MarXtar has been an Ivanti One certified partner for some time now, and as such, we are regular exhibitors at all the fantastic Ivanti Interchange events. You may have seen us at Interchange in both Nashville and Madrid earlier this year.

Interchange is an amazing chance for IT professionals to come together for networking, technical workshops, expert one-on-one sessions, and thought-provoking keynotes. The Interchange Unplugged events are a mini-me version of this. A one-day extravaganza of knowledge with a splash of networking! So, we at MarXtar thought it a great opportunity to show our support and sponsor these events.

After the glamourous Unplugged events that have already taken place—from the glitz of Dubai, the cleanliness of Switzerland, the mountains of Austria, the decadent food and drink of France and Italy, and the efficiency of Japan—the UK and Ireland Unplugged have a tough act to follow! But the team at MarXtar think we can provide you with an eclectic tourist guide to complement the four fabulous Unplugged events we’re supporting in London, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Dublin.

During the day, each of these Unplugged locations will fill your professional senses to the max as you to discover more about Ivanti’s solutions for IT Asset Management, Identity Management and Automation, Security, Service Management, Unified Endpoint Management and User Workspace Management. They all include break-out sessions and informative content, designed to extend your knowledge of Ivanti and its solutions. Plus, you may get to meet James Mannion, our representative at the events, who will be happy to talk to you about all things MarXtar!

Then use our guide to experience your surroundings and enjoy some social time when the hard work stops. For those of you who have travelled over the night before or if you wish to stick around in the city and miss the rush hour traffic on your return journey, here are our suggestions of must-see local sights!

Unplugged Edinburgh – 5 September 2019

The Scott Monument is a short 10-minute walk away from the Radisson Blu hotel where the Unplugged event is being held. After being indoors all day, why not stretch your legs and climb the 287 steps of the monument's narrow spiral staircase and view Edinburgh city from up high?

For those Harry Potter fans out there, why not take a quick visit to The Elephant House coffee shop? Found at 21 George IV Bridge, it's just a 10-minute stroll away from the Unplugged event. The shop was made famous as the birthplace of Harry Potter after J.K. Rowling sat there writing her early novels. The loos are covered in Harry Potter graffiti, with an infamous notation being “I’d get sleazy for Ron Weasley.”

You can’t visit Scotland without trying their wonderful whiskey. So why not visit the Whistle Binkies, an Edinburgh institution? Open every night ‘til the wee small hours, they provide quality live music for the city. Housed deep in the vaults under South Bridge, both locals and visitors congregate to sample the finest Scotland has to offer, from bands to beers! They are over 30 years old, and to celebrate it is now free entry every night.

Unplugged London – 12 September 2019

St. Ermins Hotel is the venue for Unplugged London, and it's in the heart of Westminster, a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace and St. James Park. Though our recommendation is a trip to The Sky Garden, the place to go for the most spectacular evening view of the city.

The Sky Garden is a unique free public space that spans three storeys and offers 360° uninterrupted views across the City of London. Visitors can wander around the exquisitely landscaped gardens, observation decks and an open-air terrace of what is London’s highest public garden. A bonus is the restaurant where you can enjoy sunset music and rooftop cocktails.

Alternatively, The Cellar Door is a quirky little bar situated in Aldwych. Located on Wellington St, it can be tricky to find this diminutive club in a converted Victorian loo. Due to the intimate size of the venue, booking is very much recommended, but make the effort, and you’ll be rewarded.

Musical-theatre cabaret crooners, drag queens and snuff parties (as in taking snuff) are the order of the day, giving this sleek establishment a vintage feel.

Unplugged Leeds – 10 October 2019

The Junk Yard Golf Club is a short 10-minute stroll away from the Unplugged event at The Queens hotel. Grab a drink and putt your way through the three mashed up 9-hole crazy golf courses created from pre-loved and reclaimed random shizzle. Think UV disco, scrapyard slides, circus freaks, and jungle bathtubs!

Roxy Ball Room and Bar is the place to try your hand at ping pong or pool while unwinding with a drink. If you want to head straight there from the Unplugged event, there is one just a 5-minute walk around the corner on Boar Lane.

Unplugged Dublin – 17 October 2019

The Brazen Head is the place to go to enjoy an evening of food, Folklore, and Fairies. Situated at 20 Lower Bridge St, it’s a 10-minute taxi ride from the Unplugged event at the Europa House. Running every evening, you can enjoy a meal while listening to enchanting storytellers, who will take you away into a world of imagination with wonderful insights and magical tales about Irish life in times past.

You can’t go to Dublin and not visit their #1 tourist attraction The Guinness Storehouse Experience at St James’ Gate. No surprises in guessing this is the home of Guinness! This truly is a taste of Ireland. Learn about the Guinness brewing story before enjoying a perfectly pulled pint in the Gravity Bar while looking out across the city from it’s 360° viewing platform.

Hopefully, these interesting attractions have sealed the deal on attending one of the four Unplugged events coming up from September, but just to make the event sweeter, the Unplugged events are free!

Check out the Unplugged site to find a location near you and come and say hello to James from our MarXtar team who will be attending each event! James and all each member of the MarXtar team enjoy being part of the Ivanti family.

To register for the Unplugged events, please visit the registration page.the power of unified itAbout the Author

Mark McGinn is managing director of MarXtar Ltd, an international business with over 15 years delivering IT systems and service management solutions. MarXtar’s flagship product Enterprise Notifier delivers targeted, auditable, and actionable communications to desktops and mobile devices via the ENgage! mobile app. Look out for Mark’s webinar on Engage! For Enterprise Notifier coming this September on the Ivanti website. Learn more about MarXtar.