Attending VMworld Europe 2010 in Copenhagen was one of the best decisions I’ve made in years. The event offered an immense amount of value, with simultaneous sessions, labs, and other activities that allowed attendees to customize their experience. While it could be challenging to plan your schedule, the freedom to choose your own path was a blessing.

I spent a significant portion of my time in the Social Media and Blogger lounge, set up by VMware and John Troyers social media team. It was incredible to finally meet some of the people I’ve been interacting with online for years without ever meeting them in person. The lounge was filled with intelligent and engaging individuals who were more than happy to discuss cloud and lab availability, stretched cluster scenarios, and other industry-related topics.

The value of VMworld is truly what you make it. You can attend sessions all day long or split your time between sessions and labs. Additionally, all sessions will be available online within a week after the conference, so skipping them altogether is an option. For me, the most significant benefit was the social networking aspect. My current mantra of “The network is everything” might need to be updated to “your social network is everything.” The slogan “Virtual Roads. Actual Clouds.” could even be changed to “Virtual Systems. Actual People.”

VMworld provided an excellent opportunity to expand my social network, and I’m eagerly waiting to see what opportunities may arise from these connections. As the saying goes, “it’s all in the (social) network.”

In conclusion, attending VMworld Europe 2010 was an incredible experience that offered a wealth of knowledge, networking opportunities, and personal growth. If you haven’t attended one yet, I highly recommend adding it to your list of must-do events in the tech industry. Remember, the value of VMworld lies not just in the sessions but also in the people you meet and connect with.