Redefining the rules of the game
- 8.-9. October 2026
- Bled Rose Hotel
See you in
- DAYS
- HOURS
- MINUTES
- SECONDS
Traditional gathering of IT professionals
At the Smart Com Technology Conference, we address the key challenges every modern organization faces.
- how to strengthen resilience in the face of growing cyber threats,
- how to seamlessly integrate IT and OT environments, and
- how to leverage technology as a competitive advantage.
What You'll Gain
The format remains proven – a combination of top-tier presentations, hands-on workshops, and real-world experience – while the content continues to define the new rules for the future, year after year.
Experts Shaping the Future
And they set the new rules of the game in the worlds of IT and OT
Tomaž Valjavec
Jure Remškar
Peter Ceferin
Janko Kersnik
Uwe Richter
Smail Jušič
Uroš Zorčič
Gregor Zupan
Amadeja Hren
Žiga Perko
Dewald Botha
Adriel Regueira Suárez
Klemen Kovačič
Gašper Voda
Marko Cizelj
Luka Horvat
Brane Zupan
Igor Štih
Beno Zakrajšek
Aljoša Žnidarič
The latest topics defining the new rules of the game
08:20 – 09:00
Arrival and participant registration
With morning coffee
09:00 – 09:20
Jure Remškar
Chief Executive Officer, Smart Com
Peter Ceferin
Chief Technology Officer, Smart Com
Welcome addresses
Welcome remarks and conference opening with key program highlights
09:20 – 09:40
Tomaž Valjavec
Head of Enterprise AI for DACH and MEA, Microsoft
Keynote Presentation: New Rules in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The presentation will explore how AI is changing the way we work, think and approach our everyday tasks. What are the latest developments, and how can we turn them into practical value in our daily work? We will also look at what AI means for continuous learning and how it can be effectively applied to activities such as preparing proposals, customer support, sales and marketing [The presentation will be delivered in Slovenian.]
09:45 – 10:05
Janko Kersnik
Lead Architect for Security Solutions and Products, Smart Com
Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: New Threats, New Defenses
Artificial intelligence is changing the rules of the game in cybersecurity. It enables faster, more targeted, and harder-to-detect attacks, while also becoming one of the key tools for identifying threats and strengthening defense capabilities. The presentation will explore how AI is transforming the modern cybersecurity landscape and how organizations can enhance their digital resilience through its thoughtful and strategic adoption. [The presentation will be delivered in Slovenian.]
10:05 – 10:25
Uwe Richter
Director Sales Engineering – CEE & CIS, HPE
AI-native operations. Quo vadis?
[The presentation will be delivered in English.]
10:25 – 10:45
Roundtable discussion
Best Practice Insights: T – 2
Discussion on the Implementation of an NDR Solution in T-2’s Business IT Environment
- Smail Jušič, SOC mentor, T – 2 and Security Engineer of the Year 2026 award recipient
- Janko Kersnik, Lead Architect for Security Solutions and Products, Smart Com
10:45 – 11:15
Coffee break
11:20 – 11:40
Uroš Zorčič
Head of Strategic Development and Technical Sales, Smart Com
Gregor Zupan
Head of Operations, Smart Com
From compliance to operational resilience: When prevention is no longer enough
The presentation will showcase a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity and network services designed to support compliance with NIS 2 and ZInfV-1 requirements while strengthening organizations’ operational resilience. It will cover security assessments, network environment analysis, the use of NDR and ADS approaches in OT systems, and managed services that provide organizations with greater visibility, faster anomaly detection, more effective risk management, and improved operational reliability. [The presentation will be delivered in Slovenian.]
11:40 – 12:00
Amadeja Hren
Technical Operations Lead, Smart Com
Managed NDR Service in Practice: Continuous Visibility, Anomaly Detection, and Incident Response Support
How can security incidents be identified in time within increasingly complex network environments? Through a best-practice example, the presentation will showcase a managed NDR service that uses network traffic analysis, anomaly detection, and expert event interpretation to provide organizations with greater visibility, a better understanding of threats, and faster, more effective response. [The presentation will be delivered in Slovenian.]
12:00 – 12:45
Coffee break and networking
12:50 – 13:10
Žiga Perko
Product & Technical Network Solutions Architect, Smart Com
When Architecture Delivers on Expectations: The Added Value of Modern Fabric Networks in Practice
The transition from traditional Ethernet to modern Fabric architectures has brought expectations of simpler management, faster service deployment, greater resilience, and improved security segmentation. Real-world implementations confirm that these goals are achievable, resulting in more stable operations, reduced complexity, and faster responses to changes and failures. The presentation will share key practical insights, highlight where the Fabric approach delivers the greatest value, and demonstrate how it provides a foundation for further development through the use of intelligent platforms. [The presentation will be delivered in Slovenian.]
13:10 – 13:30
Dewald Botha
Principal Systems Engineer – EMEA, Extreme Networks
Augment & Automate Your Network with Extreme Networks
AI is everywhere in networking right now, but how much of it is real, and how much is just noise? In this session, Dewald cuts through the hype to explore how Extreme Networks is using next-generation AI to genuinely augment and automate network management, orchestration and security. He’ll walk through the architecture behind it, the AI agents and tools available to customers today, and what becomes possible when the network starts connecting to the broader ecosystem through MCP integrations. This is a humanistic take on AI: less about replacing people, more about empowering them to do more with less effort. [The presentation will be delivered in English.]
