Now that the VMworld EU 2012 is over, I can can summarize what I’ve liked and what not in this big event, as also done with the VMworld US 2012.
The best moments and aspects where:
- Networking with other people is (IMHO) the main reason to attend at this kind of event. Was a pleasure and an honor know new people and see again old friends.
- vBrownBag TechTalks: started with the VMworld US 2012, this kind of speech is interesting and the level is quite good!
- VMware Office of the CTO event: great event with a lot of great people.
- vExpert/VCDX/Office of the CTO Meeting: big event, lot of people! Was a pity that was only a single event and not three different like at San Francisco.
- VMUG Party (Monday): really awsome.
- VMUG Lunch (Wed): always interesting with the discussions and on own table there was also Steve Herrod.
- vExpert Meeting with the two CEO and also the CTO of VMware.
- Keynotes (especially the second one).
- The possibly to take exams with 50% of discount, directly at the event (or to book them and take until the end of year).
- Barcelona itself! See some pictures about it.
Not so bad, but also not so good:
- Time-frame: I think that europe deserve a four day VMware event (excluded the partner day). Also I think that is not so good to have this event less than 2 months after the US edition. Why not bring back on February (or March), after or before the PEX? In this case the partner day could really become a small “European PEX”.
- Information: some (but just few) information were not well provided. Especially before the event.
- Sessions: some where very good, other maybe not so technical, or at least they do not match the declared technical level. The selection was hard in the CFP, why do not validate also the technical level?
- Food: was better than San Francisco edition, but IMHO worst than Copenhagen. Food was always the same each day. But to be honest, the food at the VMworld Party was really good!
- VMware Community: almost good, but IMHO something has been lost in the organization and in the coverage. For example, previous year there were also some slot on the live channel in other languages than the English (here what we have done in Italian with the VMUG IT from VMworld).
Worst moments and aspects:
- Location: Maybe too big and too much shift between the campus. And some places were not well signed in the map (like the certification or the partner lounge). Was a pity that wasn’t in the Fira 1 area, closer to the downtown.