Every year I post a list of sessions I scheduled to attend at VMworld.  I learned many years ago that when attending VMworld I need to *do* things at VMworld that I can’t *do* after the conference is over.  That is why I always try to attend as many group discussion sessions as I can.  I also try to attend as many expert led workshops as I can.  Breakout sessions are all recorded, so they can be watched after VMworld is over.  If there is a breakout session that you want ask questions to the presenter, then that is a good session to add to your schdule.  You can connect and complete Hands on labs after VMworld is over.

Here is a list of sessions I am scheduled to attend :

• ELW-SDC-1632 – vRealize Automation Advanced Workshop
• EUC5101 – What’s New in VMware Workstation 2015
• STO6548-GD – Group Discussion on Hyperconverged Infrastructure
• STO6550-GD – Meet the Virtual SAN Engineering Team with Christos Karamanolis and Christian Dickmann
• STO5336 – VMware Virtual SAN Architecture Deep Dive
• ELW-MBL-1656 – Horizon Air Delivering Desktops as a Service Workshop ExpertLed Workshop
• INF6394-GD – Vsphere lifecycle with Brian Graf and Salil Suri
• STO6552-GD – Meet the Virtual Volumes Engineering Team with Patrick Dirks
• INF6396-GD – Platform security with Mike Foley
• VAPP6432-GD – SQL Server on VSAN with Rawlinson Rivera
  VAPP6537-GD – Extreme Performance Series: Maximize Performance on vSphere 6

Chris Whal & Duncan Epping both have great list of session picks.

CALL FOR PAPERS PUBLIC SESSION VOTING IS NOW OPEN!  Login with your VMworld account and search for session 4548.

Please consider voting for my session if you like the topic and outline.  This is my first year submitting a session for VMworld.  A small percentage of sessions are selected based on community voting.  It would be awesome to have my session selected.

This was my 3rd VMworld.  I had a great time this year.  The Opening Act, vBrownags and regular sessions were great this year.  I went to a lot of vendor parties and had lots of fun.  I stepped out of my comfort zone and talked to people I didn’t know.  It is always a great opportunity to attend VMworld and I am grateful that the company I work for sent me this year.

Here are some notes I took from the conference and links associated with the topic –

• Rebranding – I guess Vmware marketing had to justify there jobs, so they went on a renaming spree.  It was the joke of the conference.
  • vCHS (Cloud Hybrid Service) is now vCloud Air
  • vCloud Suite is now vRealize
    • Matrix of current products and new names – http://vmwaretips.com/wp/2014/08/25/do-you-vrealize-whats-in-a-vname/
    • vCloud Air for Government  Services (FEDRAMP certified) will roll out in US in September

• Vmware’s entrance into the Hyper Converged Infrastructure market (formerly known as Project Marvin) –
  • EVO RAIL – http://up2v.nl/2014/08/25/vmware-announces-evorail-a-turnkey-appliance-offering-sddc-in-a-box-featuring-vsphere-and-virtual-san/
  • EVO RACK – http://cto.vmware.com/evo-rack-tech-preview-vmworld-2014/

• vSphere 6 beta – Publicly announced features
  • Virtual Volumes (VVOLS) – New storage abstraction paradigm and policy based storage management
    • The Technical Deep Dive Session on VVOLS was the most attended at Vmworld.  They recorded it and posted it online for everyone to watch.
  • Fault Tolerance in vSphere 6 will support 4 CPUs
  • vSphere 6 will support cross vCenter vMotion
  • Content Library – Centralized repository for VM templates, scripts, and ISOs
  • vSphere 6 long distance vMotion is enhanced
  • Using VMware NSX, network properties will now be vMotioned as well when using long distance vMotion.
  • Virtual Datacenter – A new abstraction layer that lets you join multiple vSphere clusters together so you can use the same policies across clusters
  • Won’t be released until sometime in 2015.  Vmware has changed there release cycle

• VMware Teams With Docker, Google and Pivotal to Simplify Enterprise Adoption of Containers
  • http://ir.vmware.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=867568

• CloudVolumes – Similar to ThinnApp & App-V but much
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2014/08/cloudvolumes.html

• Vmware Workspace Suite
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/tribalknowledge/2014/08/vmware-continues-set-innovation-agenda-end-user-computing.html
  • AirWatch Secure Contect Locker
  • VMware’s Horizon 6
  • AirWatch Mobility Management Suite
  • VMware Workspace Services

• NSX 6.1 – Network virtualization
  • http://www.vladan.fr/vmware-nsx-for-vsphere-6-1/?utm_content=buffer5603e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

