[Updated below.]
Alan Priestly @ Intel reports from VMworld Europe. Link: Thoughts from VMworld EMEA in Cannes.
Maybe it’s the free drinks of the welcome reception but 2 hours after
the breakout sessions have finished the show floor is still buzzing
with deep and serious conversations in every corner.
Yup, that’s what VMworld is like. Here’s a quote from VMworld 2006, but the vibe has stayed the same:
VMWorld
is a total buzz-o-rama, and I mean that in a very positive sense. … I have to say that
VMWorld is more amped up than any show I’ve been to for a long time –
and almost everybody I met there that I knew said the same thing. … It was
head spinning. I haven’t had a big adrenaline rush like this at a trade
show – EVER.
Alan goes on to say:
Green is the overarching theme of this years EMEA VMworld in Cannes,
from the issues of data centre power all the way to the powerpoint
template used for every presentation thru to the shirts worn by VMware
staff. … Walking the show floor key major themes are management, data backup
& security, Virtual desktop and of course Green IT with everyone
having their own spin on what this means. At previous VMware events in
EMEA around 50% of the exhibitors have been focused on Virtual desktop,
this year it feels that there is more of a bias towards management and
backup, but this may just be as a result of VMware expanding their
focus beyond their previous technical audience in EMEA. Either way VDI
is still a key element of many of the sessions and the show floor
booths.
Wilbrand Schothuis has a nice gallery of VMworld and Cannes pictures (including the one above), and I’d expect more to show up from Viktor van den Berg and rentgen as well.
[Update: Neil Hallword concurs. Link: VMWORLD EUROPE 2008: Solutions Exchange.
The whole atmosphere is lively and unremittingly positive – as in San
Fran in Sept 2007, all the attendees seem to be interested and
motiviated to get on with delivering on virtualistion opportunities.
]
