The Virtually Speaking Podcast is back with a brand-new 9-part series dedicated to VMware Cloud Foundation 9 (VCF 9) – the most significant evolution of VMware’s flagship private cloud platform to date.
Hosted by Pete Flecha and John Nicholson, this series takes you behind the scenes with the product experts, engineers, and visionaries driving the VCF 9 transformation. Whether you’re an infrastructure architect, IT leader, or just cloud-curious, these conversations offer real-world insights into how VMware Cloud Foundation 9 is modernizing private cloud infrastructure to support AI, automation, security, and much more.
Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform,
- Follow us on YouTube: @virtspeaking
- Follow us on X (Twitter): @virtspeaking
⸻
Episode 1: Vision and Strategy
Kickstarting the series, Paul Turner (Head of Product Management) outlines the vision behind VCF 9. Learn why this release represents a major leap forward and how it’s setting the stage for the future of private cloud computing.
Key Highlights:
- The rise of private cloud and its cost-efficiency compared to public cloud services
- Sovereign cloud capabilities and regulatory compliance
- Innovations in GPU as a service
- Native support for VMs and Kubernetes in a single platform
- Advances in storage (vSAN) with enhanced performance and resilience
- Networking improvements with native VPC setup in vCenter
- VMware’s partnerships with hyperscalers and 500+ cloud service providers
Episode 2: A Modern, Unified, and Secure Platform
Rick Walsworth joins to discuss VCF 9’s shift to a truly unified platform. Hear how new lifecycle management capabilities, security guardrails like configuration drift detection, and support for AI workloads simplify and modernize operations.
Key Highlights:
- Simplified deployment as a single, unified platform
- Enhanced user experience for cloud infrastructure admins and developers
- Three key business outcomes: modernizing infrastructure, operating like a cloud, and ensuring security
- Improved configuration drift detection and proactive management
- Advanced security services, including network detection and response
- Self-service capabilities for developers
- Insights into workload repatriation and private cloud advantages
- Potential for handling sensitive AI and intellectual property workloads
Episode 3: Inside the Core – What’s New
With Vijay Ramachandran, we unpack the core infrastructure updates: smarter memory tiering for 35–40% cost savings, global deduplication with vSAN ESA, and VPC-native networking integrated directly into vCenter.
Key Highlights:
- Advanced memory tiering technology reducing infrastructure costs by 35-40%
- Confidential Compute with end-to-end data encryption
- vSAN ESA global deduplication across entire clusters
- Native snapshot management and replication capabilities
- Per-VM snapshot retention and disaster recovery options
- Introduction of Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in vCenter
- New NSX networking data path with 3x throughput improvements
- Enhanced CPU support for next-generation processors
- Simplified networking isolation and provisioning
Episode 4: Building a Cyber Resilient Private Cloud
Rakesh Radhakrishnan discusses how vSAN is redefining storage for VMware workloads with features like disaggregated storage, VM-centric snapshots, and automated malware recovery “clean rooms.” Cyber resilience has never been more accessible.
Key Highlights:
- vSAN’s evolution as the #1 storage platform for VMware workloads
- Secondary storage strategies for backup, DR, and cyber recovery
- Introduction of automated “clean room” recovery for malware attacks
- VM-centric snapshot and data protection approaches
- Advanced cyber resilience workflows integrated into VCF
- Leveraging QLC flash storage for cost-effective secondary storage
- Native object and file interfaces for modern application needs
- One-click disaster recovery testing and runbook automation
- Comprehensive private cloud protection beyond traditional storage solutions
Episode 5: Automation and Fleet Management
Private cloud meets public cloud-like automation. Chandra Prathuri dives into new fleet management capabilities, including streamlined upgrades, enhanced identity services, and expanded multi-tenancy down to the hypervisor layer.
Key Highlights:
- Fleet management capabilities inspired by hyperscaler operations
- Seamless integration with existing vSphere, vSAN, and NSX deployments
- Automated lifecycle management for software upgrades
- Simplified identity, password, and certificate management
- Multi-tenant infrastructure with Kubernetes-native interfaces
- Self-service capabilities for developers and business units
- Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) constructs built into the platform
- Efficient capacity and workload optimization
- Simplified application deployment using Kubernetes and Terraform
- Operational visibility and cost management for cloud resources
Episode 6: Momentum Shift – Private AI in the Enterprise
Chris Wolf breaks down how enterprises are using Private AI powered by VCF 9—unlocking productivity gains across software development, customer support, and data search while slashing cloud AI costs by 3–5x.
