Mandate
In 2007, I was hired as system and network manager for the 10th edition of the RoboDock Festival in Amsterdam.
Some of my tasks included supplying VPN network connection between the on-site offices and the off-site offices, offering various artists internet connection in their workshops and offering secured wireless internet access to staff and volunteers in the mess hall.
The offices and workshops scattered out over the 110 000 m2 (1 200 000 ft2) NDSM terrain, the reputation of the festival (called by some “the Burning Man of Europe”) and the limited IT budget posed many challenges.
About RoboDock 2007:
- RoboDock celebrated its 10th anniversary on 19 – 22 September 2007 with the theme Rhythm, Time & Transformation.
- Robodock = theatre, fire shows, industrial installations & robotics, multimedia, music.
- Out of the entire NDSM terrain, RoboDock used around 50 000 m2 (540 000 ft2) for the festival site.
- The festival presented 52 robotic installations and 75 bands and DJs.
- 300 metric tons of steel and 5 metric tons of wood were used.
- 100% organic and vegetarian food was served.
- Over 130 staff and artists from over 12 countries worked on this edition for months, plus another 300 volunteers were brought in for the weekend of the festival.
- Over 18 000 people came to visit the festival this year.
- It was voted the best festival for talent development in a survey by the city of Amsterdam.
Robodock festival invited artists to Amsterdam from around the world to create a unique international festival. [The] 2007 edition of the festival was exceptional.
Jamie Lowe, Kinokast Video – Robodock Festival 2007
A Golden Age of DIY
[..] Robodock offered a spellbinding mix of mechanical marvels coupled with performance art
Dale Dougherty, MAKE: – Post-Industrial Idyll
