Kubernetes, Container, and VM Services: 50+ Sessions at VMware Explore Tailored for You

Kubernetes doesn’t have to require a separate team, a separate security policy, a separate management plane, and a separate budget. The status quo for most enterprises is that Kubernetes infrastructure exists in a silo alongside the VM-based infrastructure that still runs the majority of production workloads. That duplication is expensive and operationally complex. It’s also becoming unsustainable as AI workloads, which often need both containerized services and persistent VM-based infrastructure, blur the line between the two worlds.

VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) addresses this with VMware vSphere Kubernetes Service (VKS), a CNCF-certified Kubernetes runtime built directly into VCF, enabling organizations to run containers and VMs on a single unified private cloud platform. The VCF platform includes three core services for app modernization: VKS, Container Service, and VM Service. These services share one control plane, one policy model, and one operational experience across every workload you run. At VMware Explore 2026, we have over 50 featured sessions covering every angle of how these services work individually and together.

Whether you are modernizing your first VM workload or operating thousands of containers at scale, you will find answers to the questions your team is wrestling with right now:

• Not sure which deployment model fits your apps? A dedicated breakout session (CLOB1236LV) compares VM Service, Container Service, and VKS side by side with real-world scenarios, a common UI and API walkthrough, and decision criteria to match the right model to your applications. 
• Running VMs today and want to modernize without disruption? A new breakout session (CLOB1455LV) this year demystifies VM Service, showing how it delivers real vSphere VMs with full vMotion, DRS, and HA support through a streamlined modern provisioning model, including Day 2 tasks like snapshots, resizing, and migrations. 
• Developers asking for more speed without Ops losing control? In session APPB1222LV, see how Container Service and VKS together take an app from code commit to running cluster in under 10 minutes, with CI/CD, GitOps, and integrated observability built-in.
• Scaling AI workloads on private infrastructure? VKS runs AI workloads on VCF, from GPU-accelerated training clusters to real-time medical imaging inference. Sponsor session CLOQT1892LVS demonstrates how radiology AI models can be deployed on VKS and run at sub-second latency within the hospital data center.
• Security is your first question? The People’s Choice Award winner breakout session SECB1079LV covers Zero Trust enforcement across multi-cluster VKS with microsegmentation, mTLS, WAF, and automated policy rollouts in a single workflow. 
• Want proof before you commit? Broadcom runs thousands of containers at scale daily on VKS and shares exactly how in a session [CLOB1286LV] open to everyone. Hear directly from enterprise IT leaders on TCO savings, platform consolidation, and operational wins.
• Hands-on learner? Expert-led and self-paced labs let you dive deep into VKS, benchmark performance, configure VKS security with vDefend and Avi, and explore VCF lifecycle operations.

Across breakouts, tutorials, hands-on labs, quick talks, expert roundtables, and theater sessions, Explore 2026 covers everything from your first Kubernetes cluster to Zero Trust security, Private AI, edge deployments, and live customer stories. Whatever your role or starting point, there’s a session designed for your next step.

Browse the full session list here.

Thank you to Jay Thontakudi for contributing to this article.