Download the VMworld Europe mobile app

As the ComputerWorld team head out to Barcelona for VMworld Europe we thought it would be a good time to remember everyone to download the VMworld app from the App Store or the Google Play store.  

Apple App Store

​App store >  

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vmworld-2015-europe/id1041563283?mt=8

Play Store > ​

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vmware.vmworld15europe

The VMworld app combines your personalised schedule with information about sponsors, sessions, maps, social media and much more. 

if possible take a portable USB charger to keep your mobile device charged!  

We are looking forward to seeing you all out in Barcelona, let's hope for some sun but it looks like we may get some rain so bring a lightweight coat!  

My Focus for VMworld Barcelona 2015

This year will be my third visit to VMworld in Barcelona and I am determined to make the most of it. Experience has shown that, in order to achieve this it is important to set some objectives, otherwise you get sucked into the confusion of the conference, churned around like an odd sock in a washing machine and then spat out to dry days later on the warm paving slabs of the conference centre plaza.  

The key pre-conference messaging from VMware seem to be that ‘Applications’ should be the focus of the CIO as these are the key way in which organisations can gain competitive advantage. VMware don’t write end user applications so why are they doing this? The reason is that VMware are positioning themselves as the organisation that offer the most stable, resilient, agile and scalable infrastructure to deliver applications to end users wherever they are and whatever device they are using. One aspect of VMware I have always admired is their ability to integrate the technologies they acquire, deep into their existing product portfolio. In 2014 VMware acquired Immidio and Airwatch. These products are now fully integrated into Horizon Suite enabling comprehensive profile management (VMware User Environment Manager) and secure application delivery to any platform (VMware Identity Manager). These are the product, along with VMware’s NSX network virtualisation solution, that we will be hearing more and more about this year.

So, before I get distracted by the latest and greatest from VMware let’s look at my objectives for VMworld 2015. One of the consequences of virtualising the Server and Desktop environments of my clients is that it opens up the options for disaster recovery (DR) considerably. In the days of physical server and desktops, most client's DR plans involved firstly having a good backup (usually not tested) and secondly being able to lay their hands on some suitable hardware if a disaster happened. Virtualisation opens up a whole raft of potential options. These include the use of VMware’s products like vSphere Replication, Site Recovery Manager and the vCloud Air cloud based solutions but also there are a large number of third party solutions within the VMware eco-sphere including Veeam, Zerto and the use of not VMware datacentres such as iland. My objective at VMWorld 2015 is to explore these and other options available to establish how they can be used to build cost effective DR solutions for businesses of all sizes.

I will attempt you let you know my findings on a daily basis but don’t be surprised if I get distracted by the copious amounts of technology, food and drink provided during VMworld 2015