Hyper-converged Infrastructure is HOT HOT HOT, and we’ve got the only vSphere-native HCI solution available. Over 8,000 customers have taken the plunge with vSAN, and VMworld is the perfect place to investigate how vSAN can help you too!
From the Storage & Availability team at VMware – Welcome to VMworld! It is the perfect time to check out many of VMware’s technologies, including the hottest HCI product vSAN. VMworld is VMware’s premier thought leadership and education destination for innovation, learning, expert insights, networking, and nerding out and we could not be more excited to showcase what we have planned. Thank you to all YOU amazing customers and partners for joining us on this journey!
We’ve got a full line up of Storage and Availability activities planned for the show and here are some of the highlights. You know you want to attend all of them, so start planning now! Yea…now.
Start by making a stop at the VMware Booth on the Solutions Exchange floor. Look for the Modernize the Data Center section, then HCI & Storage which will be nestled within this area. We’ll be showcasing both vSAN and SRM, so stop by and get your questions answered. Another must see attraction on the Solutions Exchange floor is the HCI Zone powered by vSAN. It was a very popular spot last year so we’re bringing it back for 2017. The Zone is where you’ll find vSAN OEM, appliance and embedded partners showcasing their Powered by vSAN solutions. It is also a good place to learn about vSAN, ReadyNodes and VxRail so you can make an informed decision about what’s good for your organization.
Hands-On-Labs – Getting hands-on experience is always a great use of time at VMworld. VMworld attendees gain special access to the latest VMware technologies without requiring the purchase of equipment, software or licenses. You’ll want to check out the vSAN 6.6 lab and learn about encryption for data-at-rest, dedup and compression, stretched-clustering enhancements and many more… We also have a VxRail lab available which will show you how to get started with a HCI appliance. It doesn’t get any easier to stand up hyper-converged infrastructure than that! Have you tried the vSAN assessment tool yet?! If not, you’ll want to stop by the Assessment Lounge. Our experts will be there to show you how you can download and use this free tool in your own environment, get sizing advice and see which VMs are well-suited for vSAN. The vSAN assessment is fast and in just two days, you’ll know exactly what vSAN can do in your shop, and even how much money it can save you. [More info on the tool can be found here]
You say you want sessions?! We got ‘em…over 100 of them actually. So spend a few minutes (ok might be more than a few) reviewing the session list and signing up for your top choices. vSAN & VxRail, SRM, Virtual Volumes, Containers, VMware Cloud on AWS and IBM public cloud…they’re all there. And as usual, it’s not just a bunch of VMware employees doing all the talking (not that we don’t love ya guys!) – we’ve got loads of sessions involving REAL LIVE customers, industry analysts, and technical and business partners. The sessions are a fantastic opportunity not only to learn, but also to network with people who have common interests and questions. The sessions will range from Spotlight sessions, to breakouts, to panels and to group discussions. Check out this great blog which features our Top 10 vSAN sessions.
If you are still having trouble picking sessions? Check out these 5 which are a must see!
- vSAN Vision: The Future of HCI – Monday, Aug 28, 11:30am-12:30pm – Get an in-depth look into VMware’s software-defined HCI approach and learn why customers trust vSAN to run critical business applications. This session will feature Dean Perrine, Vice President, Technical Solutions at Fox Networks. #STO1490SU
- VMware Cloud on AWS: Storage Deep Dive – Monday, Aug 28, 1-2pm – The ability to seamlessly run vSphere workloads on Amazon’s public cloud is a game changer. It’s just a matter of time before you’re asked about it. Be prepared. #STO1890BU
- Transforming the Data Center to Deliver Any Application on Any Platform – Tuesday, Aug 29, 4-5.50pm – This solution Keynote will feature customers and latest demos. Sign up to hear more about the larger VMware story of modernization with Chris Wolf (VMware CTO), Yanbing Li (SABU GM), and many others! #MDC7000KU
- The Evolution of VMware vSAN and Hyper-Converged Infrastructure – Wednesday, Aug 30, 8:30-9:30am – Take a look at how data centers and customer storage needs have evolved amid industry disruption and how vSAN’s architecture can adapt to meet new developments. Sign up to listen to Christos Karamanolis and Vijay Ramachandran talk about vSAN’s evolution and the future of HCI. #STO1794BU
- vSAN Customer Panel – Wednesday, Aug 30, 10:00-11:00am. Hear what our customers are really doing with vSAN HCI and how they made the transition. Featured customers include: Sugar Creek, Honeywell, Kroger, General Motors and Boeing. Big brand customers using vSAN! #STO1487PU
For our partners attending Partner Exchange (PEX) the weekend before VMworld, we’ll have two all-day bootcamps (VSP-HCI & VTSP-HCI), 1 practice builder workshop, four breakout sessions and the Assessment Lounge ALL tailored for our partners. The team will also be hosting a corporate reseller roundtable and a solution provider roundtable on Monday at VMworld.
The vSAN team will also be offering a new “Specialist vSAN 2017” digital badge. VMware digital badges are a great way to prove your expertise, show off your skillsets in social media, and are a valid verification of VMware credentials. Attendees will get the opportunity to prove their expertise on vSAN and HCI environments with this new digital badge. If you’re new to the digital badge concept and want more information click here. Stop by the Education and Certification Lounge in the (VM Village), or at the Certification Exam Center (Jasmine EFG, Level 3).
Finally, you get to unwind and have some fun at the VMworld Customer Appreciation Party on Wednesday August 30th from 7PM! The party will feature Blink-182 and Bleachers in the T-Mobile Arena. Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to rock and roll!
As you can see, there’s a lot planned at VMworld, see you soon!
