Networking, Socializing, and Other Fun Opportunities at VMworld 2021 – Cloud Blog – VMware

Missing your VMworld friends in person? We are too. For this year’s all-digital event, you’ll find lots of ways to catch up with past pals and meet new ones. (And of course, we haven’t forgotten the swag.)  You’ll also find lots of learning opportunities and fun ways to test your skills and explore new ones.  

From VMUG events to this year’s Hackathon, there are lots of ways to connect, learn, and be inspired at VMworld 2021, October 5-7. 

First things first—what to know ahead of the show 

• Make sure you’re registered! Save your spot today. 
• The VMware User Group, or VMUG, is hosting a webcast on Thursday, Sept. 30 to help attendees get the most out of VMworld 2021. Attend to see highlights of VMUG activities and the VMworld platform. 
• Check out VMUG’s hub for all things VMworld, including watch parties and places to chat. 
• Bookmark sessions you’re interested in attending from the content catalog, so you won’t miss a thing. Review the different session types you’ll see in this article and in the content catalog, ranging from Solution Keynotes to Breakout Sessions, Tech+ Tutorials, Meet the Experts, Hands-on Labs, and more. 
• Follow VMware Cloud on Twitter, where we’ll be providing real-time reminders and live-tweeting top tips and key takeaways. 

During the show: socializing 

There’s always time for fun and connection at VMworld, even digitally. Here are some ways to find old friends and meet new ones.  

Visit the VMUG Lounge for casual conversation during Days 1 and 2 (register here), plus find a Watch Party near you and explore the Demo Zone. Sign up as a VMUG member for your free VMworld 2021 pass and you’ll be entered to win a Peloton bike. 

Join the VMworld 2021 Slack and connect with people in the #vmware-community channel. Find your VMware community among vExperts, bloggers, Champions, developers, VMUG and in the VMware Technology Network. Learn about and join the community groups that interest you, hear technical community members talk about cool projects they’re working on, and have some fun with entertainment and networking discussions.  

Don’t miss the Entertainment Zone, where you can choose from a schedule of Italian, Mexican, or deconstructed cooking classes, a mixology course featuring a signature drink, poker lessons, and more. 

During the show: learning and exploration 

VMworld remains the place to learn about what’s new and what’s next in IT infrastructure, and that’s true in digital format too. You can explore product and solution session in the Content Catalog, plus check out these other ways to learn from colleagues and practitioners. 

The Solutions Exchange you’ve known and loved is now consolidated together with the VMware Cloud Marketplace—a platform where you can discover and deploy third-party, open-source, and even first-party solutions directly to VMware environments. It’s now a one-stop shop to check out what’s new. 

Once you’re registered for VMworld, you’re also automatically signed up for Code Connect, a companion event taking place October 5 and 6, with 35 total live sessions, divided into IT Automation and Kubernetes tracks. Check out the agenda and follow @vmwarecode on Twitter for daily updates. 

To see what the vBrownBag community is up to this year, stay tuned here and on their YouTube channel for live, 10-minute tech talks during VMworld 2021. 

And to learn more about ongoing networking, learning and socializing through VMUG, check out their sessions during VMworld 2021: 

• Decoding VMUG [IC2827S]: Hosted by VMUG President Steve Athanas, this session breaks down VMUG into four key points that define its community of global VMware enthusiasts: voices, membership, unique stories, and global. 
• In IT Together [IC2826S]: Find out what the VMware User Group is and what you can get out of joining. You may have heard of this global community, but maybe no one has asked you to join yet. This jam-packed session explores the many facets of the expansive community of VMware enthusiasts. You will find programs and education that will advance your career and allow you to connect and build relationships with global VMware users. Hear from VMUG President Steve Athanas and several others in the community on how you can get involved. Consider this your personal invitation to join. 
• Learn More about VMUG, VMware, and… Turtles? [IC2828S] Join this LIVE session with Steve Athanas to learn how VMUG can help you level up your career through educational and volunteer opportunities, plus access to VMware experts like VMware executives, top technical SMEs, and even turtle experts! Joining Steve will be Jeff Goodall, VMware turtle expert and a contributor to VMUG. Steve and Jeff will explain how to become a VMUG member and get the most out of your membership – with a small bite of VMware turtle trivia! 
• Back to Our Future: Community Roundtable on the VDI Admin Role Development [EUS2461] For career exploration, try this VDIscover Experience session on how VDI admins can develop their skills for a career path in desktop and app virtualization down the road. Brian Madden hosts a roundtable of community VDI experts to offer insights on developing this role and tips to make you standout. 
• Achieving Happiness: The Quest for Something New [IC1484] This conference staple now reflects the changes in how we live and work due to the pandemic—with many things out of our control. How can we can influence our personal happiness, career trajectory, and brand in different ways than we did before? See how you can evolve your brand and career in 2021 through alignment to your individual happiness with Steve Athanas and VMware Chief Technologist Amanda Blevins 

At the show: test your skills 

VMworld remains a great place to show off the skills you’ve gained—and, who are we kidding, see if you can win a prize. Check out these opportunities. 

The VMworld Hackathon will take place virtually again this year, with an hour and a half set aside on Oct 5 for live presentations by our teams and judging.  

The 2021 VMworld Challenge is also set for this year and will go live as soon as the event platform does on Tuesday morning, October 5. Go to “Entertainment Zone” to get started. To play, you’ll complete a series of actions like watching the solution keynotes, visiting sponsors, taking a Hands-On Lab, and more. Both general and Tech+ pass holders can attend, and you’ll win the prize within each tier if you do all the actions (while supplies last; notification via email). The grand prize, given to 10 winners via drawing, is a VMworld 2022 pass for either U.S. or Europe. 

The Odyssey Challenge from Hands-On Labs is available anytime, so you can test your skills and knowledge on everything from NSX and SD-WAN to vRealize for operations and automation training—then check the leaderboard to see how you did and decide what to learn next. (Hands-on labs are available to all VMworld 2021 pass holders, but guided workshops are also available for Tech+ Pass holders.) 

See you there! 

If you haven’t already, make sure you register today to save your spot and access all these sessions and more at VMworld 2021. If you have a question, reach out to us directly and our team of experts can help.