VMblog: If you were giving a VMware Explore attendee a quick overview of the company, what would you say? How would you describe the company?

Nancy Hurley:  Dell Technologies is a global leader in digital transformation, providing end-to-end solutions in areas like storage, HCI, and compute solutions. We drive innovation to create effective and efficient solutions for our customers, empowering them to achieve more.

VMblog: As a VMware Explore 2023 sponsor, what does that sponsorship look like? Will you have a large delegation at this year's event? Do you have a theme for your booth? Do you have anything interesting planned at your booth?

Hurley:  As a platinum sponsor, we will have a substantial presence at VMware Explore. Our booth will showcase demos of our popular VD-4000 solution for Edge environments and next generation nodes. There will be a VxRail-themed slot machine, drone racing, and an engaging theme focused on driving innovation through our partnership with VMware.

As a platinum sponsor, we will have a substantial presence at VMware Explore. Our booth will showcase demos of our popular VD-4000 solution for Edge environments and PowerEdge nodes. There will be a VxRail-themed slot machine, drone racing, and an engaging theme focused on driving innovation through our partnership with VMware.

VMblog: What made your company sponsor VMware Explore this year? Why is this a must sponsor event for your company?

Hurley:  VMware Explore is a vital platform to showcase our strong partnership with VMware and the innovations we are driving together. It's an opportunity to connect with customers, partners, and industry leaders to discuss the latest trends and technologies.

VMblog: Is this your company's first time sponsoring this event? If so, why this year? If not, what keeps you coming back to this event?

Hurley:  Dell Technologies has been a regular sponsor at this event. We continue to come back to VMware Explore (previously VMworld ) because it provides an exceptional platform to engage with the community, share insights, and showcase our latest innovations.

VMblog: Do you have any speaking sessions during the event? If so, can you give us the details?

Hurley:  Yes! We have a comprehensive schedule of speaking sessions, including brown bags, theater sessions, and presentations at our booth. One must-attend event is the session titled "Dell & VMware Partnership Update: Past, Present, and Future Innovations," with insights from Varun Chhabra, VP at Dell, and Dave McGraw, VP at VMware.

In addition, we are featuring real-world examples from our VxRail customers. New Belgium Brewery will share their experience with ESA on VxRail, POET will discuss their deployment of VxRail in over 30 edge environments, and Top Golf will offer insights into their use of VxRail in extending data center operations to their retail edge environments. These sessions promise valuable insights and real-world applications of our joint solutions with VMware.

VMblog: What are you personally most interested in seeing or learning at VMware Explore?

Hurley:  I'm particularly excited to see the advancements in cloud technologies, HCI solutions, and how the synergy between Dell and VMware continues to drive industry innovations. And drones! Talking to customers, hearing about their needs, understanding where and how the tech is used in the "real world".

VMblog: Can you give us the high-level rundown of your company's technology offerings? What kind of message will an attendee hear from you this year?

Hurley:  Certainly! At VMware Explore, attendees will discover an extensive range of technology offerings from Dell Technologies:

• Our Edge team will have vBrownBag sessions focusing on NativeEdge and a new offering designed for our energy customers. Additionally, our edge solutions portfolio will be on display, highlighting tailored solutions for Manufacturing, Retail Edge, and NativeEdge environments. They will also be participating on the VMware hosted roundtable on energy where we discuss our new solutions for the energy edge that is the result of collaboration with leading industry partners like VMware, ABB and Intel.
• Our storage team will discuss Dynamic AppsON with VxRail, showcasing how it allows for independent scaling of compute and storage, demonstrating a new level of flexibility and efficiency.
• The PowerEdge server team will highlight AI solutions and the offload capabilities of DPUs, presenting cutting-edge technology to drive business transformation.
• With VxRail leading the HCI market, attendees will learn about its seamless integration with VMware and how our joint engineering enhances the VMware experience.

VMblog: Talking about your product solutions, can you give readers a few examples of how your offerings are unique? What are your differentiators? What sets you apart from the competition?

Hurley:  Our offerings such as the Hyperconverged VxRail VD-4000 for Edge environments are unique in their compact design and efficiency. And, the VD-4000 offers an industry first built in vSAN witness, eliminating the need for a remote witness and ensuring that two-node clusters deliver high levels of performance regardless of bandwidth or connectivity issues. VxRail solutions on 16^th generation PowerEdge nodes offer seamless integration with new technology from Dell, Intel and  VMware, providing customers with an easy, efficient, and scalable path to achieve their IT goals. These aspects set us apart from competitors.

