Deceptive Flash Memory Summit 2022

The most recent Flash Memory Summit (FMS), the annual flash memory conference and exposition, hold its 16th annual conference, organized by tiny firm Conference Concepts, Inc., as a live event last August 2-4, 2022 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, CA.

It’s the #1 WW public storage event since several years, and the last one, as all public storage shows disappeared.

Good keynotes and presentations were organized by Tom Coughlin, program chairperson.

Why the 2022 edition was deceptive?

• According to Coughlin, there were 3,000+ visitors and we count 76 exhibitors on FMS web site. 3,000 is only half of the number of attendees in 2019 and the lowest figure since 2012 (see table below). They were 130 booths in 2019, and 76 is also the lowest figure since 2012 (see table below). Note that the 2020 edition was virtual and unsuccessful, and the 2021 one cancelled because of Covid-19. After two years like that, it’s always difficult to pursue the same event.
• We offered to the event the possibility to put a banner on StorageNewsletter.com to promote the show. No answer. (good marketing …)
• No date was published for next edition in 2023 as generally, it’s announced the year before to give the possibility during the show for exhibitors to rent a booth one year in advance. Does it also mean that the organization is already not sure about organizing the next event?
• We asked twice by email the PR of the event (supposed to be charge of the press) and Jay Kramer, FMS business chair, more about the show. No answer. (good marketing …)

What to change?
FMS is too much concentrated on flash components and not flash subsystems, especially AFAs where are involved a lot of storage companies, and big ones. And why not more generally on global storage as there is not anymore public show on the subject. The show has to be enlarge and to change its name, for example to Data Storage Summit or Storage Summit. But maybe it’s too late to rebound. Good bye FMS? And then no more public storage shows and only private ones by  vendors?

FMS figures Y/Y

* Finally the correct figure is not 3.000+ but 4,194 visitors in 2022.