Enabling cloud computing. Virtualizing business critical applications. Moving end-user computing into the post-PC era. Selling to small-and-midsized business. You’ll learn more about these topics from experienced VMware alliance partners during the breakout sessions at this year’s VMware Partner Exchange (PEX).

There’s nothing like in-depth knowledge of customer engagements to help everyone in our VMware Partner Network maximize opportunities. And there’s nothing like hearing first hand from experts about how your specific business might benefit.

Take a minute to review the daily sessions, and then add the right ones for you to your PEX schedule:

NetApp – Get the details on virtualizing various business-critical applications—Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server, SharePoint, Oracle and SAP—using NetApp and VMware solutions

Dell - Turn expertise into profit by teaming up with Dell PartnerDirect and Intel

EMC – Learn more about the journey and accelerating your business with the cloud 

Cisco – Attend a panel discussion about transforming customer datacenters and developing business-critical solutions that address the virtualized workspace

HP – Gain further insight as market research firm Enterprise Strategy Group teams with HP to discuss converged storage



Whether you go to all five PEX breakout sessions or just one, I know every session you attend will be an hour well spent. Also don't forget that each of the VMware Global Diamond Sponsors is offering a full day boot camp on Monday Feb 13 with some incredible speakers and training material.

-Brian Forbes, Sr. Director of Alliance Marketing

We are excited to announce some of the party specifics and band.

Make your way to the Palazzo Ballroom at 7:00pm for cocktails and food while networking with your peers. You can connect with old friends, make new ones and enjoy the ambiance before you hear these momentous words...

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome…………the Barenaked Ladies!

Yes, the band that has brought such hits as One Week, Thanks That Was Fun and It’s Only Me will be playing just for you and your colleagues.

It promises to be an exciting evening full of good food, great drinks and one of the hottest rock bands playing today.

VMware Partner Exchange 2012 promises to be bigger and better than ever! Get the Top Reasons to attend this year's event from some of VMware's biggest partner advocates.

VMware Partner Exchange is three (3) weeks away and we don’t want you to miss out! 

“Why?”

The IT industry is embarking on a major transformation as it relates to cloud computing. Partner Exchange, our annual partner event, will help you grow and evolve your business for the new cloud era. It Starts Here!

“Still on the fence about registering?”

Well, all partners who register by Friday, February 3 will be entered to win a free hotel suite upgrade and special VIP transportation to and from the airport.  (If you are already registered, simply log back into your Partner Exchange account and accept the terms and conditions under the “Privacy” tab.)

Here are just some other reasons why you should register today for Partner Exchange:

• Special hotel rates at the Venetian and Palazzo ends Friday, January 27.

• Attend over 175 unique breakout sessions, including a new Professional Development Track delivered by VMware and industry experts, with sessions focused on sales best practices, business development strategies, 50+ in-depth pre/post-sales technical sessions providing deployment best practices across VMware solutions and more and more.

• Pre-conference boot camps are filling up quickly, and this is your opportunity to attend over 15 special sessions offered FREE or at significant savings of up to 60%.

• Hear from VMware Chief Executive Officer, Paul Maritz and Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President of R&D, Dr. Stephen Herrod will discuss how they see the market and VMware’s business changing in 2012.

• Meet with 80+ sponsors and exhibitors in the Solutions Exchange, where you will find the latest technologies.

We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas.

If you're coming to the VMware Partner Exchange in Vegas this year and you are active on any social networks, we invite you to sign up on "The List." We've compiled these lists at previous VMworlds, and they've been a great success. 

Simply fill out your name and where you hang out socially -- Twitter, blog, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, or any other links that are relevant to finding you online. (Foursquare? Instagram? Why not? I added my about.me page that compiles all my accounts.) Of course, feel free to just share the links you're comfortable sharing. 

