VMware Explore 2023 stands as a prime example of an event crystallizing new trends, as it offered a platform for experts and enthusiasts to dive into the latest advancements in virtualization and cloud technologies.

In a conversation between theCUBE industry analysts Dave Vellante (pictured, right) and Rob Strechay (left), some key insights emerged.

“I think getting in there with some of those actual customers and talking to them about what they’re thinking about and how they see this playing out, to your point, what their expectations [are], I think there is a lot of learning going on,” Strechay said. “I think there’s also people looking at what their job is today and what their job may be tomorrow.”

Vellante and Strechay spoke as part of a keynote analysis at VMware Explore 2023, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed the impact of the Broadcom acquisition, VMware’s strategic artificial intelligence focus and the incremental enhancements to the core products that power the industry. (* Disclosure below.)

Navigating transformation

The atmosphere at the event buzzed with anticipation as attendees sought insights into VMware’s trajectory. The possibilities were vast, from potential enterprise licensing agreement renegotiations to unveiling the company’s future trajectory post-Broadcom acquisition.

A noteworthy development at the event involved the multicloud narrative. VMware’s strategic thrust into the multicloud era was evident, as Broadcom’s multibillion-dollar investment in research and development signified. The event spotlighted the potential and opportunities presented by the multicloud paradigm. The increasing prominence of multicloud solutions raised questions, from interoperability to ease of use across diverse cloud ecosystems.

“They’ve got to go beyond policy management, and they’ve got to really create that true multicloud abstraction layer,” Vellante said. “Then there’s a data lake, which is providing intelligence, which is very important to have the metrics.” 

At the crux of the event lay VMware’s foray into AI. The AI discourse was expected to revolve around cross-cloud services, Tanzu, Aria and developer extensions. Incremental enhancements to core offerings, including vSphere, vSAN and NSX, were anticipated. However, the spotlight truly shone on VMware’s AI strategy.

“I think a big piece of this is how innovative is that? I think it’s good,” Strechay said. “I think it’s a little late to the market. I think also it doesn’t go far enough for the multicloud vision that they have. Hopefully, we’re going to see some of that $2 billion that was talked about going into, ‘Hey, let’s make this a true platform that can compete with an S3 or an EBS or an FSx-type platform.’”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of VMware Explore 2023:

(* Disclosure: This is an unsponsored editorial segment. However, theCUBE is a paid media partner for VMware Explore 2023. VMware and other sponsors of theCUBE’s event coverage do not have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE