This past week I attended VMUG Connect 2026 Amsterdam at RAI Amsterdam.
This was the first VMUG Connect event ever held in Europe, and that alone made it a notable milestone. It also showed in the level of interest and around 550 attendees filled the venue, with sessions, hallways, and networking areas consistently busy throughout the event.
VMUG Connect continues to be one of the more relevant gatherings for anyone working with VMware technologies. This year’s edition in Amsterdam built on that, with a clear structure around the themes “Thrive in Tech”, “Solutions in Action”, “Master VMware”, and “Get Hands-On”.
The result was a focused program that reflected how people actually work with the platform—covering real challenges, practical approaches, and hands-on learning, without drifting into abstraction.
The Strength of the Community#
The community aspect remains the defining part of VMUG.
Between sessions, during breaks, and throughout the event, conversations stayed grounded in real-world experience. Discussions weren’t about polished narratives, they were about how things actually work, what breaks, and how people deal with it.
That openness is what makes these events valuable. It’s not just the sessions, it’s the ability to talk directly with peers who are solving similar problems.
My Sessions#
PreConnect: Security — All Things Security#
The event opened with the PreConnect: Security — All Things Security panel, hosted by Yves Hertoghs, with the following co-panelists:
- Chris McCain (Broadcom)
- Marc van de Logt (PQR)
- Chris Mentjox (Broadcom)
- Dimitri Desmidt (Broadcom)
Going into the session, the format itself was a bit of a surprise. I was expecting to be a part of a smaller discussion around security, but it turned out to be a panel discussion! That format worked well in the end—it created a more dynamic conversation, especially in a fully packed room.
There was a lot of audience participation, and the interaction between the panel and attendees kept the discussion engaging throughout. It felt less like a presentation and more like a shared discussion, which fit the topic well.
The discussion focused on how security is approached in real environments today. Rather than staying at a high level, the conversation stayed practical—covering challenges, trade-offs, and how teams are dealing with increasing complexity and pressure.
Hypervisor Horror: Root Access and Regulatory Rage#
Together with Stine Elise Larsen, I had the opportunity to present “Hypervisor Horror: Root Access and Regulatory Rage.”
For Stine, this was her first international speaking session, which made the experience particularly meaningful. Presenting together on an international stage added an extra layer to the session. Thanks to everyone who attended, including the quite a few people who ended up with standing room only, who gave her a very warm welcome when I tried to throw her off a bit by pointing out that this was a first!
Hint: She absolutely nailed it.
The focus was on what happens at the hypervisor level when things go wrong—specifically how root access can. be abused within ESX environments. From there, the discussion moved into how native tools can be used for persistence and activity that blends in with normal operations.
Detection and visibility remain the core challenge in these scenarios, especially when attackers rely on what’s already available within the system.
Final Thoughts#
VMUG Connect 2026 Amsterdam delivered exactly what you’d expect from a VMUG event. Focused sessions, practical content, and a strong community presence.
Being the first Connect event in Europe made it feel like a meaningful addition to the calendar, especially given the absence of large-scale VMware events like VMware Explore Europe. It was a pleasure to attend, and meeting up with this many community members again in one place is something that I have been missing.
The combination of practical sessions, real-world discussions, and a community that’s willing to share openly is what continues to make VMUG events relevant. Not polished. Not artificial. Just real, and that’s exactly why it works.
Kudos to the VMUG team who made this happen, I am sure the Connect series will be back in Europe in 2026 as well!
Lastly thanks to all my fellow VMUG leaders and vExperts who I met this week; You made this event! Thanks for the smiles, laughter, discussions, food, and (Peruvian) beer!
