Today, communication is instant and information is ubiquitous, making it both easy and challenging for IT professionals to stay on top of the best business practices for converged infrastructure. How does an IT professional efficiently filter through the noise to discover the key informational nuggets without getting overwhelmed? How does an IT department with only one or two people gain the same experience and knowledge as a large organization? A thriving user group can provide that essential value.
I’m excited to introduce the new VCE User Group (VUG), a fully independent entity of VCE customers and partners strategically aligned to increase the value of the VCE Experience. A thriving user group is vital for helping customers and partners build relationships with their peers, exchange knowledge and challenge conventions with productive and creative ideas. Establishing an independent VCE User Group is an important milestone for VCE, further validating customer demand for converged infrastructure with the need for an independent forum of VCE practitioners that can actively influence industry direction.
“Independent user groups as a concept have been around for many years, but their importance has increased alongside the pace of technology. For customers, user groups are an essential mechanism for gaining access to proven, successful strategies that help ensure maximum efficiency and optimal return from their IT deployments. Active user communities act as an invaluable collective customer voice—giving them a competitive advantage on customer needs and emerging trends” – Victor Bohnert, Executive Director of VUG and Executive Director of the VMware User Group, a $10M organization with more than 100,000 members globally.
The VCE User Group has existed in some form since 2011, when a group of Vblock System owners and operators sat down to discuss their successful deployments as well as how VCE and its users could work together to drive more transformational IT value. Over the past year the VCE User Group has accelerated its growth and momentum to become a truly independent – for users, by users – organization dedicated to maximizing the benefits of VCE products and solutions for its members.
The focus of the VUG is to add value to members by facilitating meetings where experts can share best practices for deploying and operating VCE products and solutions. Experts can explore new ideas, and newcomers can build their knowledge base and professional network. With this strong community of people discussing and sharing ideas, best practices can bubble up for everyone’s benefit. We know that VCE products and solutions help customers get the most out of their converged infrastructures, and now the VUG can help VCE customers and partners get even more out of their Vblock System investments.
For the first time, the VUG will meet as its own independent entity at VMworld on Monday, Aug. 25 from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. PT. The event will feature a moderated customer panel discussion, titled: “Automation, How Much?” then the VCE Vision Intelligent Operations team will explain how VCE Vision helps enable Vblock Systems automation.
To join the VCE User Group (VUG) or learn more, please visit: www.vceusergroup.com