By: Andy Troup
VMworld 2015 is nearly upon us and I’d like to give you an overview of the Operations Transformation (OPT) Track that will be running again this year to help you get the most out of what’s on offer.
As a reminder, the track is focused on helping you understand how the VMware Software-Defined Data Center is redefining IT infrastructure, and how it enables IT organizations to combine technology and a new way of operating to become more service-oriented and focused on business value. This track offers unique opportunities to learn the latest best practices and key considerations from experienced VMware experts, practitioners, and the real-world experiences of customers transforming their IT infrastructures and operational processes.
This year in San Francisco, the OPT track is offering 3 different types of sessions. There are 23 breakout sessions and one Group Discussion session all of which last for an hour. In addition to these, and new for this year, there are also 4 Quick Talk sessions which last for 30 minutes and are available on Sunday 30th August.
The focus for this years OPT track is around a number of different areas which I’ll give you a quick insight into.
Operations Transformation
The track as a whole is all about how to transform the way that you operate so that you can really start to get the benefits of your technology investment and become a service provider to your customers. There are a number of session that cover how transformation is achieved. There will be customers who will give you a view of the transformation they have undertaken and how they approached it, including a session covering VMware’s own transformation and the “OneCloud” implementation. Some of VMware’s transformation specialists who have helped many customers undertake a transformation will also be providing you with details of best practices and pitfalls to watch out for. Check out the following sessions:
- OPT4682-QT – A Roadmap for Transformation – Planning Your Future State and Ensuring Governance
- OPT4684 – Engineers in The Cloud – The New Model of Datacenter Operation
- OPT5010-QT – The Lifecycle of Cloud Services
- OPT5069 – Enterprise Hybrid Cloud—Federal Case Study
- OPT5238 – VMWare IT DevOps Transformation: A VMware on VMware Showcase
- OPT5361 – Best Practice Approaches to Transformation with the Software-Defined Data Center
- OPT5509 – Building an Enterprise Hybrid Cloud Strategy and Operating Mode
- OPT5709 – Customer Experience—Building a Software Defined Data Center with CIT
- OPT5814-QT – AGILE for Infrastructure: Utilizing Agile Methods to Drive Iterative Infrastructure Development and IT Service Delivery
- OPT5972 – 80,000 VM’s and Growing! VMware’s Internal Cloud Journey Told by the People on the Frontline
DevOps
DevOps is a big theme this year, and the OPT track will cover how the technology is enabling operational change to make DevOps become a reality. If you’re new to DevOps, then one of our specialists has a session covering the DevOps concept. There are some customers as well as VMware IT talking about how they were able to embrace DevOps. Also, how VMware’s technology is helping DevOps transformations will be covered in a number of sessions by some of our specialists. Check out the following sessions:
- OPT4868 – Your DevOps Transformation: Culture, Technology or Both?
- OPT4992 – VMware vRealize Code Stream: Is DevOps about Tools or Transformation?
- OPT5235 – Cloud-Native Apps, Microservices and Twelve-Factor Apps: What Do They Mean for Your SDDC/Cloud Operations?
- OPT5238 – VMWare IT DevOps Transformation: A VMware on VMware Showcase
- OPT5960 – VMware NSX with a DevOps Mentality: Streamline Your Operations for Zero Downtime Networking
- OPT6227 – Developing a new IT: How the Boeing Company IT Department is empowering its Customers through internal cloud and services
vRealize Suite
The vRealize suite of products features in the OPT track this year, covering vRealize Automation, vRealize Buisness, vRealize Operations and vRealize CodeStream and how they have been instrumental in enabling operational transformation. How vRealize Business can be used to help you become service focused and really manage IT as a business will be covered as well as how to build effective cost models.
Other sessions will show how the implementation of vRealize Operations has enabled customers to undertake their transformation and manage the services that they are offering. How close integration between vRealize Operations and vRealize Automation has meant a clearer understanding of the service provision process and the operational benefits will be covered in another session.
Continuing the automation theme, there is a panel session with a number of customers from healthcare who will discuss automation in what is a very regulated environment. Check out the following sessions:
- OPT4680 – Advanced Automated Approvals Use Case—Using vRealize Operations and vRealize Automation to Seize Back the Approval Charter
- OPT4707 – Integrating vRealize Automation with Service Catalogs: Does Your Implementation Strategy Align with Your Integration Needs?
- OPT4992 – VMware vRealize Code Stream: Is DevOps about Tools or Transformation?
- OPT5029 – How to Use Service Definitions in VMware vRealize Business to Build Highly Effective, Service-Based Cost Models
- OPT5075 – 6 Steps to Establish Your IT Business Management Office (ITBMO) with VMware vRealize Business
- OPT5222 – Keys to Successfully Marketing and Managing Your vRealize Automation Service Catalog
- OPT5369 – Pro-Active Monitoring of a Service: People, Process and Technology
- OPT5279 – Chargeback in the Department of Defense
- OPT5387-QT – Talking Security’s Language Using NSX, LogInsight and vRealize Tools
- OPT5519 – Nimble Automation in a Regulated Environment: Good, Fast and Cheap. Pick Any Two.
- OPT6226 – Kaiser: Metrics-driven Transformation: Using vROps as the Foundation for Operations Transformation
NSX
NSX is become front of mind for many people, and there is realization that this technology product is having a big impact on the way that IT groups operate. The OPT track is offering some sessions that will provide real world experiences of how this takes shape.
- OPT4953 – Operationalizing VMware NSX: Practical Strategies and Lessons from Real-World Implementations
- OPT5387-QT – Talking Security’s Language Using NSX, LogInsight and vRealize Tools
- OPT5960 – VMware NSX with a DevOps Mentality: Streamline Your Operations for Zero Downtime Networking
SDDC
The impact that the implementation of the Software Defined Datacenter has on organizational structure is a common discussion point, and this year the OPT track offers both a session covering organizational change management and a group discussion with leading organizational change specialists who have a vast amount of experience with many customers.
- OPT4743-GD – Organizational Change Group Discussion
- OPT5793 – Organizational Change Management and SDDC: Why Getting Your Organization and People Aligned Are the Key Ingredient in Ensuring Maximum Value
As you can see there’s a large selection of sessions covering a number of different topics. If you’re lucky enough to be attending in San Francisco and you’d like to build your event around the operations transformation track, download this handy PDF.
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Andy Troup is a senior solution architect with the Operations Transformation Services practice based in the UK.
