VMWorld 2009 Day 2: Monday

Day two of PTAB started off with yet another hot topic: security.  We got some good insight into vmSafe and products that are being developed.  Discussed pros and cons for both large and SMB customers with some really interesting insights.  Funny moment of the conversation: Scott Lowe channeling Edward Haletky.

The conversation heated up even more as we discussed the server virtualization competitive landscape.  I’m sure you can imagine how this conversation went (marketing vs. technology, does VMware = Novell, etc.).  Eric Gray presented a very humorous approach to the Microsoft SCVMM claim of a single pane of glass (see the blog version here: http://www.vcritical.com/2009/08/single-pane-of-glass-hyper-v-edition/).

Finished off PTAB with View reference architecture and data center services delivery discussions.

PTAB, once again, was a great experience.  I hope VMware will prioritize funding for it in the future.  I think it really benefits both groups.

The afternoon was dedicated to labs for PowerCLI and Lab Manager.   The first was great.  A perfect way to gain basic knowledge of how to use the framework, especially if you have any sort of scripting background.  The Lab Manager lab would’ve been good had the system not been unbearably slow.  It was hard to tell, but I think it may have been a storage problem.   Whatever it was, it caused me to leave early.

The evening began with the Welcome Reception, which was absolutely packed!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so full.  Spent most of the time chasing down people I hadn’t seen since Partner Exchange or VMWorld 2008.  All great people worth talking to.  I also spent some time introducing customers and co-workers to other people.  I ended up the Reception in the Communities area in time for the Tweetup.  Met many great people that now have faces (as opposed to avatars) associated with their names.  Things there wrapped up as John Troyer pulled me into a live interview in his fish bowl. Watch it here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/2084587.

The wife and I finished off the night at the HP Partner reception, which was held at a very nice wine bar called the Press Club.  HP and VMware gave a great speech/raffle, the highlight of which was a video of ordinary people on the street being asked to describe channel partner related terms (example: “What is a VAR?”  Ordinary person: “A cross between a van and a car”).  It was a well produced and humorous video.  I ran into a couple of fellow PTAB members, and even had the chance to chat with Carl Eschenbach (during which I really promoted the PTAB).

Two days of VMWorld down so far, and every minute was busy and worthwhile.

More to come tomorrow…`

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