Network Architecture

✨ NetSAP (Network of South Asian Professionals) and YBP (Young Bengali Professionals) Community Iftar at Ballston Quarter Market ✨ Join us for dinner or breaking fast together! Wednesday, February 25 ⏰ 5:30 PM Ballston Quarter Market (Halal options available!) Please bring your own: ‍♀️ Prayer mat Dates Water Let’s gather, share food, and build community. Everyone is welcome — friends, family, neighbors, all faiths See you there! ✨

If you're ready to grow your business through meaningful relationships and high-quality referrals, this event series is for you! We're a community of local small business professionals committed to building prosperity through authentic connection and collaboration. Join us for **genuine, no-pressure networking**—no fees, no pitches, no nonsense. Just good people, good conversations, and a few refreshments to keep things relaxed. Stay for a few minutes or the whole time—whatever works for you. **This event is completely free to attend**, but we kindly ask that you RSVP so we can plan accordingly. We can’t wait to connect with you!

**Event overview:** **RSVP/ REGISTER HERE: [Migrate and Modernize: A Blueprint for Virtualization Success](https://reg.experiences.redhat.com/flow/redhat/3259361/redhatfieldeventspreregnoappform/page/landingregistrationpage?sc_cid=RHCTN1260000471156)** The era of static, on-premises infrastructure is over. As organizations accelerate their digital transformation, the strategic migration and modernization of virtual environments has become a critical imperative for achieving long-term agility, security, and cost-efficiency. The **[Migrate and Modernize: A Blueprint for Virtualization Success](https://reg.experiences.redhat.com/flow/redhat/3259361/redhatfieldeventspreregnoappform/page/landingregistrationpage)** event will provide a pragmatic and forward-looking roadmap in navigating this transition. In 2026, the virtualization landscape is defined by the convergence of containers, hybrid/multi-cloud strategies, and the integration of AI-powered automation. We will move beyond the simple "lift-and-shift" to explore the modernization pathways—from replatforming databases to refactoring monolithic applications into cloud-native microservices. The event features **thought leadership talks** on the future of hybrid infrastructure and a tailored, **hands-on lab** that takes a comprehensive look at OpenShift Virtualization. Attendees will gain actionable insights on: * Strategic Planning: Defining a virtualization strategy that aligns with business outcomes and the future of hypervisor alternatives, including leveraging open-source virtualization like KubeVirt/OpenShift Virtualization to avoid vendor lock-in. * Next-Generation Infrastructure: Integrating containers (Kubernetes/OpenShift) and virtual machines (VMs) for a unified hybrid cloud platform. * Operational Excellence: Leveraging AI and automation to streamline migration, ensure day-two operational efficiency, and build real-time resilience. * Security and Compliance: Implementing advanced, built-in security features like micro-segmentation and ensuring compliance across complex, multi-cloud virtual footprints. **Choose your learning path** Participants will select between talking through guided challenges or taking a practical deep dive into OpenShift virtualization in a hands-on lab. **Hands-on lab: OpenShift Virtualization deep dive** The hands-on session will provide practical experience with the core components of OpenShift Virtualization: * Fundamentals and Deployment: Installing and configuring the OpenShift Virtualization operator. * VM Lifecycle Management: Creating, cloning, snapshotting, and managing VMs using both the web console and CLI tools. * Networking and Storage: Configuring complex VM networking (e.g., external VLANs) and provisioning storage using Kubernetes storage classes. * Migration Toolkit: Importing and migrating existing virtual machines from traditional hypervisors (like VMware or RHV) into OpenShift Virtualization. Join us to uncover the essential blueprint for a seamless, low-risk migration, and walk away with the knowledge to future-proof your virtual environment for sustained business success. *We are pleased to offer 4.6 continuing professional education (CPE) credits to those that attend the event. CPE certification at Migrate and Modernize: A Blueprint for Virtualization Success is being administered by Carahsoft Technology Corp. Carahsoft is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. For more information on the CPE credit we are offering, Carahsoft’s CPE sponsor (NASBA), and the submission process, please click the link [here](https://carahevents.carahsoft.com/Event/Details/710136-CPE).*

