VMware Explore 2024 Barcelona | Keynotes

The energy was palpable on the second day of VMware Explore 2024 in Barcelona. The day kicked off with a General Session that set the stage for a full lineup of learning opportunities, from hands-on labs to partner discussions. However, the highlight was undoubtedly the Keynote, an event brimming with insights on VMware’s evolving vision, driven by its flagship VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and the ongoing Broadcom integration.

Joe Baguley opened the Keynote with a bold, reflective statement: “It’s been a year since the acquisition.” That year has been packed with product advancements, centering on VMware’s core mission while keeping Broadcom’s influence top of mind. The takeover is a constant topic on the show floor, sparking conversations about VMware’s future direction. Baguley made a point to acknowledge the thriving VMware communities. With 1,600 vExperts globally and 150,000 VMware User Group (VMUG) members, VMware’s community has become one of the largest and most dynamic in the tech world.

Hock Tan’s Vision: A Private Cloud-Centric Future

Baguley handed the stage to Hock Tan, CEO and President of Broadcom, who delivered a message resonating deeply with many in attendance: “The future of the enterprise is private.” This sentiment reflects VMware’s strategic shift over the past year. Tan highlighted that Broadcom has condensed an overwhelming 8,000 product lines into four streamlined offerings, making VMware’s software suite more cohesive and customer-focused.

At the heart of this new, consolidated lineup is VMware Cloud Foundation, an integrated platform uniting vSphere, vSAN, and NSX. With an impressive 30 million cores sold this year alone, Broadcom’s influence is making VMware Cloud Foundation more accessible than ever.

Expanding Horizons: VMware’s Hybrid and Sovereign Cloud Offerings

Paul Turner, VMware’s VP of VCF, took over to delve into VMware’s hybrid approach. He showcased the “Sovereign Cloud as a Service,” supported by over 300 VMware Cloud Service Providers. In addition to private clouds, the VMware ecosystem now includes flexible options for workloads across public clouds, courtesy of partnerships with major cloud providers. This hybrid setup ensures workloads and VCF licenses can move seamlessly across on-premises, cloud providers, and public cloud platforms.

Big News for VMware Training and Certification

In a significant move toward inclusivity, VMware has overhauled its training and certification processes. As of May, the $3,000 prerequisite training course for VMware Certified Professional (VCP) certification has been waived, a change designed to remove financial barriers. Today’s Keynote brought even more good news for learners: VCF customers and partners now have access to free online training. For VMUG Advantage subscribers, there’s a 50% discount on VCP and VCAP exams, with the bonus of a free 3-year VCF personal license for those who pass.

Product Announcements: Cloud, AI, and Edge

Baguley returned to the stage to announce several exciting product updates. Google Cloud VMware Engine now supports VMware Live Recovery, adding greater flexibility for cloud disaster recovery. Tanzu Data Services, another fresh addition, brings optimized, highly available data services to VCF, while the new Intelligent Assist for vDefend introduces conversational AI capabilities to enhance cybersecurity triage.

VMware’s Keynote also ventured into edge computing and AI networking with the introduction of VeloRAIN. This innovative offering aims to support real-time processing at the edge without an overwhelming “AI hype” push—an approach that resonated well with attendees weary of the typical industry buzzwords.

Key Takeaways from VMware Explore 2024 General Session

Private Cloud-Centric Vision: Under Broadcom’s leadership, VMware is committed to helping enterprises innovate through private cloud and private-AI solutions, emphasizing the secure use of private data.
Simplified IT Operations with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF): VCF offers a unified platform that combines the scalability and flexibility of the public cloud with the resilience and security of a private cloud. This integration allows businesses to streamline their IT operations effectively, enhancing agility while maintaining robust security.