The List allows us all to follow each other at the show and is a good way to meet new people and reconnect with peers you've met at other events. For PEX, we've made it even easier to sign up: simply fill out the form below and you're all set. To view the entire list, go to http://bit.ly/pexsocialites

At the conference, be sure to come by the Community Lounge. We'll have a comfortable place to sit, power, and connectivity there. VMware VIPs will be dropping by all week for some informal interaction, and we'll have a our official PEX tweet-up Tuesday afternoon during the Hall Crawl. Check out our list of gatherings, tweetups, and parties and stay tuned to this blog for more information on this year's Partner Exchange.

We're looking forward to seeing old friends and making new connections. If I'm squinting at you, I'm trying to figure out if you look like your online avatar!

- John Mark Troyer
Sr Social Media Evangelist 

As most of you know, we keep many of our biggest VMware Partner Network program announcements under wraps until Partner Exchange, but today we’ve decided to break the rules because this news is just too big to keep secret!

To convey our appreciation of your sales efforts and our willingness to invest in your continued success, we’reexcited to announce optimized VMware rewards to increase your profitability in 2012. The new program features and the rich rewards are extraordinary!  To pique your interest, I’ll quickly highlight three key areas of interest to entice you learn more:

Double Incentives
That’s right – 2X higher. With our enhanced advantage+ and Solution Rewards programs, you now have the opportunity to double your incentives in 2012!

Huge Market Opportunity  
Despite the tremendous success we’ve jointly shared over the years, our internal analysis shows that there are still many new customers out there that we have not yet reached, and our 300,000+ existing customer base represents a great opportunity for our broadest solution portfolio yet. We believe this represents a multi-billion dollar market opportunity for our partners.

Solution Competencies 
We are more committed than ever in delivering Solution Competencies as a fundamental driver for partner differentiation, increased sales opportunities, profitability and rewards. Our mutual investment in Solution Competencies is the key to unlocking your new opportunities, doubled incentives and your continued success with VMware solutions and services.

You can start taking advantage of these new offerings on February 1, 2012!

Please visit Partner Central to learn the specific details.We hope that you share our great excitement over these new program changes and will capitalize on this extraordinary opportunity! 

-Scott Aronson
Senior Vice President Global Channels and Alliances

On January 24th we introduced the VMware Solution Exchange– a single destination site for partners to share their compatible VMware applications and cloud infrastructure products. 

The VMware Solution Exchange (VSX) allows customers to discover, evaluate and expedite the buying process.   Customers can easily explore VMware partner solutions and developer-provided virtual appliances in a single location, download collateral, get free trials, watch a demonstration, rate & review, and engage directly with the partner or developer.

For partners, the VSX simplifies how they work with VMware, providing a unified, self-service go-to-market portal that has a single interface and integrated view of their joint products and solutions, product reviews and lead management.  Partners can create accounts, list their VMware products or solutions, upload collateral, and offer free trials through self-serviced, password protected go-to-market portal.  Partners are also able to get leads, manage customer interest, enable multiple users and organize information in an intuitive manner with a well-framed admin interface which affords password protection.

The proliferation of social media has evolved the way many people use the Internet to discover and information.   The VSX looks to provide a familiar social experience, by empowering customers to use search tools, explore rich multimedia content, and directly engage with partners and developers to help ease the process of finding the right solution for their business.

Here are some additional resources:
 Watch this video about the VMware Solution Exchange with Sheryl Sage,  Director Alliance Programs  and Kristen Edwards, Sr. Manager Alliance Programs.

 Read partner and industry support (link to quote sheet)

 Review the VMware Solution Exchange press release!

 List your solution in the VSX – Register Now!

 Market your VSX listing in the VMware TAP blog.

 Submit blog posting link to vsxalliance@vmware.com.

 Experience the marketing potential of the VSX at VMware booth at PEX EXPO, Las Vegas.

 Learn how to get the most from the VSX at the VSX session at Technology Exchange track.

