Inside, we were asked to each take a glowstick to take to the keynote, but not why. Bemused, we obeyed.

When we entered the auditorium, we wondered if we had stumbled into a Star Trek convention.

The stage, however, reassured us it was in fact Cisco Networkers.

Dancers came to the stage as we lit our glowsticks. The auditorium was filled with dance and light.

A second group came on, with psychedelic stripes.

Les Williamson, Cisco's vice president, Australia and New Zealand, came on stage to welcome delegates.

Introduced by Williamson, Michael Boland, distinguished systems engineer, Cisco systems Australia and New Zealand took the stage for the keynote, replacing CTO Kevin Bloch who had to pull out at the last minute.

Boland talked about the evolution of innovation, and detailed some of Cisco's efforts to date.

Boland carried out a demonstration of the company's Webex product with Cisco ANZ marketing manager Tony Wright, who said at one stage: "Does my head look big in this collaboration?"

He proceeded to tell us he was at the casino, and drank from a bottle of XXXX beer to prove it. Later we found out that the bottle had been opened the night before, and did not taste good, and he had not been at the casino, but in a room nearby.

Channel system engineer Andy Burke said while setting up the demo: "Last time I had this many people watching me my webcam had been hacked."

After the keynote, the exhibition hall and its wonders beckoned.

More dancing and music during the presentation.

Another shot of the large exhibition hall.