VMblog: What specifically does your company offer a VMware shop or a VMware implementation? What problems do you solve for them?

Hurley:  Our solutions are tightly integrated with VMware, providing ease of deployment, management, and scalability. We solve challenges in modernizing infrastructure, reducing complexity, and driving agility and innovation in businesses. - As an example, Dell Technologies APEX, based on VxRail, provides VMware shops with a simplified subscription-based solution, streamlining procurement and reducing initial expenses. The OPEX model enables rapid deployment, aligning with the need for agility and prompt response to business demands.

VMblog: How does your company work with VMware? Where do you fit within the VMware ecosystem?

Hurley:  Dell Technologies and VMware have a longstanding partnership that has led to over 40 strategic initiatives across various infrastructure solutions. This deep collaboration is highlighted by VxRail, the only jointly engineered HCI solution, blending VMware's virtualization expertise with Dell's hardware innovation. Our alignment within the VMware ecosystem embodies leadership and integration, focusing on simplifying deployment and management of VMware environments. Together, we are setting industry standards, driving innovation, and providing unique, seamless solutions to our customers.

VMblog: Can you provide specific use-case examples where the VD-4000 solution for Edge environments has been particularly impactful for businesses? How does its compact size contribute to its effectiveness?

Hurley:  The VD-4000 solution has become vital in retail and manufacturing environments due to its small size and rugged form. In retail, its compact design and versatile mounting options allows for placement in various locations, including stores with limited space. The 2U rack-mount version, popular for its scalability through the sled design, fits seamlessly within existing infrastructure. In manufacturing, the rugged form factor supports placement in harsh conditions for real-time data processing.

VMblog: What has been the customer response to the partnership between Dell Technologies and VMware, especially in terms of how it has driven innovation in storage, HCI, and compute solutions?

Hurley:  The customer response to the partnership between Dell Technologies and VMware has been overwhelmingly positive and has established a reputation for driving innovation in storage, HCI, and compute solutions. VxRail's leadership in the HCI market for 24 straight quarters is a testament to this synergy, reflecting customers' trust in the engineering and the specific design of VxRail to be built for VMware, with VMware, to enhance VMware. This collaboration has made it notably easier for businesses to deploy and operate VMware environments, providing seamless integration and robust support.

VMblog: VMworld has typically been a launching platform for new products. At VMware Explore, will your company be announcing anything new? If so, can you give us a sneak peek? Or, have you launched anything new recently that you can spotlight for us?

Hurley:  We have very recently launched several new innovations on VxRail.

• Working with Intel and VMware we introduced 16^th generation nodes into the VxRail lineup earlier this month. These nodes offer single or dual 4^th generation Xeon processors delivering more cores, and faster memory and throughput.
• VCF 5 on VxRail includes the latest version of VMware's vSphere 8 hypervisor and also introduces a variety of exciting new capabilities around automated updates and lifecycle management
• For customers expanding to the edge and looking to maintain the same VMware operating model, the VD-4000, announced at VME Barcelona last year, continues to be a crowd pleaser. This ruggedized form factor delivers a self-contained two node cluster the size of a shoebox. Come see it at our booth!

VMblog: VMware gets the big stage to deliver their message during the keynote sessions. If you were giving the keynote, what big topics would you discuss? What big changes or trends do you see taking shape in the industry for 2023 and beyond?

Hurley:  In the keynote, I'd emphasize Dell's collaboration with VMware in delivering multicloud by design. This partnership offers seamless integration across cloud environments, enabling businesses to optimize performance and agility. Our scalable solutions facilitate quick adaptation to market changes, and robust security measures ensure data integrity. The focus would be on the future, where multicloud strategies continue to innovate, with the Dell Technologies-VMware partnership leading industry trends and transformations.

VMblog: Are you giving away any prizes at your booth or participating in any prize giveaways?

Hurley:  Yes, attendees can participate in the VxRail-themed slot machine and drone racing at our booth to win great prizes.

VMblog: Is your company sponsoring any type of party or get together during the event?

Hurley:  While we have many engaging activities planned at our booth, details of specific gatherings or parties will be shared closer to the event.

VMblog: Do you have any advice for attendees of the show?

Hurley:  Be sure to attend the speaking sessions, engage with us at the booth, and participate in interactive activities. It's an opportunity to network, learn, and explore the latest technologies. Don't miss the chance to discover how Dell Technologies and VMware are shaping the future together. Get some sleep and eat well!