Welcome to the VMworld 2011 Conference

We have developed an outstanding Sessions and Labs program this year, with more than 200 unique Breakout Sessions and 20+ Hands-on Lab topics offered across three days. General Sessions will be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Plus, VMworld offers additional learning opportunities, such as the Knowledge Experts Program, numerous networking events, and the Solutions Exchange featuring more than 125 companies showcasing the latest virtualization and cloud computing products and services. Whether you're new to VMworld or have attended before, VMworld 2011 is sure to be an engaging – and enlightening – experience.

What to Expect for 2011

Breakout Sessions
This year for the U.S. conference, there is pre-registration for Sessions, giving you the peace of mind that you will have a spot in the sessions you and your business care most about. Plan your daily agenda with Schedule Builder to view a complete listing of available sessions, and then select the ones that matter most to you. Plus, we'll be adding sessions leading up to the conference, so you'll have ample opportunity to attend your top choices.

Super Sessions
Learn about the latest VMware products and solutions in these special sessions on Tuesday, October 18 while getting a roadmap of other key sessions and activities taking place the rest of the week to maximize your time.

General Sessions
Hear from VMware CTO and SVP of R&D Steve Herrod on Tuesday, October 18 for a look into the technologies underpinning the cloud. Get an insider's tour of the industry's first comprehensive cloud infrastructure suite, including vSphere 5's most advanced features and capabilities. Then, on Thursday, October 20 join VMware CEO Paul Maritz for an inside look at the forces shaping Cloud Computing and the next generation of IT. See the latest in the world's most advanced cloud infrastructure technologies and get real-world perspective from the CIOs of some of the globe's largest and most respected brands.

Knowledge Experts
Connect directly with subject-matter authorities through our Knowledge Experts Program. These members of the VMware community – made up of VMware employees – will conduct and participate in Breakout Sessions and Group Discussions. They'll also be available for One-on-One meetings and more casual discussions as they circulate throughout the conference.

One-on-One Meetings
Schedule One-on-One meetings with up to three Knowledge Experts during the conference. Use these 15-minute sessions to delve into topics that relate specifically to your organization.

Group Discussions
These informative and interactive discussion groups are a great opportunity for you to gain insight from like-minded colleagues in similar industries. Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hands-on Labs
Powered by the VMware cloud and presented via a self-service Lab Cloud portal, you will easily explore how virtualization can make a powerful impact on your organization. Unlike traditional instructor-led Labs, you are empowered not only to schedule which topics you want to take, but also when you want to take them, enabling you to choose the content that is right for your own business objectives on a schedule that allows you to maximize your conference experience.

VMworld will stage more than 18,000 lab seats and conduct up to 480 simultaneous Lab sessions during the four-day event. To build out this environment, we have committed 75,000+ man-hours in Lab creation and development to produce 27 Lab topics - all powered by vSphere Hypervisor, formerly vSphere ESXi. The Labs will cover everything from virtualized desktop infrastructure, through the vSphere-powered data center and into the VMware-powered cloud. With easy access to more than 100 VMware Subject Matter Experts on hand to answer questions and explore options, you'll get one-on-one attention when you need it, and still have the flexibility to move at your own pace. Forget pre-registration. With over 30 hours of available Lab time throughout the conference, you're free to experience the latest in VMware offerings on your own schedule.