I know most of you reading this are probably all too familiar with VMworld here in the states. But have you been or paid any attention to VMworld Europe taking place in Cannes, France? I was lucky enough to attend last year, along with nearly 4,500 other folks. The show had a slightly different feel to it back then, but I must say, I was able to learn a lot during that year at VMworld Europe -- one reason was the ability to actually get into almost everything I wanted without a problem. Specifically, it was cool to be able to walk into the hands-on labs without the restriction of only being able to sign up in advance for two labs during registration. I'm not sure if the same will be said with the '09 show, but it was certainly a breath of fresh air during VMworld Europe '08.
Anyway, more information about this year's event came out. As expected, VMware's CEO Paul Maritz and CTO Dr. Stephen Herrod are going to be giving the keynote addresses. Dr. Wolfgang Krips, Managing Director at SAP Hosting will also be taking the stage.
VMware has secured nine leading vendors as Platinum sponsors of the event. And headline sponsors include CA, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, EMC, HP, IBM, Intel, NetApp and Symantec. Along with these nine companies, VMware has secured nearly 70 other exhibitors.
The show takes place again at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes between February 24-26. And this year, they are expecting more than 5,000 attendees. Not too many more than the previous year, but hey, the economy is taking a beating everywhere right now, and sending IT folks to a trade show just isn't at the top of everyone's list right now. And with more than 15,000 people having just attended VMworld 2008 US a few months ago, these numbers seem more than respectable.
VMworld Europe 2009 will feature:
- Keynotes from senior VMware executives and industry thought leaders on the latest trends and developments in virtualization adoption
- A significant breakout program including solution tracks, hands-on labs, ‘genius bars’, product and technology demonstrations and specific sessions for partners, developers, press and analysts
- A Solutions Exchange showcasing new products and technology innovations from the leading players in the virtualization market covering Enterprises through to Small and Medium Businesses
- Hands-on Labs providing an opportunity to explore the newest VMware software in a practical, hands-on setting. Sessions will include developing virtualization solutions for security, test and development, virtual desktop infrastructure and disaster recovery.
- A comprehensive Press and Analyst Track, offering exclusive access to executives and in-depth briefings on the key show announcements
- VMware Partner Day dedicated to educating partners looking to build their business around virtual infrastructure.
For more information on VMworld Europe 2009 please visit www.vmworld.com/europe.