VMworld 2021 was packed full of amazing technology and sessions, just like it is each and every year.  Did you miss something?  No worries, we have you covered with this recap.

Watch VMworld On Demand

First and foremost, VMworld 2021 is now ready for on demand viewing.  You can head on over to vmworld.com, where you can find a vast library of content on your favorite VMworld topics.

Some key topics this year were of course cloud and security, but there’s a whole lot more to what was announced at VMworld 2021, including topic tracks of:

• Vision & Innovation
• Multi-Cloud
• App Modernization
• Security
• Networking
• Edge
• End User Services
• Inspire Change

Let’s take a look at a few of my favorites, but. be sure to check out your favorites on demand!

VMworld 2021 Announcements

There were so many things announced at VMworld 2021, so we’re going to stick with some of our favorites.

Everything Security at VMworld 2021

Let’s start with the good stuff – security!  Let’s face it, VMware based environments are huge targets for hackers, since almost everything is running there.  Just one little compromise or exploit can wreak havoc just about everywhere.  As such, VMware has begun to put a huge emphasis on Zero Trust.

We’re talking Zero Trust end to end, from the cloud to the data center to the edge and back again, VMware has been focusing on expanding their security portfolio and integrations for some time.

There’s been enhancements to Carbon Black, Cloud Health Secure State, a focus on API and Kubernetes security, and a huge focus on SASE and Workspace ONE which has become increasingly important over the last year or so.

This is a huge assurance for customers, no matter where they are right now, from the traditional VMs they are running on premises to modern apps, VMware is looking out for them.

All About Cloud

VMware has made it fundamentally simple to consume the cloud with their VMware branded cloud solutions, but VMworld 2021 goes way beyond that.  VMware made some smart bets early in the game, knowing that multi cloud was the way of the future.  Today VMware can meet customers wherever they are in their cloud journey, and help them take the next step.

Besides security for those cloud based apps, monitoring and managing apps across clouds is huge, as is building cloud native apps while finding the best solution for hosting existing ones.  Of course, other than security Networking can be huge in this type of environment, which VMware sorted out years ago with NSX.

Don’t Forget the Edge!

The edge has been a hot topic lately, right up there with cloud and security.  VMware Edge brings the VMware products you need to manage edge computing environments under a single umbrella.

Not up to speed on edge computing?  VMware defines the edge as

distributed digital infrastructure for running workloads across a multitude of locations, placed close to users and devices producing and consuming data.

One thing that has made edge come to the forefront in recent years is that consumers have been beginning to use technologies in new ways.  Think of many new cars today that come with connection capabilities, and the rapid evolution in the gaming space, not to mention our good friends the zones.  Everything is computing these days, and a stable edge is a must for providing these services.

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

We’re used to seeing many of these topics day in and day out, but the fact of the matter is they are ever evolving.  While we’re going to continue to talk about topics like the cloud and security for years to come, they have evolved immensely in just the last year or two alone.