13:30 – 13:50
Roundtable discussion
Best Practice Insights: Fraport Slovenija
- Boštjan Rakovec, Head of Information Technology, Fraport Slovenija
- Tilen Rihtaršič IT Infrastructure Manager, Fraport Slovenija
- Žiga Perko, Product & Technical Network Solutions Architect, Smart Com
13:50 – 15:20
Lunch break and networking
15:25 – 15:45
Peter Ceferin
Chief Technology Officer, Smart Com
Critical Systems Without Compromise: Integrating High Availability and Cybersecurity into a Unified Architecture
In critical systems such as energy, industrial environments, and other critical infrastructure, high availability of ICT networks and cybersecurity are inseparably connected. The presentation will demonstrate that resilience starts with network design – from campus networks with redundancy and fast convergence to WAN environments with advanced routing mechanisms (Segment Routing) that ensure reliable service operation. On this foundation, an OT/ICS security layer is built, incorporating segmentation, remote access management, visibility, threat detection, vulnerability management, and incident response. Real-world examples will show that in critical environments, availability and security require a unified architectural and operational approach to enable stable and secure digital transformation. [The presentation will be delivered in Slovenian.]
15:45 – 16:05
Adriel Regueira Suárez
Senior Sales Engineer, Nozomi Networks
When Zero-Days Move Faster Than Maintenance Windows
Securing Critical Infrastructure in the Age of AI
AI is fundamentally changing how vulnerabilities are discovered, analyzed and weaponized. But in OT, where systems cannot simply be patched or rebooted overnight, this creates a unique challenge. In this session, we will explore how the threat landscape is evolving, what advances such as Claude Mythos mean for critical infrastructure, and how modern OT security platforms can help organizations reduce their window of exposure. We will also look at how Vantage, Vantage IQ, threat intelligence, and new integrations can turn security data into faster, actionable decisions. [The presentation will be delivered in English.]
16:05 – 16:25
Roundtable discussion
Best Practice Insights: UKC Maribor
TBD
16:25 – 16:45
End of Day 1 of the Conference
With prize draw
08:30 – 09:00
Arrival and participant registration
With morning coffee
09:00 – 09:30
Janko Kersnik
Lead Architect for Security Solutions and Products, Smart Com
Klemen Kovačič
Ethical Hacker, Smart Com
Theoretical Introduction to the Workshop
09:30 – 10:30
Janko Kersnik
Lead Architect for Security Solutions and Products, Smart Com
Klemen Kovačič
Ethical Hacker, Smart Com
Gašper Voda
Cyber Security Engineer, Smart Com
Security Assessment Methodology Using Diagnostic Tools and Expert Analysis
The hands-on workshop will use practical examples to demonstrate how security diagnostic tools, analysis of findings, and expert interpretation can be combined to perform a technically sound security assessment of an environment and identify key risks along with recommendations for improvement. [Workshop will be in Slovene language.]
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 – 12:00
Janko Kersnik
Lead Architect for Security Solutions and Products, Smart Com
Klemen Kovačič
Ethical Hacker, Smart Com
Gašper Voda
Cyber Security Engineer, Smart Com
Security Assessment Methodology Using Diagnostic Tools and Expert Analysis
Workshop Session Continuation
12:00 – 13:00
Conference closing with lunch
08:30 – 09:00
Arrival and participant registration
With morning coffee
09:00 – 09:30
Brane Zupan
Senior Development Consultant, Smart Com
Theoretical Introduction to SmartSNO NG
09:30 – 10:30
Marko Cizelj
Lead Architect for Network Solutions and Products, Smart Com
Luka Horvat
Network Expert, Smart Com
Brane Zupan
Senior Development Consultant, Smart Com
Using the SmartSNO NG Platform for Service-Oriented Network Monitoring and Management in Practice
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 – 12:00
Marko Cizelj
Lead Architect for Network Solutions and Products, Smart Com
Luka Horvat
Network Expert, Smart Com
Brane Zupan
Senior Development Consultant, Smart Com
Using the SmartSNO NG Platform for Service-Oriented Network Monitoring and Management in Practice
Workshop Session Continuation
12:00 – 13:00
Conference closing with lunch
08:30 – 09:00
Arrival and participant registration
With morning coffee
09:00 – 09:30
Peter Ceferin
Chief Technology Officer, Smart Com
Igor Štih
Tehnični vodja operative, Smart Com
Theoretical Introduction to the Vantage and PAM OT Concepts
09:30 – 10:30
Peter Ceferin
Chief Technology Officer, Smart Com
Igor Štih
Tehnični vodja operative, Smart Com
Aljoša Žnidarič
Cyber Security Engineer, Smart Com
Amadeja Hren
Technical Operations Lead, Smart Com
Beno Zakrajšek
Product & Technical Network Solutions Architect, Smart Com
Securing ICS/OT Environments in Practice: AI-Driven Visibility, Threat Detection, and Remote Access Protection
The hands-on workshop will use practical examples to demonstrate how security diagnostic tools, analysis of findings, and expert interpretation of results can be combined to perform a technically grounded security assessment of an environment and identify key risks and improvement recommendations. [Workshop will be in Slovene language.]
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 – 12:00
Peter Ceferin
Chief Technology Officer, Smart Com
Igor Štih
Tehnični vodja operative, Smart Com
Aljoša Žnidarič
Cyber Security Engineer, Smart Com
Amadeja Hren
Technical Operations Lead, Smart Com
Beno Zakrajšek
Product & Technical Network Solutions Architect, Smart Com
Securing ICS/OT Environments in Practice: AI-Driven Visibility, Threat Detection, and Remote Access Protection
Workshop Session Continuation
12:00 – 13:00
Conference closing with lunch
Leading Companies Redefining the Rules of the Game
