For those who will be attending VMworld 2013 US, which is the magical 10th conference for VMware, I wanted to share some places you can come say hello, score one of my buttons, and win free stuff! After all, there’s 20,000+ folks at the event and seemingly miles of floor space to navigate, so I might as well make it a tad easier on you, yes?
First off I’m going to offer a tiny PSA. Let it be known for those who have not visited the Moscone Center before that it’s a sprawling affair. What seems like a few inches on a map ends up being a long hike by foot. Plan your migrations from one side of the campus to another with care, especially when you have a time commitment to make for a session or discussion.
The VMworld map is shown below, with the main points of interest being marked in blue: Moscone West, North, and South.
- South will house the Solutions Exchange (sponsors / vendors), Hands-on Labs (HoL), the Hang Space, bookstore, and certification center.
- North will have the general session (sometimes called the plenary session), meals, and a BYOD Lab Hot Spot for HoL.
- West will be a variety of registration, breakout sessions, group discussions, more meals, and another BYOD Lab Hot Spot for HoL.
There’s an underground walkway that leads from North to South, which is usually nicer than braving the traffic on Howard Street (and I often see people I know in the hall).
Come Say Hello!
Here’s a few of the places you can find me while at the conference. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, I think it represents many of the public areas where you’re more than likely going to be anyway. 🙂
The Hang Space
Most of the mornings I will try to check in to the Hang Space in Moscone South to take a pulse on the activity and socialize. Don’t worry, there’s no guard on the door or anything too weird – it’s basically a giant room with all sorts of creature comforts. Here’s a run down:
[the] Hang Space will feature many perks such as a VMware Social Media & Communities Bar (support, certification, consulting, careers, etc.), self-service community video space, social media jumbo screens, recreational games, charging stations, lounge seating and drinks & snacks. (source)
It’s a good spot to duck into when you need to recharge (mentally or electronically) and meet folks in the community. You can also watch one of many awesome Tech Talks hosted by the good folks over at vBrownBag and their sponsors. Keep an eyeball on Twitter (@ChrisWahl) and make sure to say hello!
The Solutions Exchange
I plan to spend a significant chunk of time chatting with various sponsors of the show to catch up on their plans for world domination in Moscone South. Perhaps even some ad-hoc recorded chats with the rockstars that we all know and love? If you see me roaming around the floor, feel free to hit me up for a fist bump or a button. 🙂
The Ask the Expert VCDX Session (VSVC4570)
You can also heckle me and four other VCDXs at the “Ask the Expert VCDX” (VSVC4570) session on Wednesday at 2PM PST in Moscone West Room 3018. If you didn’t get a chance to register for the session, which is full, try for the waiting line. It opens just before the session starts, and typically many folks who register don’t end up coming for some reason or another.
I’ll stick around for a while afterwards to socialize, answer questions, and hand out more buttons (of course). Make sure to spread the word on #VSVC4570 or #VCDX via the Twitters.
You Mentioned Buttons?
Oh yeah, buttons! I’ll have mountains of brand new Wahl Network buttons to give away.
They are 1.25″ and proudly feature my logo with a glossy finish, along with my twitter handle and website along the edge. This is a limited batch – I don’t like to make the same button design twice, so don’t miss out on this exclusive swag.
And Win Prizes!
I’m bringing along a pair of TrainSignal backpacks filled with swag and a month of free training. Below are photos of all the coolness.
Want one? Here’s how to enter for a chance to win:
- Tweet a photo of yourself at the VMworld conference wearing a Wahl Network button
- Use the hashtag #WahlNetwork so we know you entered
- Creativity counts! (but try not to get arrested or do anything too creepy)
You can also opt to use the Twitter button below if you want to be ultra lazy 🙂
Winners will be announced via Twitter at 10 AM PST on Tuesday (8/27) and Wednesday (8/28).
- I’ll be in the Hang Space with the winnings.
- If the winner doesn’t show up after 10 minutes, I’ll pick another winner until someone takes the swag bag.
Good luck!
