Adobe InDesign

Observability is supposed to help us understand our systems but for many teams it has quietly become one of the most expensive and least flexible parts of the stack. Plenty of organizations take polished SaaS platforms like Datadog to get real value quickly early on, only to hit the same wall later: runaway costs, pricing tied to architectural decisions, and vendor lock-in so strong it makes Rogers and Bell both blush. In this talk, I’ll walk through a real-world case study of a JVM-based production system that migrated away from a Datadog-centric observability setup to an open-source, OpenTelemetry-based platform. We’ll dig into the why behind the move, the architectural decisions that mattered, the mistakes along the way, and how the team ended up with pragmatic visibility into latency, errors, and resource usage at a fraction of the cost. The second half of the talk is practical and forward-looking. I’ll show how OpenTelemetry unlocks real choice by acting as a neutral data plane for your telemetry. From there, we’ll look at modern, off-the-shelf observability backends you can plug in within minutes without rewriting applications or installing new agents. Want to dual-write, swap vendors, or route data somewhere new? This is how you do it without a big-bang rewrite or another long-term commitment with a new vendor. This session is for engineers and CEOs who are feeling the observability cost squeeze, want leverage back from vendors, and are looking for realistic ways to modernize monitoring without lighting their entire stack on fire each time they decide to change their tools of choice. **About the venue** Free Times Cafe has bistro-style seating and a full food and drink menu. Please consider helping to support the venue by planning to have supper during the talk. **Speaker Bio** Alexei Zenin is a Platform Engineering Consultant based out of Toronto, Canada. Over the course of his career he has worked across the Healthcare, Marketing, Video Games, and Banking industries. He loves to tackle hard problems in the distributed systems space with a focus on scaling platforms both from a technical and process perspective. He is a strong advocate for highly maintainable and well tested code while at the same time pragmatically delivering value to the end user. He has contributed to the broader tech community, namely to Confluent’s blogs on Apache Kafka, spoken at Current 2022 in Austin, Texas, and spoken at XP Game Summit 2025 in Toronto, Canada. During his 5 years at Uken Games he contributed to several games like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Jeopardy. One title of note he saw from inception to completion was a game for Tim Hortons built right into the official app, Tim’s Word Challenge. Millions of Canadians have played it along with their morning coffee. He also got to work with Netflix on several unannounced games during his time at the studio. Currently, Alexei is working with various clients, both large and small to modernize and streamline their platforms with the most appropriate tools and practices. Outside of his professional life, he gives back to his community by volunteering at UofT. He also enjoys paddleboarding and attending live rock concerts to reset after long coding sessions.

HAPPY SPRING everyone ! Welcome to our new location : The Urban House Kitchen & Bar on Queen St East! If you're available, please join us on the SECOND FLOOR of Urban House Kitchen & Bar, for your favourite Film and TV Networking evenings. Rain, Shine or Blizzard, WE WILL BE THERE! AND THERE WILL BE PRESENTS :D Of course, if you feel sick, have a fever, a cough, or don't feel comfortable with attending such an event post COVID times, please, don't put yourself and others in a bad position, and wait for the next one, because there will always be a next one. :D Bring your smiles and business cards! See you there ! DISCLAIMER : The organizers are not responsible for the potential stupid behaviour of some people, and you and us know that there is always a possibility of these happening, so by RSVPing to this event, you assume all responsibility and won't be able to hold the organizers responsible if anything happens that is related to your decision of attending. ================ SPRING Toronto Film and TV Industry Social Evening Thursday, Mar 26th 2026, 6PM The SECOND FLOOR at Urban House Kitchen & Bar 718 Queen St E. Toronto, ON M4M 1H2

