VMware Plans Big 2010 Partner Event

As The VAR Guy wraps up work at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 (WPC09), he’s hearing some buzz from VMware. It involves preliminary plans for a big VMware virtualization partner event in early 2010 that will likely attract roughly 2,000 solutions providers. Here’s the scoop.

Near term, VMware will host VMworld in San Francisco starting August 31. That event will likely attract 10,000 or more attendees and it will include some partner-oriented content.

But That’s Not All

VMware also plans to bolster its annual partner event — called VMware Partner Exchange. After a successful partner event in April 2009 (Orlando), VMware hopes to welcome more than 2,000 solutions providers at the next VMware Partner Exchange sometime in early 2010, notes Douglas Smith, senior director of global partner sales at VMware.

The VAR Guy wonders: Other than Microsoft WPC09 (about 6,000 attendees) and Cisco Partner Summit 2009 (about 1,600 attendees) are any other vendors besides VMware attracted such a large, dedicated partner conference crowd? Hmmm.

Although a conference location is still pending for 2010, The VAR Guy’s senses VMware is exploring settings in Las Vegas or Orlando. Either way, it’s a win-win for The VAR Guy: A partner conference with plenty of roller coasters in sight.

Among the potential goals for VMware Partner Exchange 2010: Ensuring partners understand that VMware is more than a one-product wonder — with solutions like VMware vSphere Essentials, for instance, increasingly attracting small business customers.

Oh, and one final thought as The VAR Guy blogs from his MacBook Pro: VMware has been landing massive customer wins involving virtualized Macintoshes, according to Smith.

Perhaps The VAR Guy will virtualize Windows 7 and Linux on his MacBook Pro in time for the 2010 partner conference…

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