Our recent vSANChat VMworld discussion marks the one year anniversary of vSANChats! A huge shout out to all of our expert attendees and community participants. We’ve had so much fun facilitating these discussions and we’re just getting started. This year we’re heading to San Francisco for another VMworld!
Whether you’re a first-time VMworld attendee or VMworld veteran, you can benefit from our discussion with vSAN experts and employees, Tony Reeves & Pete Koehler. Get the 4-11 below.
Q1: First order of business: What is the FIRST thing you recommend doing when arriving at VMworld? [Link]
Pete: Get the lay of the land for the various locations such as the exhibition hall, the merchandise store, and of course, the registration area. Tony: Get your badge and explore the Moscone Center! It’s been newly remodeled since VMworld was here last.
Q2: How would you advise a first-time VMworld attendee? [Link]
Pete: I would experience as much as you can, and allow your schedule to adjust based on what you find useful. Tony: Make sure to meet new people, one of the best ways to do this is in the VMVillage area and Blogger tables.
Q3: What might be a great offering at VMworld that many overlook? [Link]
Pete: What a great question! I think the “Meet the Experts” sessions are a fantastic way to speak with subject matter experts on your specific challenges. I would also make sure to browse around the Solutions Exchange where you can see some really interesting product demonstrations.
Tony: I would highly recommend checking out the @vmwarecode #Hackathon It’s a great time and you learn and network a lot.
Q4: Which labs and expert panels should we add to our schedule? [Link]
Pete: Look for the technical panel sessions. They can offer some spirited answers to some interesting questions. Tony: Make sure to check out the @vmwarevsan and @vmwcf @VMwareHOL Hands on Labs!
Q5: I’m new to vSAN, but intimidated by some of these sessions that say “deep dive.” Should I be? [Link]
Pete: Don’t be intimidated! While many deep dive sessions assume a base level of knowledge about a particular subject, the presentations are still geared toward making the information consumable, especially within the limited time length of the session.
Tony: Not at all, feel free to attend any session you are interested in. If you don’t understand something there are other resources such as the VMware booth in Solutions Exchange, where you can get specific questions answered.
Q6: How would you recommend people divide their time between networking, attending sessions and learning new things? [Link]
Pete: Experience a little bit of everything, then course correct to figure out what you get the most out of. If it is your first VMworld, sessions and the solution exchange may be the most useful. Tony: I am personally biased towards networking, as a good portion of the sessions are recorded, attend relevant sessions as needed, but don’t live in them.
Q7: I’m interested in some highly technical sessions for vSAN. What would you recommend? [Link]
Pete: There are a lot of great vSAN sessions with deep technical content. In your app, filter for 300 level tech content for vSAN. “Deconstructing vSAN” [HCI1342BU] session should be a fun one. Don’t miss Troubleshooting performance in vSAN, check out HCI1346BU. Tony: Anything with @Duncanyb @Lost_signal @vmpete @jasemccarty @cormacjhogan as presenters will be very technical and a great session.
Q8: I have some special use cases for vSAN, and would like to discuss this in more detail. Who should I speak with? [Link]
Pete: Don’t be shy. The expertise at the vSAN booth in the Solutions Exchange, the breakout sessions, and the meet the experts sessions are all great options to get your specific questions answered.
Q9: I’ve read through some documentation on availability scenarios for vSAN, but am not sure if I fully understand. Is there something at VMworld that may help me? [Link]
Pete: Yes, you can find a session on vSAN resilience at: HCI1293BU. Also, I would reach out to one of our knowledgeable vSAN staff at the Solutions Exchange, or at the Meet the Experts location. You will have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. Tony: I would stop by either the VMWare booth or the HCI Zone and ask questions. There will be demo’s and experts on hand to assist!
We’re looking forward to another successful VMworld this year! Can’t attend? Keep an eye on the vSAN handle for real-time updates and engagement opportunities. Check out our past chats here. We’ll see you on the interwebs, vSAN Fans!