Key Highlights:
- VMware’s explosive momentum in Private AI services
- Key AI use cases for enterprises:
- GPU as a Service with intelligent resource provisioning
- Back-office contact center efficiency (10-35% productivity gains)
- Enterprise document search (50-60% productivity improvements)
- AI-assisted software development and test case automation
- VCF 9 AI-specific innovations:
- Full support for VLLM open-source inference engine
- OpenAI compatible API gateway
- Token rate limiting to prevent resource overload
- Data indexing and retrieval service
- AI agent builder
- vGPU reservations and intelligent GPU load balancing
- Automated AI workload deployment (setup in under an hour)
- Strategic partnerships:
- Expanded collaboration with Microsoft Azure
- Hybrid AI approach (build in cloud, deploy at edge)
- Significant cost savings (3-5x cheaper than public cloud alternatives)
Episode 7: VCF 9 Unpacked – A Technical Breakdown
William Lam delivers a deep technical dive. From support for 1000 vCPU VMs and 16TB memory, to declarative APIs and brownfield infrastructure onboarding—this one’s for the tech heads.
Key Highlights:
- Complete re-architecture of the software stack
- Core Platform Innovations:
- Compute: Support for VMs up to 1000 vCPUs and 16TB memory
- Memory Tiering: Transparent NVMe memory expansion
- vSAN Global Deduplication (30-40% storage efficiency)
- First-class Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) constructs in vCenter
- Unified Management Capabilities:
- Global control plane with VCF Operations
- Simplified single sign-on across identity providers
- Unified patch and upgrade management
- Non-disruptive certificate management
- Centralized fleet-level operations
- Automation and Multi-tenancy:
- Native multi-tenancy across compute, storage, and networking
- Self-service resource allocation
- Support for Kubernetes namespaces
- Declarative API and automation support
- Deployment Flexibility:
- New VCF Installer supporting Greenfield and Brownfield deployments
- Ability to import and convert existing infrastructure
Episode 8: VMware Cloud Foundation for ALL
James LeFort sets the record straight: VCF isn’t just for the Fortune 50. Learn how small and midsize businesses can leverage VCF 9’s simplified management and flexible deployment options—on-prem, hybrid, or at the edge.
Key Highlights:
- VCF Democratization Strategy:
- Breaking the myth that VCF is only for Fortune 50 companies
- Platform approach suitable for businesses of all sizes
- Flexible deployment options for small to large enterprises
- Key Use Cases:
- Cloud Smart approach vs. traditional Cloud First strategy
- Workload repatriation from public to private cloud
- Simplified infrastructure management for small IT teams
- Deployment Flexibility:
- Bring Your Own License (BYOL) options
- Cloud Service Provider integrations
- Managed service capabilities
- Support for edge, on-premises, and hybrid deployments
- Developer and Infrastructure Alignment:
- Containers as first-class citizens
- Bridging communication between DevOps and infrastructure teams
- Standardized platform approach
- Cost and Operational Benefits:
- Reduced patch management complexity
- Automated compatibility checks
- Operational budget optimization
- Free educational resources for VCF expertise
Episode 9: The Sum is Greater than the Parts
In our finale, Paul Lembo highlights how VCF 9’s integrated platform delivers more value together than its parts. From private AI enablement to cost optimization and operational agility—it’s the full package.
Key Highlights:
- Holistic Cloud Strategy:
- Integrated improvements in compute, storage, and networking
- Operational agility with built-in governance and cost controls
- Flexible approach accommodating different organizational needs
- AI and Private Cloud Insights:
- Critique of hyperscaler AI approaches
- Advantages of virtualized GPU environments
- VMware’s three-tier AI strategy: infrastructure, product capabilities, application framework
- Customer Success Recommendations:
- Leverage VMware’s intellectual property
- Utilize free enablement resources
- Learn from successful customer case studies (e.g., Loomis, Audi)
- Core Message:
- The true value of VCF 9 lies not in individual features, but in how these features work together to provide comprehensive, adaptable cloud solutions for enterprises.
⸻
Don’t miss a single episode.
Subscribe to Virtually Speaking wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow us on YouTube: @virtspeaking
Follow us on X (Twitter): @virtspeaking
Links Mentioned:
- VCF Landing Page
- Announcing VMware Cloud Foundation 9.0
- VCF YouTube Page
- Virtually Speaking YouTube Page
- Virtually Speaking Podcast
The Virtually Speaking Podcast
The Virtually Speaking Podcast is a technical podcast dedicated to discussing VMware topics related to private and hybrid cloud. Each week Pete Flecha and John Nicholson bring in various subject matter experts from VMware and from within the industry to discuss their respective areas of expertise. If you’re new to the Virtually Speaking Podcast check out all episodes on vspeakingpodcast.com and follow on Twitter\X @VirtSpeaking.
