After a great week in Barcelona it’s time to evaluate what we’ve seen and heard in Barcelona. I’ve attended this event with PQR colleagues and a few of our customers.

VMworld US versus Europe

The last three years I’ve attended VMworld US: for 2017 VMworld Europe was on my agenda. Although US is the bigger event, VMworld Europe is worthy alternative. Of course, in Europe there are fewer session and we have fewer attendees. On the other hand; it’s only a 2 hour flight to Barcelona (instead of 13+ hour to Las Vegas) and the event is focussed on the EMEA region. For EMEA based customer/partners this means that your local VMware team is present at the event and will organise some gatherings throughout the week! They can also help you to set up meetings with some of the VMware hotshots, what gives the week some extra cachet. I think the Benelux team (I’m based in The Netherlands) did a great job with arranging a partner drink, Benelux party and various meetings for both partners and customers. With 800+ attendees from The Netherlands it was great to meet customers and other VMware partners in Barcelona!

Ok, then something about the content of the event. With only one week between VMworld US and VMworld Europe I didn’t expect any additional announcements. Luckily VMware had saved something for Europe, like the new automated lifecycle management feature in vRealize Suite 2017, but most of the exciting stuff was already announced in Las Vegas. This is not really a problem if you ask me, VMworld is much more than announcing new features/alliances/products etc.

The keynotes of US and Europe were almost the same…with a nice twist in the day one keynote. Community friend and API/SDK/CLI product line manager Alan Renouf was invited to the main stage, to show us the “virtual virtual datacenter”.

Time to head home after a mad #VMworld! Certainly one of my best yet. Now to plan how to get on stage next year. pic.twitter.com/wZxWAVK4FD — Alan Renouf (@alanrenouf) September 14, 2017

The virtual virtual datacenter was developed during the hackaton and is a Virtual Reality presentation of a vSphere environment, including a connection to VMware vCloud on AWS (more on that later). The virtual virtual datacenter allowed VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger to enter the datacenter using VR goggles. Great stuff, and also superb to see Alan on stage, well done!

About the changed vision and new cloud services

Last year VMware changed the vision when it comes to cloud. Where VMware previously talked about one cloud or the unified hybrid cloud; at VMworld 2016 the one cloud mantra was exchanged for any cloud. So Any Device, Any Application, Any Cloud; this means VMware embraces a multi cloud strategy.

“It’s an architecture,” Gelsinger concluded, “that allows customers to simplify and accelerate their digital transformation.” It is an architecture that responds directly to the biggest challenges customers face by offering simplicity, cloud freedom, and control

As a result VMware introduced the cross-cloud architecture and cross-cloud services. Now a year later it was good to see the services that are actually available! VMware Cloud Services is a comprehensive set of cloud based solutions that includes tools for discovery, analysis, network connectivity, security and automation. These services add functionality to existing cloud solutions like AWS and Microsoft Azure. Think of SaaS like services, that connect into the AWS- or Azure cloud, and provide you with additional insights or improved network- and security features in the case of NSX Cloud.

Let’s also not forget one of the big announcements in Vegas on VMware Cloud on AWS (VMConAWS). This new offering allows you to run a Software Defined Datacenter (SDDC) as-a-service. I will be exiciting to see how this service will develop, which customers will be onboarded and what this will mean, from a competition standpoint, for IBM, and vCloud Air Network (vCAN) partners. I’ve published an article that includes the most common questions on VMConAWS, click here if you want to learn more!

A full overview of the VMware Cloud Services is available through cloud.vmware.com. I particularly like the previously mentioned NSX-Cloud, Wavefront and AppDefense. Also worth a look is VM Automation, currently in tech-preview. I wrote a blogpost on this new solution that was discussed during the day two keynote.

My personal highlights

Although the whole week was great, there are some highlights for me personally that I want to share with you:

We had some private sessions with some of the VMware hotshots. Mister Jad El-Zein (Principal Technical Architect at VMware) shared some insights on the future of vRealize Automation. We also had an very interesting session on AppDefense with Tom Corn, SVP Security Products at VMware.

I had a very good “meet the experts” session with one of the founders of Wavefront. Wavefront is a very cool new solution in the cloud services portfolio of VMware. You can start a free 30 day trial here.

For a good overview of the container (management) landscape I recommended a session by Scott Lowe: Navigating through the container ecosystem (will be available as on-demand session soon).

Let’s don’t forget the swag, like: the vExpert goody back, VCDX laserpointer/presenter/battery, a free signed copy of Frank’s and Niels’s Host Deep Dive book at Rubrik (although you had to had some patience…see the length of the waiting line below), a nice Patagonia Cohesity branded backpack for vExperts…and more.

#VMworld Thanks for all the great discussions, meeting old and new friends. Thanks for creating an insane line TWICE during the book signing pic.twitter.com/qUd5dY2kTM — Frank Denneman (@FrankDenneman) September 15, 2017

PQR = VMware – and last, but not least it was just great to visit VMworld together with PQR customers and colleagues. We had a great week together, visiting the VMworld conference itself but also at the different get-togethers and networking events.

VMworld US and Europe meet Utrecht!

If you were not able to attend VMworld US and/or Europe and you’re from The Netherlands (or at least, you speak Dutch), you might want to attend the PQR VMworld Update session: “Las Vegas y Barcelona meet Utrecht”. This session will take place October 13th @ the VMware HQ in Utrecht, The Netherlands and is organised by PQR. If you want to attend this free event, register here (detailed agenda here).

That’s it for now. I’m looking back to a great VMworld Europe 2017 and I hope to CU all next year!