Small business Owners who do business through referrals and community. Come visit our chapter to see how help each other expand our business and maximize our time. Our group has over 30 members from different backgrounds! We meet every Wednesday morning, network, and share great ideas! We are looking for a few more like-minded business professionals to grow our group! Come visit our chapter and see if we are fit! Breakfast and drinks are provided at $30. Location: Seva Spaces Tysons 1604 Spring Hill Rd 2nd floor, Vienna, VA 22182

DUPONT SPEAKS is a culturally and professionally diverse lunchtime club in the heart of Washington, DC. We meet from noon–1 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month, as well as the occasional 5th Wednesday. Our guiding principle is that we all have fun as we travel the road to better public speaking. That's why all of our meetings are filled with laughter and applause, as well as thoughtful speeches, evaluations and support. We hope to see — and hear — you soon! To learn more, visit http://bit.ly/dupontspeaks . http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/7/f/4/6/600_457832582.jpeg

We are a group of professionals who share business strategies, refer business, and act as a sounding board to our members. Our business group is Clifton/Fairfax-based. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month. We start every meeting with informal networking and then move to the more formal agenda of the day. The agenda includes the topic of the day, discussion of the topic, then business needs and wants, and finish with success stories. We are looking for experienced business professionals and business owners who see value in networking with like-minded professionals and are dedicated to growing their business and helping other group members grow theirs. If this is you, we'd love to connect!

World Learning Toastmasters Club meetings are held every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. We are a fun loving group of professionals looking to develop our public speaking and leadership skills. Take a break from your work and come join us for a fun afternoon. All guests are welcome! Closest Metro station: Either McPherson Square (white house exit) or Farragut North. For more information about the club, please visit http://worldlearningtoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org/

In an era focused on scalable efficiency, the pursuit of absolute service consistency is often seen as the ultimate goal. But what is gained and what is lost when service offerings are entirely predictable? Does aiming for uniformity stifle necessary adaptation and human connection? Join us for an intimate discussion exploring the often overlooked trade-offs of **service consistency**. We'll dive into when consistency builds “trust and reliability”, and when it becomes “a barrier to designing flexible, empathetic, and truly customer-centric experiences”. **#ServiceDesign #ServiceConsistency #ServiceManagement** **What’s a Service Design DC salon?** Our salons are an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow designers, engage in meaningful conversations, and gain fresh perspectives on the evolving landscape of our field. Space is limited to ensure an intimate atmosphere and encourage deeper conversations. Whether you have been to a past salon or will be a first timer, we’d be happy to have you join this group discussion of service design practitioners and enthusiasts in the Washington D.C. area! **Evening Agenda** * 6:00 P.M. - Doors Open / Socializing \* * 6:30 P.M. - Salon begins * 8:00 P.M. - Salon Wraps up \*We will provide light refreshments, including food and drinks, during the salon. **Note about RSVPs:** * Due to the limited number of available spots, we kindly request that you update your RSVP if you are unable to attend so others may have the opportunity to join. Thank you for your understanding. *** Many thanks to our host and sponsor, **Technical Assent!** *At Technical Assent, we believe that government can be a platform for service innovation where services can be designed to be more relevant to customers, more reliable, and delivered at a lower cost.* *Our company exists to build high-performing government service organizations — government-to-citizens (G2C), government-to-government (G2G), and shared services. Our approach is unique in that we improve service performance from the bottom-up, starting with customer experience. We use that insight to design and modify the talent, tools, and technology that deliver government services to each customer. Technical Assent is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business appraised at CMMI-SVC Level 3.*

Come learn how money really works. We’ll cover how to grow it, protect it, get out of debt, and use smart retirement and infinite banking strategies to build long-term security.

