For those of you who don’t know, SIGCOMM is the one of the most prestigious conferences in the networking community. SIGCOMM is the ACM Special Interest Group on Data Communications. Unlike SOSP and OSDI which alternate every year, SIGCOMM is an annual event showcasing the very best in networking research from around the world.

I was quite thrilled when I found out that SIGCOMM 2010 is going to be in Delhi this year!! While some of these conferences are known to pick “exotic” venues, it is also an encouraging nod from the academic community. This is probably the first top-tier systems/networking conference to be held in India and I hope the local universities in and around Delhi will take advantage of this opportunity.

It is shaping up to be an exciting year for Delhi, with the Commonwealth Games coming up soon after SIGCOMM. A glance at the organizing committee for this year suggests that Geoff Voelker might have been involved in pushing for this venue :)

I personally am not very fond of Delhi, however. Out of curiosity, I looked over the local information page on the SIGCOMM 2010 web site and found myself both agreeing with and a bit disappointed at some of the tips listed on that page:

• Keep your wallet/passports in an inner pocket of a jacket or shirt. Avoid keeping it in the rear pocket, especially while moving around in crowded places or in public transport like buses or Delhi Metro.
• Never follow the advice of taxi or cab drivers regarding your stay and travel in the city. Always take assistance from “May I Help You” counter and other assistance cell of the government like Delhi Tourism, DTC, etc.
• Don’t travel alone late nights, especially female travelers. If you are getting late, take proper private cab or arrange a pick up

I do hope all visitors to SIGCOMM have a fantastic stay and that more and more conferences choose India.