Before You Leave: The Art of Strategic Packing

The Desert Reality Check

Let's start with something most people don't think about until day three when they're looking like extras from a zombie movie: Vegas is a desert. I can't stress this enough-the combination of bone-dry air and relentless air conditioning will turn your lips into the Sahara and your skin into something resembling cracked leather.

Pack lip balm. Pack it like your professional image depends on it, because by Wednesday, it absolutely will. If you forget, hit up any CVS on the Strip, but don't say I didn't warn you when you're paying Vegas prices for chapstick.

What to Wear?

The first thing to keep in mind is that Las Vegas weather is hot. Don't listen to people who talk about "it's a dry heat", etc. Hot is hot. And although it is still a ways out, they are expecting a daily swing between 75 and 103 degrees. So, pack and plan to dress accordingly. 

Broadcom says the dress code for the event is casual to business dress. But don't worry, the fashion police aren't walking around handing out citations for what you're wearing. Just don't take that as an invitation to wear just anything. Dress appropriately. I would say, like most things, the attire really depends on what you're doing at the conference. Dress for the job you want, as they say; but make sure you are comfortable. You're going to be there a few days, and your main focus should be on learning and networking.

For the majority of the time during the event, you'll be inside the hotel. But remember, indoor activities during the conference can crank up the A/C, so if you're the type of person who needs a light jacket to keep the chill off, remember to pack it. 

The Shoe Situation (AKA Why Your Feet Will Hate You)

Here's the deal: you're going to walk A LOT. I'm talking 13,000-14,000 steps per day, easy. The Venetian is massive, and you'll be bouncing between sessions, The Hub, breakout rooms, and vendor booths like a pinball.

Comfortable shoes aren't a suggestion-they're survival gear. Pack two pairs if you can swing it. Your feet will thank you, and you won't be that person limping around day three looking like they just completed a desert marathon.

And please, for the love of all that is virtualized, don't use Explore as the time to break in those flashy new kicks you bought to look cool on the show floor. Save the fashion statement for next year after you've broken them in properly.

Pack Smart, Not Hard

Remember, you're going to accumulate stuff. Lots of stuff. Between the VMware swag, vendor giveaways, booth prizes, and those conference materials you always end up questioning (why did I take all of these) when you get home, your luggage situation can get out of control fast.

Pack a larger suitcase than you think you need, or bring an extra duffel bag. Trust me, shipping stuff home from Vegas is expensive and annoying. Plan ahead and save yourself the headache. Otherwise, you'll be playing the game of "what should I leave behind for the maid?".

Follow Your Checklist 

Don't forget the essentials:

• Your laptop and smartphone
• Power banks (multiple-Vegas will drain your devices)
• Portable chargers and cables
• A good backpack for daily carry
• Layers for temperature changes (indoor AC vs. outdoor heat)
• Your ID or passport

And don't forget about doing a little house cleaning before you head out:

• Set your out of office email to notify people that you might be slow to respond (or won't be available, to contact someone else). 
• Update your voice mail.
• Download the VMware Explore App on your mobile device
• Update your credit card company to let them know you are traveling -- may not always need it, but you don't want your credit card or debit card getting frozen or blocked

The Pre-Game Strategy: Planning Like a Pro

The Different Types of Pass

For VMware Explore 2025, they offer a different tiered pass system. You've got Full Event Pass, Essentials Pass, and Meetings+ Pass options. Don't just go for the cheapest option-think about what you're actually trying to accomplish. If you're there to learn and network seriously, spring for the Full Event Pass. The additional access and flexibility are worth it.

Build a Smart Session Schedule (Not a Packed One)

Here's where most people screw up: they try to attend everything. Don't. You'll burn out by Tuesday and miss the really valuable stuff.

Instead, pick 1-2 core themes that align with your organization's actual goals for the next 12 months. Maybe it's VCF automation, private AI workloads, or security modernization. Go deep in those areas rather than trying to skim everything.

Use the content catalog to filter sessions by your chosen tracks. Reserve your must-haves early, but leave room for spontaneous discoveries. Some of the best insights come from sessions you stumble into or conversations that happen in the hallways.

Pro tip: Popular sessions fill up fast, but there's always a standby line. Show up 5 minutes before start time, and there's a good chance someone won't show. I've gotten into supposedly "sold out" sessions this way dozens of times. 

The Vegas Location Advantage (And Pitfall)

To get where you need to be from The Hub to breakout rooms, Vegas keeps everything relatively contained. That's the good news. The bad news? Vegas distances are deceptive. So depending on where you are trying to go from point A to point B, what "looks close" might be a 20-minute walk through casino mazes.

If you're staying on the Strip but not at the Venetian, factor in real travel time. The monorail helps, but it's not magic. Plan accordingly, especially for those early morning keynotes.

Mastering the Session Game

Quality Over Quantity

Don't pack your schedule like you're trying to drink from a fire hose. The best conference-goers I know attend fewer sessions but get more value from each one. They ask better questions, have deeper conversations with speakers afterward, and actually implement what they learn.

Focus on sessions that tie directly to projects you'll be working on in the next 6-12 months. Everything else is just interesting background noise.

The Standby Strategy

Can't get into that hot VCF or private AI session? Don't give up. As I mentioned above, the standby approach works way more often than you'd think. Popular sessions always have no-shows, especially the Monday morning ones after Sunday night networking events (if you know what I mean).

Show up early, get on the standby list, and hang around. About 5 minutes before start time, they'll usually let standby folks in. I've used this strategy successfully for years.