 VSX questions? Email us

-Sheryl Sage
Director, VMware Alliances Programs

I would like to personally invite you to attend a two-hour session featuring inspiring women at VMware Partner Exchange, on Monday, February 13th from 5-7 PM at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas for:  "Women of Purpose: It Starts Here with You!  Your Cloud, Your Life, Our Women".

Our third annual Women of Purpose event continues to be an experience you will not want to miss.  This is an incredible opportunity for you to foster new relationships and hear from distinguished women in our emerging industry. Our session will showcase how our distinguished panel of executives have once again redefined their career journey to now include Cloud Computing.

The Panel will be led by VMware’s JJ DiGeronimo and Colleen Kapase.

Our Distinguished Panel includes the following women:
• Siki Guinta, Global VP, Cloud Computing, Computer Science Corporatation
• Laura-Beth Hatem, VP Marketing, iLand
• Renee Bergeron, VP Managed Services & Cloud, Ingram Micro

We've received phenomenal feedback on this event from year's past, and we know that participating in this year's VMware Partner Exchange Women of Purpose event will not disappoint! Some of the benefits of this experience include:
• The opportunity to meet and interact with other women leaders within the partner community
• Learn how other women are leading organizations into Cloud Computing and how the role of IT is changing
• Gain information from executives as they share their career journeys and life milestones

Eligible attendees should have received an invitation after registering for VMware Partner Exchange. So, be sure to register today:
Women of Purpose: It Starts Here with You!  Your Cloud, Your Life, Our Women
Monday, February 13th- The Venetian Hotel, Delfino 4003/4004/4103/4104
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Women of Purpose Executive Customer Panel, Roundtable & Reception.

We look forward to seeing you there!
Must be registered to attend PEX in order to register for
this program.

Got a question for the VMware Women of Purpose Panel? Questions on career advancement? How you can have a bigger impact in 2012? Do you have a desire to have inspiring, motivating and energizing conversations with Women in technology? Respond by Wednesday, Feb 1st to include your questions for the panel with an email to spatel@vmware.com.

-Sonal Patel
Co-founder & Director, Women of Purpose
Sr.National Partner Manager for AdvizeX Technologies & World Wide Technology

Last year at Partner Exchange, we announced the launch of VMware Partner Network Specializations – a designation that recognizes & rewards our partners’ investment and expertise in vertical markets. In 2011 we launched three Specialization programs: Federal, Academic and Healthcare. Each program was designed to deliver unique sales and marketing benefits to our vertical market focused partners. Our Federal and Academic programs also provided partners with access to restricted, discounted SKUs.  I am pleased to report that over 3000 partners worldwide have achieved Specialized recognition!
 
If your business focuses on vertical markets, we have some great offerings at Partner Exchange that you will not want to miss!

•  Over 12 Specializations breakout sessions focused on extending our partner’s reach in these vertical markets.

•  Scheduled round table discussions and focus groups creating unique opportunities to network with key VMware leaders focused on these vertical markets.
 
Whether learning  about VMware-specific Healthcare or Federal Government Solutions, or how to leverage State & Local Government and Education funding opportunities. I hope you will join us as we continue to drive our joint success by recognizing your unique investments in market verticals.
 
For more information on Partner Exchange sessions, search our content catalog by vertical market here
 
To learn more about the VMware Partner Network Specializations, click the Partner Central links below:

Academic Specialization
Healthcare Specialization
Federal Specialization

-Doug Smith
VP, Partner Strategy & Operations

Schedule builder is now live!

Now you can view a full listing of the current Breakout Sessions, organize your days and sign-up for the sessions you want to attend using our schedule builder. Most sessions will be repeated at least once and we will be adding additional sessions based on popularity, so if it is full, check back.

Start building your VMware Partner Exchange itinerary now- log into your account, select the ‘Sessions’ tab and start adding sessions.
 
