Many years back VMware had a program called the VMTN subscription.  The VMTN subscription program was similar to MSDN and enabled you to run VMware software in your lab environment for a fixed yearly fee. Ever since the program was cancelled every now and then people asked for it to be reinstated.  A few years back Mike Laverick started a campaign to bring back the VMTN subscription.

At VMworld 2014 I attended the VMUG Leader luncheon and was told that the program was going to be released soon.  With the amount of time that has past since VMworld, I did not think it was going to happen this year.

VMware finally listened to it’s users and released something similar through the VMUG Advantage program.

VMware’s EVALExperience gives you exclusive access to nine VMware applications to test for 365 days. EVALExperience provides all of the tools you need to stay in the game and take your career to the next level, all in one place!

Here is a list of software that users will have access to download and install :

• VMware vCenter Server™ 5 Standalone for vSphere 5
• VMware vSphere® with Operations Management™ Enterprise Plus
• VMware vCloud Suite® Standard
• VMware vRealize™ Operations Insight™
• VMware vRealize Operations™ 6 Enterprise
• VMware vRealize Log Insight™
• VMware vRealize Operations for Horizon®
• VMware Horizon® Advanced Edition
• VMware Virtual SAN™

Head over to the official EVALExperience website to see all the details.

Lab users rejoice because we will finally be able to evaluate software in there labs for a full 365 days!

Now if Microsoft would just bring back the TechNet subscription.