IMPORTANT: You must also register at this Eventbrite link: [Sony Presents: Forever in Focus Wedding and Portraiture Event Tickets, Thursday, Mar 26 from 1 pm to 6 pm | Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/sony-presents-forever-in-focus-wedding-and-portraiture-event-tickets-1983966356780?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true) Forever In Focus: A Sony Alpha Community Event for Wedding & Portraiture Photography and Videography Professionals *We invite you to join us at Forever in Focus, an immersive experience that blends realistic hands-on experiences with expert teachings. With a focus on both photography and videography, capture content via models in cultural wedding apparel, as they walk down the aisle, enjoy their first dance and cut the cake.* *Discover tips and tricks for capturing once-in-a-lifetime photos and videos with seasoned industry experts who are ready to interact with you.* *Check out Sony's latest and greatest gear, with an emphasis on premium G Master lens technology. Experience how G Master lenses give you the edge to capture moments with confidence, speed, and creative freedom.* *Explore hybrid photo and video workflows, low-light performance, advanced autofocus capabilities, and efficient production techniques.* *Whether you’re refining your workflow, expanding into hybrid storytelling, or considering your next system upgrade, this is your opportunity to test gear in realistic conditions, connect with fellow professionals, and discover tools designed to help you deliver exceptional results for your clients*.

Join us for an exciting ServiceNow Toronto Developer Meetup - Spring 2026 Edition! 📅 **Date**: Thursday, March 26th, 2026 🕕 **Time**: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM EST 📍 **Location**: Scotland Yard, 56 The Esplanade, Toronto, ON **Agenda**: * **Networking -** Get to know your fellow ServiceNow Developers * **Knowledge Sharing** \- Share your insights and learn from others * **Additional details will be announced closer to the event!** Refreshments will be served at the event - Send us a private message to let us know if you have any allergies! **Note**: The event details are subject to change, so please stay tuned for any updates. This event is sponsored by Pentio Inc.

We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth. Based in Mississauga, ON - we were meeting at the Meadowvale Community Centre in-person and have an option to log in online. Contact us for the meeting details at meadowvaletoastmasters@outlook.com

(English below) Venez profiter de la bonne nourriture et d'une bonne conversation en français au café **Black Pony** situé au **1481 Gerrard St East.** Nous serons à l'arrière du café autour d'une grande table, prêts à vous accueillir! On va pratiquer la langue de Molière tout en nous faisant de nouveaux amis(es). **Toutes les 30 minutes, nous changerons de place** pour favoriser les échanges. Tout le monde est bienvenu, quel que soit son niveau. Pour en savoir plus sur le café et son menu délicieux et varié : [https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/black-pony-toronto/](https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/black-pony-toronto/) Si vous ne souhaitez pas que votre photo soit publiée sur MeetUp, veuillez en informer Jesse. **Pourquoi ces frais de 3$?** C'est pour payer le coût de l'hébergement sur la plate-forme Meetup pour l’année courante et des années précédentes. Nous vous demandons de payer $3.00 à chaque événement. Jesse sera là pour recueillir vos contributions. Nous vous prions de bien vouloir apporter de la monnaie. Si vous préférez, vous pouvez utiliser ce lien pour payer sur Square **et montrer a Jesse votre recu:** [CLIQUER ICI](https://square.link/u/S6dAAKd1) Merci, **Jesse** .................................................................................................................. Come and enjoy good food and good conversation at the **Black Pony café** located at **1481 Gerrard St East.** We'll be in the back of the café around a big table, ready to welcome you! We'll be practicing the French language and making friends, **keeping in mind that every 45 minutes we'll be moving around to mix up the conversation.** Everyone is welcome, whatever your level. To find out more about the cafe and its delicious and varied menu: https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/black-pony-toronto/ If you don't want your photo published on MeetUp, please let Jesse know. Why the $3 fee? It helps cover the cost of hosting the group on the Meetup platform for the current year and previous years. We ask participants to contribute **$3.00 at each event**. Jesse will be there to collect contributions, so please bring change. If you prefer, you can use this Square link and **show Jesse your receipt:** [CLICK HERE](https://square.link/u/S6dAAKd1) Thank you, Jesse

[Summary] This meetup is for those who are interested in code, web development, design, cloud, or AI. All levels are welcome, so feel free to bring your laptop and discuss what you are working on or what you are learning. You can share your projects and ideas with other participants freely. There are outlets and WiFi, drinks are about $5 for tea, they take card only. [Price] Attendance is FREE. But you need to buy something from the venue. [Policies] \- We do not tolerate harassment of our members \- We remind users that that this meetup is intended for networking and hobby development\, and any attempts at using this meetup event as a dating platform will not be not be tolerated Further information: https://torontostack.exchange/

**Join us for Dinner and Stations of the Cross** Friday March 27, 2026 @ 6PM St. Patrick's Hall, 139 McCaul St $5 for Dinner Stations of the Cross to Follow in the Church **Register Now** - [https://bit.ly/Ignite-DinnerandStationsoftheCross](https://buy.stripe.com/aFa00jbu8eDy08wes7a7C0k) *All young adults are welcome!* Looking forward to seeing everyone! Spots are still open - invite a friend!

