We’re at that time of year when the tech conference season, after a bit of a summer break, swings back into full gear, some we’ve already had, such as MSIgnite and some we have to come, over the next couple of months there’s a range of shows big and small dotted across the globe on a range of topics.
As part of my day job, I find tech conferences a hugely valuable resource, the technology partners we choose to work with and the strategic value I look to share with businesses, much of it comes from what I get to learn attending some of these big shows, whether in person or via live streaming of key sessions. These conferences are still the best showcase many vendors have for presenting their strategic direction and the latest technical innovations. In my opinion if you are in a role where you are delivering technology or building technology strategy, paying attention to the shows of your key vendors and partners should be part of your role and I believe is a key part in ensuring you get the very best from your technology investment.
One of the biggest and still one of the most influential tech shows of the year is VMworld, VMware’s showcase event, a long time cornerstone of the technology community for IT pro’s and vendors alike. Mainly because VMware find themselves in an almost unique position (probably alongside Microsoft) of having their technology present in the vast majority of technology deployments. Because of this VMworld attracts IT Pro’s and vendors from many disciplines’ server and storage vendors, through to automation and analytics companies all working closely with VMware’s platforms to deliver services across enterprise and organisations of all types.
With that said, what can you expect to learn from a show like VMware? What’s the benefit for you? Well as we sit handily between VMworld US and Europe, I thought it would be a useful to explore VMworld a little more and get not only a round up of the big announcements from the US show and what to look out for in Barcelona, but also take a look at what is VMworld and if you’ve never attended (and full disclosure I’ve only ever attended remotely) why you may want to add it to your calendar next year.
Joining me to discuss this, is the co-host of the fantastic Virtually Speaking podcast Pete Flecha, a veteran of a number of VMworld’s as customer, partner and now as employee, he’s in a great position to provide some background to the show, how it’s changed and some of the key announcements from Vegas and what to look out for in Barcelona.
We start with exploring what VMworld is, discuss both its size and community angle and also why the show is about so much more than virtualisation. We also look at the part shows like VMworld and as we recorded MSIgnite, play in shaping the industry and why the messages of these influential technology companies are important to understand as they continue to play such a large part in the direction of the technology industry.
We get Pete’s list of favourite announcements from VMworld, including some big announcements around his own technology areas VVOLS and vSAN, as well as the very interesting “Project Dimension”. We wrap up by looking ahead to Barcelona and next year to VMworld in San Francisco and chat about why you may want to go and check out the event for yourself.
If you do have an interest in VMware technology as well as tech in general then I can’t recommend enough you get the excellent Virtually Speaking podcast on your weekly podcast schedule, you can also follow the show on twitter @virtspeaking and if you’d like to stalk Pete on line you can find him @vPedroArrow
For more info on VMworld and the main announcements then check out the resources Pete mentioned in the show;
VMworld 2018 recap podcast
http://www.vspeakingpodcast.com/episodes/89
What’s New in vSAN 6.7 Update 1
https://storagehub.vmware.com/t/vmware-vsan/vsan-6-7-update-1-technical-overview/
Introducing Project Dimension
https://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2018/08/introducing-project-dimension.html
VVols and SRM: Better Together
Next week we ask Cloud First! Or Cloud First? Until then, thanks for listening.
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