 
During Partner Exchange, you will be able to add a session to your schedule up to two hours prior to the session start time. Session rooms will open approximately 25 minutes before the start of a session and close 5 minutes to the start of the session. There will be NO stand-by line, so please make sure to register for the sessions you plan on attending.
 
Hands-on Labs will be available on-demand and can be taken at any time throughout the event. You can add Lab time to your personal schedule, but will need to visit the Labs at Partner Exchange to sign-up.
 
Lab Hours:
Monday  9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday   11:00am – 6:00pm
Wednesday   9:00am – 6:00pm
Thursday   9:00am – 2:00pm
 
If you are not yet registered, what are you waiting for? Register now and build out your schedule.

VMware Partner Exchange 2012 is approaching fast with the General and Breakout sessions beginning on February 13th.  Along with the valuable information you will receive at these sessions, we will also be holding Pre-Conference Boot Camps beginning on February 11th. This year’s Boot Camps will cover a wide range of topics to address the needs of Partner Sales, Pre-Sales and Post-Sales individuals across VMware Products and Solutions including VMware vSphere, End User Computing, Management Suites and more. 
 
Take advantage of this opportunity to increase your knowledge of existing products or expand you skill set into new technologies. Many of these Boot Camps are FREE and others are discounted up to 60%, so don’t miss out on this low-cost, convenient option to update your VMware Accreditations and Certifications.  In particular, I’d like to call your attention to the VMware vSphere: What’s New (V5) boot camp.  This one-day technical session meets the course requirements for VCP3s to upgrade their certification to VCP5 before the February 29th deadline!

More than 20 Boot Camp sessions are scheduled where you’ll have the chance to learn from and interact with Subject Matter Experts from VMware as well as industry peers. Registration is now open and the Boot Camps are filling up fast!  So, register today!

See you in Vegas!

-Maureen Lonergan

Maureen Lonergan is the Senior Director of Global Partner Readiness. She has responsibility for building training programs to enable all Channel Partners; Solution Providers, Corporate Resellers, Technology Providers, Alliance Partners, System Integrators and System Outsourcers, and Hosting. She has been leading the Channel Enablement Team since August 2008.

As 2012 kicks off I am excited by what the new year brings.  Part of my inquisitive nature is to constantly be on the lookout for new innovations and technologies that can help further my professional goals.  Fortunately VMware Partner Exchange is right around the corner.

If you are seeking new and exciting information that can help improve your business, you need to look no further than this year’s Partner Exchange (PEX) pre-conference boot camps. Hosted by our PEX Global Diamond sponsors, these sessions will feature in-depth technical and business knowledge about our joint solutions with Cisco, Dell, EMC, HP and NetApp. They will empower technical presales, partner managers and sales professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities to work with customers to present our joint solutions.

The cost is free with your conference registration to attend any of the following boot camps at PEX on Monday, February 13:

Cisco – The Platform on Which Innovation Is Built – Join Cisco to learn more about the Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco Nexus 1KV and vSphere, as well as VXI, virtualized solutions (Unified Communications on Cisco UCS and Cisco UCS Express) and private cloud management with Cisco Intelligent Automation for Cloud and VMware vCloud Director.

Dell – Leading the Virtual Era with Dell PartnerDirect – Join Dell experts in exploring how the decade-long VMware and Dell alliance can redefine and simplify customer IT environments from the desktop to the datacenter and into the cloud. For example, better understand VMware management, deployment and integration with Dell PowerEdge Servers and the Dell Management Plugin for vCenter, as well as how Dell Fluid Data Storage-Automate helps to optimize, scale and protect VMware storage with Dell integration software.

EMC – Accelerate Your Business with the Cloud- Attend this boot camp to hear how  EMC solutions are accelerating the journey and transforming IT business, process and the role of IT. You will hear about the EMC roadmaps, partner programs and the tools and resources available to you.