Let’s do some coding together at a cafe! No more working alone in the weekend. Here, we write code together. And I mean together together. Not occupying-the-same-space-but-separate together. Here’s how it works: Jennifer brings her mobile app project, tells everyone that it is like Pinterest for recipes and she’d like to work on the nav bar. Paul and Chloe think Jennifer's project is fascinating, and they join the group. They gather around Jennifer’s laptop and work on the nav bar for 2 hours. Jennifer is the one typing out the code while Paul and Chloe research, brainstorm, and offer suggestions. If you’re feeling stuck on your own project or need a motivation boost, bring it to mob programming! Want to learn by watching how others code and solve problems? Join someone else’s project at this event! Oh and we love your half-done projects that you are a bit embarrassed to share. Absolutely bring those to the event! **Discord**: We use Discord to share screen & code snippets during the event. Also feel free to share your projects here before the event! https://discord.gg/yvAGbh4PpD **Event policy**: * We have 0 tolerance for harassment. * We don’t allow the projects that are not meant to be shared in public such as school assignments, interview tasks, or trade secrets. * The goal is to write code. We discourage you from pitching business ideas here, doing code reviews, or spending the whole event on planning what to do. * Please buy a drink, and tip the barista well.

**Welcome to our group! We hope to see you out at the pool soon. We play Fridays 8:30-10pm at Riverdale Collegiate Institute pool. We have lots of spare gear for you to try the game, so there is no need to buy anything before you try U/W Rugby. Just bring your suit and towel. And your first 2 practices are free!** \*Please note: This game requires swimming. While we do have lifeguards, you must be a competent swimmer and comfortable in the water in order to participate. **Enter the school through this door: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T1BP7DXur9QHK5aYo-s3vwmHu3MG9N55/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T1BP7DXur9QHK5aYo-s3vwmHu3MG9N55/view?usp=sharing)** **Directions to the pool:** **[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ggRqpd6UiCX1L-1Hbupg2GMclkbxNVx7/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ggRqpd6UiCX1L-1Hbupg2GMclkbxNVx7/view?usp=sharing)** **Looking forward to seeing you at the pool,** **Gord**

**Join [TILE.]** at the **most popular Saturday Language Learning Social Event & Party in Toronto! 🍁** **[TILE.] = Toronto International Language Exchange [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/tilelearning/)** **[TILE.]** now has a **2-for-1 special event,** which includes: **1.** From **[6:30 - 7:15 PM](https://www.meetup.com/english-class-with-certified-award-winning-teacher):** An optional new $5 small group 45-minute **[English language class](https://www.meetup.com/english-class-with-certified-award-winning-teacher)**[ ](https://www.meetup.com/english-class-with-certified-award-winning-teacher)led by a certified language teacher **2.** From **[7:15 - 11 PM](https://www.meetup.com/biggest-language-party-event-social-in-toronto):** Our usual huge group **[BIGGEST LANGUAGE EXCHANGE SOCIAL EVENT AND PARTY IN TORONTO](https://www.meetup.com/biggest-language-party-event-social-in-toronto)** (Cost: *$0-$5\*, see below)* Both events happen Saturday on the 2nd floor of the Madison Pub (14 Madison Avenue). ***Attend either or both events!*** Meet Toronto locals and international friends. Talk to language teachers and speakers to learn English, French, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and much more! Join us for board games, conversation, dancing, singing, and more! Make sure to get a nametag from one of our helpers. *You **must** read the full event description below before attending. By attending, you agree to all the terms listed.* **[TILE.] Toronto International Language Exchange** event details: * We are on the 2nd floor of the Madison pub on the patio with all the international flags! *The dance floor opens around 10 PM, and the live piano bar singer start around 10:30 on the 1st floor.* * With our night ride promotion, the second event (the 7:15- 11 PM Party & Social event) is **FREE** for women who will be traveling alone at night to promote inclusion and equity\*. This event normally $5. * The cost for the first event (the 6:30 - 7:15 PM English Language class) is $5 for everyone. **PAY** **$5** right at the event by **CASH, CREDIT, or DEBIT**, or **SEND $5 E-TRANSFERS** to: **TILETORONTO1@GMAIL.COM**. You can also support the bar by buying a drink or appetizer. **\*** The second event ends late at night. It is 100% your own responsibility to ensure you get home safe. We can simply waive the $5 event entry/cover fee for women who will be traveling home alone so that they may instead put this money towards taking a safe ride home. \-\-\-\-\-\- **IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER – Meetup Group** By attending any TILE events, including these ones, you acknowledge and agree to the following: * *The organizers and hosts of TILE events are are not liable for any loss, injury, damage, or other unforeseen outcomes that may occur before, during, or after any event.* * *Participation in TILE events is entirely voluntary and at your own risk. You are solely responsible for your own safety, personal belongings, transportation, behavior, and well-being. It is your responsibility to assess the risks involved in any activity or location and to act accordingly.* * *TILE and its organizers do not provide insurance and cannot guarantee the safety, accuracy of information, or quality of venues, third-party services, or other attendees.* * *By attending, you release TILE, its organizers, and affiliates from any and all claims or liability, and you agree to conduct yourself respectfully and in accordance with local laws and venue rules.* * ***If you do not agree with this disclaimer, please do not attend TILE events.***

