vcf

I think I already told you that I am back in Vegas :) & I want to get back to the roots of technical awesomeness. Therefore the breakout sessions are the place to be :)

Let’s have a look why I took the full pass and which sessions I am going to visit. The last years put me a lot into organizational & business development topics – But this year my heart cries for some technical deetails. VCF 9 is the perfect opportunity.

A Hardware Smörgåsbord: Practical Tips and Tricks for Server Deployments [CLOT1774LV]

This title had me at Smörgåsbord [Say it 3 times and a VMware VCF accountant will appear]. This session dives into the practical aspects of hardware design that have a real impact on virtual infrastructure performance and reliability. From BIOS tweaks to server size choices and GPU planning, this is the kind of content you only get from field experience.

Why I’m attending: Hardware sizing decisions are still underestimated in many designs. I have good knowledge & a great Excel template, but I want to gain some new practical do’s and don’ts to make better long-term decisions in customer environments.

Design and Architect: Private Cloud Consumption with VMware Cloud Foundation Automation [CLOB1108LV]

This session is all about how to turn VCF into a real platform with automated provisioning, multitenancy, and consumption models that look and feel like cloud. It’s a mix of design patterns, deployment tips, and tenancy models using the new VCF Automation capabilities.

Why I’m attending: With VCF 9, the consumption layer is finally taking shape. I want to get a solid understanding of how to implement it in a way that supports platform teams and developers effectively.

Hardening and Securing VMware Cloud Foundation [CLOT1035LV]

Security begins at the base layer, and this session walks through how to harden VCF environments from the physical layer all the way up to workloads. Real-world attack examples make this session especially valuable for understanding where traditional setups fall short.

Why I’m attending: Since I do a lot of hardening engagements around VMware this is definelety the place to be :) I want to validate my current recommendations against Broadcom’s latest field insights and security architecture thinking.

Unlocking Your Data with Private AI – Retrieval Augmented Generation Deep Dive [INVB1070LV]

This session goes deep into how VMware envisions a production-grade Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) setup using Private AI Services. It includes model serving with OpenAI-compatible APIs, GPU scaling, data indexing, and more.

Why I’m attending: Everyone is talking about GenAI, but few sessions go this deep into actual architecture. I want to understand the real building blocks behind deploying RAG on-prem in a secure and performant way.

Design and Architect: VMware Cloud Foundation for Edge Computing [CLOB1150LV]

This session looks at how to extend VCF to the edge, covering architecture, workload placement, and networking challenges in distributed environments. The goal is to apply VCF standards even in locations with limited space or compute.

Why I’m attending: Edge is becoming a serious topic, and VCF needs to adapt to be relevant there. I want to see how realistic these deployment patterns are and where they fit into hybrid cloud strategies. Let’s hope we get the Edge commercials also up and running (….. per VM subscription would be great :P)

Real-World Lessons in Rightsizing VMware Cloud Foundation for On-Premises AI Workloads [INVB1300LV]

Frank and Johan are bringing real-world lessons from designing VCF-based AI platforms, covering how to size infrastructure for LLMs and inference workloads. They’ll also showcase a sizing tool and discuss how to balance MLOps pipelines and platform cost. Whenever there was a VMware Explore the sessions of Johan and Frank have been the best -> The bar is high, but I am sure it will be hit!

Why I’m attending: This is probably one of the most hands-on and architecture-driven AI sessions at Explore. I want to hear what works, what doesn’t, and how to translate that into real customer designs.

A Deep Dive into Memory Tiering with NVMe [CLOB1122LV]

This technical session explains how vSphere and VCF now support memory tiering using NVMe, including config steps and optimization strategies. It’s aimed at increasing performance and efficiency in memory-hungry environments.

Why I’m attending: Memory tiering is one of those features that sounds great but needs careful consideration. I want to make sure HOW MUCH many I can safe without slowing down performance :)

Building Secure Private AI Deep Dive [INVB1432LV]

This session shows how to secure AI workloads using VMware vDefend and Private AI with NVIDIA. Topics include segmentation, threat detection, policy automation, and infrastructure-level control over model execution.

Why I’m attending: Security is a must-have for AI infrastructure. I want to see how VMware is integrating isolation and control into the AI stack, especially for private cloud deployments.

I haven’t been to Las Vegas in quite a while. The last time I walked down the Strip, vSphere 8 wasn’t even announced, Broadcom had yet to finalize any big acquisition, and VMware Explore was still called VMworld (and there was an event like #vSoccer & #vDodgeball that demonstrated my lack of fitness).

So I went down the registration road & here we are

I’m back.
Flight booked – ✅.
Explore pass – ✅.
Hotel sorted – ✅.

I’ve always loved this event. Not just for the technology, but for the atmosphere. The community vibe. The conversations you don’t find in slide decks. The random reunions with people you’ve only seen on Zoom over the past years. It’s the energy that makes Explore what it is. And if i look at my linekdIn Poll still 33% of my network will come to the US.

What’s new this year? Besides a whole new range of tech topics and announcements, VMware Explore 2025 introduces a more flexible event structure. For the first time, you can choose between three different types of passes depending on how deep you want to dive into the content—or how much you just want to connect with others.

The Full Event Pass gives you the classic, all-in experience: breakout sessions, Hands-on Labs, access to the general session, the party, the Hub, the exam voucher , and yes, the infamous backpack [if somebody wants it – drop me a message :)]. It’s what most of us are used to from past years—and still the best choice if you’re coming for both knowledge and community.

The Essentials Pass is a lighter version of that. You’ll still get to queue for sessions onsite, hear from leadership in the general session, and meet vendors and peers in the Hub. It’s a focused, flexible way to attend – especially if you want to avoid being overscheduled.

Then there’s the Meetings+ Pass, which actually had me thinking. It’s clearly geared toward business networking: access to the Meeting Center, the Hub, partner areas, and sponsored sessions. I’m a big fan of the face-to-face format, and this pass supports exactly that .So yes, I briefly considered going the Meetings+ route. If you know me, you know I enjoy meeting folks from across the ecosystem,partners, customers, tech friends. Building those connections is a huge part of what Explore is about for me.

But then I checked the session catalog.

And there it was: deep dives on VMware Cloud Foundation 9. New architecture models. Operations and automation changes. A real shift in how we approach private cloud.

My technical heart kicked in.
I’ve always been hands-on. I want to get my information straight from the engineers and field experts who built it. I want to sit in the front row and ask the awkward architecture questions. I want to come home with practical insights I can use in customer projects the next day.

So yes I went for the Full Event Pass.

Not just for the VCF content (though that was the tipping point), but because I still enjoy getting certified on-site, wandering through the Hands-on Labs, soaking in unexpected product updates, and of course: joining the party. Let’s not kid ourselves—Explore without the party just isn’t the same.

So here we are. I’m heading back to Vegas.

I’ll post my session list in a follow-up. There’s a good mix of technical VCF sessions, architecture content, and a few that dive into where the whole Broadcom + VMware story is headed from a partner perspective.

If you’re attending, let’s grab a drink. Or coffee. Or food. Or meet in a breakout. Or just say hi while crossing The Hub. You know how it is—random encounters often lead to the best ideas.

Btw. we are also organizing a Poker event – And if you want to see why I am one of worst Poker players in the world…. join us :)
https://go.comdivision.com/en/comdivision-poker-vegas2025

Looking forward to connecting, learning, sharing and yes, maybe dancing a bit too :D.

Let’s make this one count.
See you in Vegas.

vLenzker – a comdivision partner

#VMwareExplore 2025 – @lenzker ‘s breakout sessions recommendations