vExpert Hands on Lab

Yes we vExperts are a crazy bunch, really we are. Not only do we blog about virtualization, read virtualization, breathe virtualization and immerse ourselves in technology but most of all we enjoy what we do.

Approximately three weeks ago, a post was made on the vExpert community forum with a offer - but I would call it a challenge. As you all know Call for Papers for VMworld 2012 is slowly coming to an end (deadline is May 18th). There will be a large number of submissions (last year there were ~1000) so the chances of getting a session accepted are not that high, but it was still worth a shot.

What was this challenge you ask? The vExperts were given the opportunity to submit a proposal for a HoL that would used for VMworld and perhaps at other events as well.

The timeline was crazy. The expected number of hours to be put into the preparations was insane, but still there were more than 10 different submissions of which two were chosen.

Why do we do this? It is all about giving back to others, helping others to experiment with technology and educating ourselves and others as well so we can all benefit.

I have always felt that vOrchestrator has not been given the attention it deserves. Automation is and will be the key to bigger and larger environments and PowerCLI is and has been the rising star over the last couple of years. I love it as I am sure many others do as well.

The theme of our HoL is “Conducting your Environment with vOrchestrator”, and if you have not yet guessed it will focus entirely around vOrchestrator.

I have prepared a story board that is scenario-based with real day-to-day use cases that you would encounter in most organizations.

Of course this lab would not be complete without having the man who wrote the book, Mr. vOrchestrator  himself, Cody Bunch on board and involved, and I was thrilled that he accepted the challenge. Without his deep involvement this lab would never have gotten of the ground so thank you Cody.

So here goes, time to prepare a lab that can potentially be taken by more than 20,000 people.

Congratulations to Luca Dell’Oca and Andrea Mauro on the other vExpert Lab that was accepted:

Virtualize Business Critical Applications - Oracle RAC

It will be fun, nerve-wracking, stressful but most of all a wonderful learning experience which is why I love it!!

So here we go.