Nordic VMUG Conference - My Thoughts

Published by Christian Mohn · Read in about 3 min (482 words)

On Tuesday, December 3, 2013 VMware User Group Denmark arranged the Nordic VMUG Conference. The event itself can only be described as a mini-VMworld, with over 600 registered attendees, and a speaker list worthy of such a nick-name.

The opening keynote was held by Joe Baguley, the closing keynote was held by Chad Sakac. In between those two, you had the possibility to attend sessions held by Cormac Hogan, Mike Laverick,  Frank Brix, Paudie O-Riordan, Frank Denneman, Mattias Sundling, David Davis and Duncan Epping.

There was even a mini solutions exchange where vendors scanned your badges, tried to sell you products and concepts or just update your geeky t-shirt wardrobe. Got that VMworld feeling yet?

Both Joe and Chads keynotes were eye-openers. It is really refreshing when people of “executive stature” like those two, actually skip the marketing slides and just talk. And man, both those guys talk good.

"Think more like a chicken farmer, and less like a cat owner." ― Joe Baguley
"A software defined thing that requires special hardware is not a software defined thing." ― Joe Baguley

In particular Chad´s closing “The Nature and Impact of Disruption - On Industries, Vendors, and Customers” was really interesting as it was completely non-technical. The concept that disruption is not inherently good or bad, and that all change stems from a single individual is really intriguing. I think more people should ask themselves this; **How can I, or how do I, disrupt myself?  **

"Disruption is characterized by change and fear." ― Chad Sakac

Most of the people who are a part of the VMware community has actually done this already, consciously or not. Think about that for second…

As usual at events, I spent most my time networking and talking to people, and I even got the chance to meet a few people I had yet to meet. Liselotte Foverskov and Jane Rimmer immediately springs to mind, but I also got to have a chat with Magnus Andersson and Rasmus Haslund actually drove me and my wife to the beer tasting event held at Mikkeler after the conference.

I have to say that I am very impressed by what the Danish VMUG leadership has been able to pull off here, it is no small task arranging an event of this magnitude, especially when you do it on your spare time. I am honoured to have been invited as a guest, and it serves as a real inspiration now that we are really trying to get the Norwegian VMUG active with our first meeting in Bergen in March 2014. Hopefully things are in motion, and we will have meetings in Oslo and in Trondheim as well.

There is absolutely no way we are aiming as high as VMUGDK, at least not initially, but one thing is certain; If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.

Post last updated on January 2, 2024: Add author

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