It's hard to believe, but VMworld 2016 is right around the corner, August 28th.  This year, they've relocated the conference for the first time in a number of years because of the construction going on at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.  So get ready, this year's virtualization pilgrimage takes us back to Las Vegas, NV for the first time since 2011 -- this time, bringing it to the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Conference Center.

Have you registered already?  Have you started making plans?  Don't delay too long, as everything books up quickly! 

VMblog is fortunate to be attending again this year, and we'll be bringing video interviews and information from the conference to our VMworld 2016 Events page.  I hope to see a lot of familiar faces this year -- as this event has become like a high school reunion for me... if the high school happened to be centered around VMware virtualization.

First things first.  If you aren't registered, you can't go. 

[ Also make sure to read our VMworld 2016 Survival Guide for Tips and Key Takeaways ]

Registration

Registration kicked off back in May, so if you've waited until now, you unfortunately missed the early bird discount rate.

Regular prices are:

• $1995, for Individual
• $1795, for Alumni
• $1595, for Education
• $1695, for Government
• $1895, for VCP and VMUG Advantage
  

Click here to register and get started.

Convince the Boss to Send You

Does the price tag have your head spinning?  Need to convince your company to send you, free of charge?  Or just convince them to give you the time off?

VMware helps you with building out your business case.  Download their "Convince your boss" proposal to get started.  Honestly, I don't know if the wording here will "move" anyone's boss into giving funding approval, but it does at least help set the stage for the conversation and lay out a number of reasons.  For sure, you're going to want to make it your own and tweak the language, as it is obviously written in a generic sense.  I.e. don't just cut/paste and send, there are some blanks to fill in, and again, the language is formal and generic rather than conversational.  Good luck!

Okay, you've received permission and better yet, approval of funds to go!  Before you head out, make sure you check out the content catalog and see where you can gain value in your education.

VMworld 2016 Content Catalog is Live

The session catalog is live but the Schedule Builder won't be available until July 19th.  So get prepared by browsing the catalog to see what's available in the coming days so that you can get a jump start on creating your agenda.

As of this writing, there are 658 sessions this year which can be broken down into the following types:

• 407 - Breakout sessions
• 33 - Hands-on Labs Expert-led Workshop
• 70 - Hands-on Labs Self-paced Lab
• 10 - Partner Exchange Boot Camp
• 37 - Partner Exchange Breakout Session
• 2 - Partner Exchange Expert-led Workshop
• 3 - Partner Exchange Keynote
• 24 - Quick Talks
• 26 - Solution Exchange Theater
• 4 - Spotlight Sessions

Anyone who has submitted a conference speaking session for VMworld knows that it has become quite difficult as the years go on to get one approved.  Out of the 407 breakout sessions this year, the vast majority of those appear to be once again led by VMware speakers exclusively (around 253).  Follow that with those sessions identified as coming from a paid vendor sponsorship (which looks to be around 62 sessions) and those from VMware with a customer or partner (I quit counting as my head was about to explode searching), and you are left with a small number of sessions granted to those individuals that don't fit into the VMware or paid vendor categories.

Click here to visit the VMworld 2016 Catalog

VMworld 2016 Backpack

Every year, full conference attendees receive a VMworld backpack when you pickup your conference badge at registration.  These bags have morphed in one way or another over the years, where something about it brings out the positive or negative in each of us.  I've had some bags that were cheaply made and ripped before the end of the conference, and I've gotten other bags that were useful and held up nicely (FWIW, I still use my VMworld 2012 bag at every conference I attend). 

If you're wondering what this year's backpack will look like, wait no more!  Take a look at this video:

Some people I've spoken to love the new bag, others... hated it.  Again, haters gonna hate.  Don't like the bag?  Don't bring it home.  Or better yet, don't take one!  Either way, this is the new bag.

Before you head out, one other tidbit of information people like to know ahead of time is "What band is playing at the party this year?"

VMworld Party - Musical Guest

Much like the bag, this is another area where people are going to comment whether they like something or not.  And I'm not above it.  I've been pretty vocal, online or offline about whether or not I liked the band.  Again, the answer is pretty simple.  Don't listen if you don't like it.  That's what I've always done anyway.  In the past, I've given bands a shot... sometimes, I come away not realizing how much I liked someone's music.  Other times, I didn't care for it, so I checked out the rest of the party instead (yes, there is usually a lot of other stuff going on besides the concert).  

In the past, we've heard from these bands:

• 2015 - San Francisco - Neon Trees and Alabama Shakes
• 2014 - San Francisco - The Black Keys
• 2013 - San Francisco - Train and Imagine Dragons
• 2012 - San Francisco - Jon Bon Jovi and Kings of Suburbia
• 2011 - Las Vegas - The Killers
• 2010 - San Francisco - INXS
• 2009 - San Francisco - Foreigner
• 2008 - Las Vegas - Tainted Love (cover band)
• 2007 - San Francisco - Smash Mouth

This year, I'm not exactly thrilled with the selection.  Mostly because I've already seen this band play just two months earlier at the Citrix Synergy 2016 event.  VMware announced the bands already, so this isn't a scoop unless you haven't yet heard: Fall Out Boy.  Although I have to say my kids were pretty jealous that they weren't there to see them.

VMware announced:

Get Ready to Groove: We’re thrilled to announce our musical lineup for the VMworld Party! Grammy-nominated band Fall Out Boy will be headlining the event, while indie electro band Capital Cities will open the festivities. 

Capital Cities

Fall Out Boy

Hope to see you at the show!  I always enjoy meeting new people.  So please, if you see me, stop me and say hello and introduce yourself.  We'll be the guys wearing the black VMblog polo shirts!  :) 

Up next, read our VMworld 2016 survival guide which is filled with tips and takeaways to help make the most of your VMworld event.