As we wind down the Anand release cycle, the next one is winding up: a vote to determine the next release name, a call for feature blueprints, and a call for participation for the very first ManageIQ Design Summit.

• RSVP for the ManageIQ Design Summit

And we have some very special news about that last bit: Booz Allen Hamilton, along with Red Hat, have stepped up to sponsor the design summit, to be held at the Sheraton Mahwah hotel in Mahwah, New Jersey on October 7 & 8. This being the first one, we want it to be small, informal, and - most importantly - productive. If you have ideas about the direction of the ManageIQ project, this is the place to present them. If you are a ManageIQ user, this is a place to give feedback face-to-face with the people who build it.

This is a special time for the ManageIQ community. The first release is very soon under our belts, and the next will be the first one fully developed in the open source way. If you care about how the ManageIQ community is governed, this will be a chance to plan one aspect of the community that's just as important as the code. The design summit will be your chance to define what the ManageIQ Community will become.

To respond to the call for participation, submit an abstract today. We want to hear from all parties: community members, partners, users, developers and customers.

For developers who want to propose new features for the next release, submit your blueprints, and we will discuss them at the design summit.