～English description below～ イベント参加費として、日本人の方(日本で生まれ育ち、現在英語を勉強している方)は$2、日本人以外の方(日本語を勉強している方)は$5頂いております。 皆さんから頂いたお金は、こちらのサイトの維持費や将来のランゲージエクスチェンジ施設利用料やソーシャルイベント等のために使われます。ご理解の程、よろしくお願いいたします。 予約受付開始：土曜日5:00PM 予約取消締切：土曜日14:00PM(当日) 予約受付締切：土曜日15:00PM(当日) スケジュール 5.15 PM - 5:30PM - チェックイン、グループ分け 5:30 PM - 6:15PM - 日本語の時間［または英語の時間］ 6:15PM - 7:00 PM - 英語の時間［または日本語の時間］ 【イベント内容】 Language Exchangeへようこそ！このグループでは、皆さんのレベルに応じて、3〜4名のグループにわかれ、同じ席になった人たちで各45分間、それぞれ英語と日本語でフリートークを行なっていただきます。決まったディスカッショントピックなどはございませんので、気軽に質問をしながらそれぞれのセッションを楽しんでいただければと思います。 開催場所：Atrium フードコート TJEXのサインボードを持ったオーガナイザーにお声がけください。(もしサインがなかったり、わからなければメッセージをお願いします！) 予約規約（⚠️重要） ・当日の不参加、もしくは15分以上の遅刻、また予約取消締切後の変更は原則不参加(No-Show)とみなします。不参加(No-show)が3回になりますと会員登録が抹消され、退会となりますのでご注意ください。 ・イベントに遅れそうな場合は必ずオーガナイザーまでメッセージをお願いします。イベント開始時間にいるメンバーでグループを組み直すこともあるので、連絡なしで到着された場合はイベントに参加できない可能性もあります。原則、30分以上遅れての参加はご遠慮いただいております。あらかじめご了承ください。 キャンセル待ち ・満席の場合、”キャンセル待ち”リスト(waiting-list)にご登録いただくことが可能です。“参加予定”リスト（going-list)中に空席が発生した場合は、”キャンセル待ち”への登録が早かった方を優先に、オーガナイザーが”参加予定”へ移動しますので、当日の参加状況の変更がないかご自身でご確認ください。 ※ご注意※ ・空席ができた際は、自動的に”キャンセル待ち”より”参加予定”へ変更されます。この時にMeetupよりお知らせがあるかはわかりません。 ・システムにより自動的に”参加予定”とされ、それに気づかずに参加しなかった場合でも、不参加とみなされますのでご了承ください。 Instagramアカウント @tjex.ca 最新情報やミートアップの様子を掲載しています。 ぜひこちらもフォローお願いします！ *** ***Although our group is a non-profit organization, we collect $ 5 per English Speaker for every event. All the proceeds are used to run this website and for social events*** RSVP: RSVP open: 5:00 PM RSVP cancel deadline: Saturday, 2:00 PM (day of the event) RSVP close: Saturday, 3:00 PM (day of the event) Day of Event: 5:15 PM - 5:30 PM - Check-in and Group placement 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM - Japanese conversation 6:15 PM - 7:00 PM - English conversation Event Description: This is an in-person language exchange! Members are placed into groups of three or four based on their language level. Each 45 minute session consists of friendly casual conversation, and/or informal study. Optional Dinner : After the Language event, we usually go for Dinner. Dinner is optional, you may or may not join the Dinner, it depends on you. However, Dinner is only for Participants that joined on the day of the event. Event Location: Atrium Food Court The food court is directly connected to the Dundas subway station. Leave the subway station and walk west along Dundas Street. At the intersection of Bay Street and Dundas Street, you will find an entrance. Proceed down the escalator. The food court is on the basement floor. Please talk to the organizer with the signboard showing TJEX. (If you can’t find them, please send a message to the organizer.) ⚠️RSVP & Late Policy: If you are unable to join on the day of the event, please change your status from 'going-list' to 'not going-list'. Failure to Not show up will result in 1 No -Show. Also, in case of arriving 15 mins late to the event will result in 1 No-Show. Members are removed from the group after 3 No-Shows. Waiting List: Members can join the waiting-list even if an event is full. When a spot becomes available, we will move you to the going-list. Going List: Only Members on the going-list can participate on the day of the event. Group Instagram - @tjex.ca Feel free to follow us!