• vSphere Remote Office Branch Office Editions
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/tribalknowledge/2014/08/introducing-vmware-vsphere-remote-office-branch-office-editions.html

• Hands On Lab in a Box – Customers, partners and VMware employees can use the Hands-On Labs offered by VMware for free during for example partner organized events. See it as Lab as a Service.
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/hol/2014/08/hands-labs-box.html

• Introduction of VMware Workspace Suite, a new integrated platform that combines AirWatch by VMware and VMware Horizon
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2014/08/introducing-vmware-workspace-suite.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

• VMware, NVIDIA and Google Collaborate To Deliver Graphics Rich Apps To Enterprise Cloud Desktops
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2014/08/vmware-nvidia-google-working-together-deliver-graphics-rich-applications-enterprise-cloud-desktops.html

• Project Fargo (VMFork) combined with CloudVolumes can create VDI VM’s in seconds.  The combination of Project Fargo + CloudVolumes is internally called Project Meteor.
  • http://up2v.nl/2014/08/26/vmware-announcing-project-fargo-a-technique-for-rapid-cloning-of-running-vms-30-x-faster-vdi-provisioning/
  • Very cool technology, but will be a while before it is released for production

• VMware Integrated OpenStack, a new virtual appliance for simple deployment of OpenStack integrated with vSphere.
  • http://blogs.vmware.com/openstack/tag/vmware-integrated-openstack/

• Keynotes
  • Day 1 – http://youtu.be/wVZf2GKpyWI
  • Day 2 – http://youtu.be/hP48ucnPQnY

• All of the top 10  sessions can be watched for free
  • http://www.vmworld.com/community/conference/us/learn/top-10

• The Vmworld Youtube channel has lots of great videos and daily highlights
  • https://www.youtube.com/vmworldtv

• vBrownbag Opening Acts and Tech Talks
  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaZf13iWhwnBdpIkrEmHLbA

• My Daily Recaps
  • Sunday Recap
  • Monday Recap
  • Tuesday Recap
  • Wednesday Recap

• Here are some pics I took while at the conference – http://1drv.ms/1B1soDo

Lastly, VMware already announced that VMworld 2015 will be Aug 30 -Sept 3 in San Francisco.  After 3 years in a row, I really wish VMworld was going to be at a different location.  No matter where it is, I am always excited to go and can’t wait till next year.

After all the partying that I did Tuesday evening, it was hard for me to getup and get going.

I attended STO2480 – Software Defined Storage – The VCDX Way Part II : The Empire Strikes Back

Then I hung out in the Hang Space a little while before the VMUG Leader Lunch.

A couple months ago I became one of the leaders of the St Louis VMUG, so I had the opportunity to attend the VMUG Leader Luncheon.

• They provided us with a great lunch and a small gift bag.
• An updated was provided on the status of VMUG
• Awards were passed out to various leaders.
• VMware’s top brass was in attendance for Q&A.  Pat Gelsinger CEO, Ben Faithi CTO, and Raghu Raghuram EVP SDDC sat on stage to answer questions.

After the Q&A was over I was able to get a picture with Pat Gelsinger.  This was the highlight of my day.

After the VMUG Leader Lunch I attended EUC1744 – What’s New in VMware Workstation.  I always attend this session.  I use VMware Workstation a lot of love to hear what new features are being added.  The other reason I love to attend this session is because you receive a key for the next release of VMware Workstation.

There was another session I was scheduled to go to today, but I went back to my room and took a nap.  There was no way I was going to be able to go to the VMworld Party if I did not get some rest.

After a good nap I made my way down to Yerba Buena Gardens for the start of the VMworld Party.  After seeing a few thousand people waiting in line at the Moscone North entrance, I decided to see if there was another entrance with a few less people.  I am glad I did, because there was an entrance on Mission street that only have about 30 people waiting.

After getting in I had some food and drinks and watch the entertainment.  I did not stay too long because there was nothing really to hand out that long for.  The food was not that great.  Plus I wanted to be in front of the line when the doors opened for The Back Keys.

I was so glad I left Yerba Buena Gardens early because the line to get into see The Back Keys filled up fast.

Doors finally opened and everyone rushed to the front of the stage.  I am not a huge Black Keys fan, but I like going to concerts.  I thought they put on a good show.  I thought many of there songs sounded a like, but over all it was a good show.

After the show I was invited to go out for drinks, but I had to get up early to fly home the next day, so I went back to the hotel room and instantly fell asleep.