Attendance is $35 (cash, credit/debit card, or ApplePay - paid at the door), which includes water/soda/coffee, bread, choice of a plated lunch entrée, and a dessert assortment. Parking is also validated in the Reston Station garages (3 hours of validation). Join one of Northern Virginia's most successful business networking groups (part of BNI). Open to the public and is typically attended by business owners, business developers, and entrepreneurs. Meetings are typically attended by 30-40 members and guests. \*\*\*PLEASE RSVP here: [REGISTER HERE](https://square.link/u/0WvC6Eir) \*\*\*If you do not register on the BNI website, there may not be a seat available for you.

Title : Design of a Quantum Photonic Full Adder Gate based on an 8-mode Integrated Optical Circuit Date: Feb 28 2026 Noon - 14:00 EST Abstract: Multiport interferometers designed using the Clements decomposition algorithm can be used to implement compact quantum-photonic full-adder (FA) gates on photonic integrated circuits (PICs). By expressing each element of the FA gate matrix in terms of the permanent of a non-unitary matrix, enabled through Boson sampling, the required number of MZIs in the gate can be further reduced. In this presentation, we will discuss the design of an FA gate modeled as a four-photon scattering process on an eight-mode integrated optical circuit, where the permanents of submatrices determine the output probabilities. Simulation results demonstrate a fidelity of 1 and a success probability of 2.22 × 10⁻⁴ for the FA gate. We will also examine the impact of phase-shifter and attenuator variations on fidelity and success probability using Ansys Q-Interconnect software. Finally, we will compare the performance of the proposed FA gate with a benchmark Toffoli gate designed using the same approach. Speaker: Shafiqul Hai received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2007, and the M.Eng. (Thesis) and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, in 2011 and 2016, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Lakehead University. His research interests include the modeling and characterization of compact nanophotonic devices and components for next-generation optical fiber and RF communication systems, as well as quantum computing on photonic integrated circuits. He is the author or coauthor of more than 12 peer-reviewed journal papers and 15 conference publications. Moderators: Dr. Pawel Gora, CEO of Quantum AI Foundation ([https://www.qaif.org/](https://www.qaif.org/)) , Dr. Sebastian Zajac , member of QPoland ([https://qworld.net/qpoland/](https://qworld.net/qpoland/)) This is an online event. Zoom registration form will be emailed to registrant and posted on the event forum by Feb 28 2026 11:00 am EST.

# Ready to level up your cybersecurity game? **Join Cloudforce on Thursday, February 26 at 5:00 PM** for **Cybersecurity in the Microsoft Cloud**, a focused session on the core security essentials every organization needs to protect its cloud environment. As threats grow more sophisticated and AI-driven attacks become the norm, understanding the fundamentals of securing Microsoft 365 is critical. This session will walk you through the practical building blocks of a strong security foundation—ensuring your identity, data, and collaboration tools remain protected. **Event Details:** ** When:** February 26th\, 2026 \| 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM ** Where:** Cloudforce HQ: 120 Waterfront St, Suite 500 · National Harbor, MD **Speaker Lineup:** * Corey J\. Lee \| Security CTO at Microsoft * Hasib Munib \| Microsoft Certified Trainer \(MCT\) \- Azure Infrastructure & Security Consultant * Rhoddy McKown \| Cloud Security SME\, Unit Lead at Cloudforce * Husein Sharaf \| CEO & Founder at Cloudforce ✨ Don’t miss this chance to connect with peers, share ideas, and get inspired for the year ahead. **✅ RSVP today to claim your spot!** **Questions?** Reach out at events@gocloudforce.com