Shalom Catholic Community invites you to join us on Saturdays for a prayer group. The prayer group is a great way to strengthen your spiritual life and make new friends. It begins with lots of music and prayer, followed by preaching and testimonies. After the prayer, be prepared to hangout, talk, laugh and have fun. We offer workshops, retreats, adoration, opportunities to join a soup kitchen, food and clothe drive. We look forward to seeing you! **About us** We are a Catholic organization of lay persons, approved by the Holy See, to serve all who sincerely seek God and want to grow in faith. https://comshalom.org/en/community/

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 **Abstract** Web Forms gave .NET developers a powerful abstraction for building reusable UI controls long before design systems were a thing. Web Components finally bring that same idea to the browser natively. This session explores how the Web Forms mindset translates into Custom Elements, Shadow DOM, and HTML templates. We’ll examine how Web Components enable design systems that work across frameworks, how they differ from server‑driven controls, and why they’re becoming a foundational layer for modern UI. Whether you’re maintaining legacy apps or building greenfield projects, you’ll leave with a practical understanding of how to apply familiar patterns in a modern, standards‑based way. **YouTube Link** TBA

Our monthly PHP meetup. A virtual shindig courtesy of Zoom. Check back here for the details around 6:15 pm

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You’ll gain insights into: ✅ The true definition of the subconscious ✅ How it generates unwanted emotions ✅ Its real purpose and function ✅ What determines the pressure it exerts on you And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** But this isn’t just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It’s interactive and engaging—you can ask questions at any time. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

**TBA**

Builders, creators, architects, admins, consultants - come one, come all. This one's for you. We're bringing a little friendly competition to the Columbus ServiceNow community while highlighting the cool things people have built on the platform. Five presenters will take the stage to showcase something they've built, solved, designed, or imagined on the ServiceNow platform - and a panel of judges (plus YOU, our amazing audience) will score them live. So basically, America's Got Talent but make it ServiceNow's Got Talent. Bring a notepad if you'd like 'cause you'll definitely be learning something new. Each presenter gets 10 minutes max to wow the crowd with: • A demo • A real-world business solution • A bold idea • A UX transformation • Or a creative use of the platform Judging Criteria: 🏆 Business Value 🚀 Innovation ✨ User Experience This event is about celebrating ideas, sharing knowledge, and showing how ServiceNow can drive both business impact and meaningful user value. Come learn. Come support. Come get inspired. Refreshments and bites will be provided. And maybe next time… you’ll be on stage.