 HP - Featuring HP VMware VirtualSystem for VMware - Join the HP team as it covers key topics to help you sell more and grow revenue in 2012. HP continues to accelerate the path to cloud computing by helping partners reduce datacenter complexity for joint customers. The highlight of the boot camp will be a live HP VirtualSystem for VMware. HP solutions experts will use the live VirtualSystem to demonstrate the unique values and features of HP Converged Infrastructure.

 NetApp - Smart Business Partnerships for the Cloud Era and Smart Technical Partnerships for the Cloud Era – In the business session, learn how to profit from virtualizing business-critical applications and how to position and sell FlexPod (particularly for VMware View). Preview new technologies for the cloud era and get tools and tips for success today in the midsized market. During the technical session, take a deep dive into virtualizing business-critical applications that features NetApp solutions like ‘VMware View, built on FlexPod,’ the latest NetApp Cluster Mode architectural directions and a joint NetApp/VMware focus on the midsized business market.

Investing time in these partner sessions promises to help you and your business be better and do better in 2012. I look forward to seeing you at boot camp!

- Brian Forbes, Sr. Director of Alliance Marketing

As 2012 kicks off I am excited by what the new year brings.  Part of my inquisitive nature is to constantly be on the lookout for new innovations and technologies that can help further my professional goals.  Fortunately VMware Partner Exchange is right around the corner.

If you are seeking new and exciting information that can help improve your business, you need to look no further than this year’s Partner Exchange (PEX) pre-conference boot camps. Hosted by our PEX Global Diamond sponsors, these sessions will feature in-depth technical and business knowledge about our joint solutions with Cisco, Dell, EMC, HP and NetApp. They will empower technical presales, partner managers and sales professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities to work with customers to present our joint solutions.

The cost is free with your conference registration to attend any of the following boot camps at PEX on Monday, February 13:

Cisco – The Platform on Which Innovation Is Built – Join Cisco to learn more about the Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco Nexus 1KV and vSphere, as well as VXI, virtualized solutions (Unified Communications on Cisco UCS and Cisco UCS Express) and private cloud management with Cisco Intelligent Automation for Cloud and VMware vCloud Director.

Dell – Leading the Virtual Era with Dell PartnerDirect – Join Dell experts in exploring how the decade-long VMware and Dell alliance can redefine and simplify customer IT environments from the desktop to the datacenter and into the cloud. For example, better understand VMware management, deployment and integration with Dell PowerEdge Servers and the Dell Management Plugin for vCenter, as well as how Dell Fluid Data Storage-Automate helps to optimize, scale and protect VMware storage with Dell integration software.

EMC – Accelerate Your Business with the Cloud- Attend this boot camp to hear how  EMC solutions are accelerating the journey and transforming IT business, process and the role of IT. You will hear about the EMC roadmaps, partner programs and the tools and resources available to you.

 HP - Featuring HP VMware VirtualSystem for VMware - Join the HP team as it covers key topics to help you sell more and grow revenue in 2012. HP continues to accelerate the path to cloud computing by helping partners reduce datacenter complexity for joint customers. The highlight of the boot camp will be a live HP VirtualSystem for VMware. HP solutions experts will use the live VirtualSystem to demonstrate the unique values and features of HP Converged Infrastructure.

 NetApp - Smart Business Partnerships for the Cloud Era and Smart Technical Partnerships for the Cloud Era – In the business session, learn how to profit from virtualizing business-critical applications and how to position and sell FlexPod (particularly for VMware View). Preview new technologies for the cloud era and get tools and tips for success today in the midsized market. During the technical session, take a deep dive into virtualizing business-critical applications that features NetApp solutions like ‘VMware View, built on FlexPod,’ the latest NetApp Cluster Mode architectural directions and a joint NetApp/VMware focus on the midsized business market.

Investing time in these partner sessions promises to help you and your business be better and do better in 2012. I look forward to seeing you at boot camp!

- Brian Forbes, Sr. Director of Alliance Marketing