Friends Join Us for a Transformative Two-Day Workshop on Authentic Relating on Feb 28th and March 1st. ART Level 1! Authentic Relating is about creating deeper, more meaningful connections by being open, honest, and present with others. In this workshop, you will learn practical tools to communicate more effectively, understand and express your true self, and cultivate empathy and trust in your relationships. **What to Expect:** * **Interactive Exercises:** Engage in a variety of activities designed to help you practice authentic relating principles. * **Group Discussions:** Share experiences and insights in a safe and supportive environment. * **Personal Growth:** Discover new ways to connect with yourself and others on a deeper level. Please RSVP to secure your spot, as space is limited. To learn more please click the link below. You can register online by going here: [https://authenticrelating.co/product/level-1-washington-dc-feb2026/](https://authenticrelating.co/product/level-1-washington-dc-feb2026/) *Enroll before January 28th and get 100 dollars off.*

JOIN US FOR THE BEST NETWORKING EVENT IN DC! As seen in Entrepreneur Magazine THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= weconnect® is the fastest growing startup, digital & tech networking organization in the country. Our events are comprised of the most influential professionals in the area. THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= Our purpose is to help our members forge strong, lasting relationships within the community – combining Fortune 500/1000s with Entrepreneurs and Startups. We’re creating unique opportunities & connections to help you grow your business and network both offline and online through our proprietary platform (coming soon). Enjoy The Most Successful Startup & Tech Mixer In A Fun, Relaxed Atmosphere Mingle With Highly Successful Men & Women In The Entrepreneur, Startup, TECH Space Find Your Next Client, Employee, Business Partner or Co-founder “Your Network Is Your Net Worth.” Come Build Your Network With Us! THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= COMPANIES OFTEN IN ATTENDANCE\* (... just to name a few) Google • Sony • Electronic Arts • Hulu • Hautelook • The Honest Company • Disney • Apple • Activision • Live Nation • Dollar Shave Club • Facebook • Snapchat • Trunk Club • ZipRecruiter • Experian • DreamWorks Amplify • HBO • Edmonds.com • DogVacay • NBC Universal • YouTube • BeachBody • Playstation • Amazon...and so many more. \*This does not Guarantee that these companies will be in attendance at this event. JOIN US FROM 6:00 - 9:00PM • DRINKS\* • AMAZING COMPANY • NETWORKING \*Cash Bar PROUDLY SPONSORED BY: Connect in Tech We're Hiring THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= THIS IS A PAID EVENT RSVP HERE => https://tinyurl.com/3nfn3jrz <= ***Event Date & location subject to change as per the organizers discretion.If event changes date your ticket will still be valid for the rescheduled event date.No Refunds, Exchanges or Substitutions***

## Overview Networking event for aspiring school leaders interested in building their own high-quality K-12 public school in their community. **About the Event:** Aspiring school founders in the Columbus, OH, area are invited to join us for this special in-person networking event where you will be able to ask questions, learn more about the BES Fellowship and make sure you are prepared for the application process and beyond. In addition to meeting like-minded leaders who are also committed to transforming education and bringing a high-quality K-12 option to their community, you’ll have the opportunity to meet our team and gain special insights from Dr. Chaundria Smith, BES Senior Director of Fellowship Coaching, who works closely to support BES Fellows. During this event, you can also learn more about the various regions across Ohio we are prioritizing for the BES Fellowship to ensure that new schools will respond to the needs of their community. **About the BES Fellowship:** Leaders in the BES Fellowship embark on a multi-year process to design, found, and lead an excellent K-12 public school that reflects and responds to community needs. We are currently accepting applications to the 2026 BES Fellowship. The extended deadline is March 30, and the 2026 Cohort will begin August 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Learn more at [bes.org/fellowship](http://bes.org/fellowship "http://bes.org/fellowship").

Connected Westerville Night of Networking flips the script on networking, with surprises and connections that'll make you say, "Who knew networking could be this much fun?!"

We will show a variety of methods for building agents that run in Microsoft Foundry. This covers the different types of agents: Prompt, Multi, and Hosted, as well as the development lifecycle using evals and traces.

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!