Beyond the Breakouts

Don't make the rookie mistake of thinking official sessions are the only valuable content. Some of the best technical discussions happen in the community areas, at vendor booths during off-peak times, and in those impromptu hallway conversations.

The Community Theater and {code} Theater often have more practical, real-world content than some of the official breakouts. These community-led sessions cover the stuff that doesn't make it into the polished product presentations-the real-world implementation challenges and solutions.

The Hub: Your New Home Base

This year, The Hub is getting a major expansion, and it's going to be THE place to see and be seen. This is where the VMware booth lives, where the pop-up theaters are running live content, and where the serious networking happens.

Make time for The Hub. Don't just rush past on your way to sessions. This is where spontaneous conversations turn into lasting professional relationships. It's where you'll bump into the product managers building the tools you use daily.

The Welcome Reception on Monday evening (5:00-7:00 PM) is your first chance to get the lay of the land. Use it to orient yourself and start making connections.

Hands-On Labs: The Hidden Networking Goldmine

Most people think of HOLs as just skill-building exercises. They're wrong. Hands-on Labs are networking goldmines where some of the best professional relationships are born.

There's nothing like bonding over a tricky configuration issue or celebrating together when you both get something working. The lab mentors aren't just there for technical help-they're fantastic resources for introductions to other attendees with similar interests.

Plus, you get to try new technologies in a risk-free sandbox environment. This is where abstract concepts become concrete understanding.

The Networking Game: Playing to Win

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

The biggest mistake I see every year is people sticking with their existing colleagues and never branching out. You're surrounded by a few thousand of your peers-use that opportunity.

Start with simple conversation openers:

• "How many VMware conferences have you attended?"
• "What brought you to Explore this year?"
• "What's your biggest infrastructure challenge right now?"
• "What's your licensing situation?"

These questions work because they immediately identify who can give you insider tips and who might be dealing with the same challenges you are.

The Lunch Strategy

Don't sit at empty tables. Find a table with people already seated and ask to join. This isn't being pushy-it's being smart. Some of my most valuable professional relationships started over conference lunch conversations.

Community Areas Are Gold

The community areas (VMUG, {code}, vExpert spaces) are designed for exactly these kinds of interactions. Don't just walk past-engage. The people hanging out there are often the ones with the deepest technical knowledge and the most interesting war stories.

Vendor Booth Strategy

Don't just let vendors scan your badge and walk on. This is your chance to talk directly with the people building the tools you use. Ask for demos, get architecture diagrams, share your use cases. Some of the best whitepapers and real-world insights I've collected came from casual vendor booth conversations.

Visit during off-peak times (while others are in sessions) to get quality one-on-one time.

The Social Side: Work Hard, Play Smart

The Party Circuit

Vegas networking doesn't stop when sessions end. The Welcome Reception kicks things off Monday evening, but there are always different third-party vendor parties throughout the week. This year, the list of VMware Explore parties seems to be a little more hidden (or non-existent) than normal.

Reach out to your partners and any vendors you work with before you arrive. Let them know you'll be there. They often host dinners, parties, or informal meetups where you can deepen relationships and learn about what's really coming down the pipeline.

The official party (Wednesday night at the Palazzo Pool) is worth attending, but don't overlook the smaller, more intimate gatherings where you can have actual conversations.

After Hours Reality Check

Yes, you're in Vegas. Yes, there are tables and entertainment options. But remember why you're there. A little recreation is fine, but don't be the person who misses the keynote because of a Tuesday night poker session that went too long.

Set limits and stick to them. Your company sent you to learn, not to fund the casino's quarterly earnings. Sorry Venetian.

Certification and Value Maximization

Use That Free Exam Voucher

The Full Event pass includes a free certification exam voucher. Use it! Schedule your exam early in the week while your brain is still fresh and you haven't been overwhelmed with information. That's real value that justifies the conference investment.

If you opted for the Essentials pass, you can also add on a discounted exam voucher ($125).

Document As You Go

Take notes and build out your personal informational deck throughout the week with key takeaways:

• What did we learn?
• What should we do differently?
• Who should we follow up with?
• What technologies should we evaluate?

This makes your post-conference report to management much easier and helps you retain the information longer.

The Technology Journalist's Perspective

Having covered these events for years, here's what I've learned: the real value isn't in the flashy keynote announcements or the latest product demos. It's in the practical, implementable insights you get from talking to your peers about what actually works in production environments.

The best conference-goers I know spend as much time in hallway conversations and community areas as they do in formal sessions. They ask the tough questions during Q&As. They follow up with speakers afterward. They turn casual conversations into lasting professional relationships.

Wrapping Up: Making It All Count

VMware Explore can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be intimidating. After 20+ years of these events, I can tell you that the magic isn't just in the sessions-it's in the connections you make, the problems you solve together, and the insights you gain from people fighting the same infrastructure battles you are.

The community members who've been doing this for years have made the mistakes so you don't have to. Take their advice: wear comfortable shoes, pack for the desert, plan flexibly, engage with strangers, and remember that everyone there is dealing with the same technology challenges you face.

Whether you're a first-timer or a conference veteran, approach VMware Explore 2025 with curiosity and openness. The insights you gain and the relationships you build will be serving you long after you've forgotten which specific session taught you about the latest VCF features.

The event runs August 25-28, 2025, at The Venetian Convention and Expo Center-mark your calendars, book your flights, and get ready for what promises to be another landmark event in the virtualization and cloud computing calendar.

See you in Vegas, and remember: the real learning happens in the spaces between the official schedule. Don't miss it.

Find me and say hello! (I'm one of the attendees that doesn't bite).