of newly graduated fodder. There didn't seem to be much 
activity (or smiles for that matter) in most booths.  This is probably 
reflecting the exit/acquisition of some early players, decreased level of 
IT spending, and the increasing impact of open source security 
solutions.  About the most amusing thing was receiving a "Regime change 
begins at home" button from one of the executives.

steve