VMblog:  As a VMworld 2018 sponsor, how can people find you this year? 

Dinesh Singh:  As a gold sponsor, we are looking forward to unveiling our latest innovative solutions to help our customers modernize their data center and fuel business transformation. We are conveniently located at booth #1018. You can also find more about our participation at VMworld on the Hitachi Vantara web site and my blog. Our team of technology ambassadors are gearing up to engage with VMworld attendees and help them navigate their complex IT scenarios and meet their business needs.

VMblog:  Is there anything unique about this year's booth setup?  Do you have a theme? 

Singh:  We are poised to be a change agent for Hitachi and VMware customers who are looking to digitally transform their businesses. Modernizing data center and edge computing is core to digital transformation and Hitachi's IT solutions help accelerate this transformation. We plan to focus on a few key transformative solutions around hybrid-cloud, data center automation, next-generation hyperconvergence, workforce mobility, Virtual Machine (VM) data protection and deep integration with VMware's cloud automation products. 

VMblog:  Can you give readers a few reasons why your product or service is considered unique? 

Singh:  Hitachi Vantara has been at the forefront of data center technology for the past several decades, powering the enterprise with IT solutions that are highly adaptable and scalable to meet the business demands of today and tomorrow. Hitachi, in partnership with VMware, plays a key role in modernizing data centers to optimize systems, software and operational processes to catalyze digital transformation. With a deep-rooted culture of innovation that has resulted in several patented enterprise technologies, Hitachi is uniquely positioned to deliver agile data infrastructure, modern data protection and intelligent operations to make modernized data center a reality. Hitachi's proven IT infrastructure portfolio of compute, storage, converged and hyperconverged solutions powers thousands of enterprises and cloud service providers.

VMblog:  Why should a VMworld attendee add you to their MUST-SEE list?

Singh:  VMworld attendees will learn how Hitachi Vantara modernizes data centers and integrates them with secure multi-cloud fabrics to deliver truly flexible and cost-efficient IT service models that maximize business outcomes. Data is any organization's most strategic asset. Hitachi Vantara enables customers to unlock the strategic value of data and maximize business potential through data-driven insights. Harnessing the power of data underscores the need for a modern IT infrastructure to ensure data is efficiently managed, governed, mobilized and analyzed to drive better business outcomes.

VMblog:  Can you give VMblog readers a sneak peek as to what you will be showing off at your booth this year?  What should attendees expect to see and hear at your booth?

Singh:  We will showcase many innovative solutions that fuel business transformation by improving agility, reducing complexity and lowering costs. Attendees will love our eight demos on managed private cloud, rack-scale hybrid cloud, NVMe, VVols, VM data protection, Horizon VDI and of course Hitachi's deep integration with VMware technologies allowing customers to do more with less. We will have theater presentations at Hitachi booth #1018 on NVMe storage, data center architecture, always-on VDI, UCP Advisor, backup-less branch offices, data analytics, SDDC hybrid cloud and more.

VMblog:  How does your company and product fit within the VMware ecosystem?

Singh:  81% of Fortune global 100 customers partner with Hitachi Vantara to deliver scalable, secure and simple IT infrastructure to support their business growth. We complement VMware's secure software-defined data center framework with leading enterprise infrastructure, proven software, and world-class services and support capabilities to accelerate digital innovation. Hitachi and VMware partner closely to bring to life the vision of secure multi-cloud frameworks for workload mobility in a cost-efficient manner. VMware's cost rationalization with workload consolidation aligns with Hitachi's reliable data services and mobility to deliver on the promises of data center modernization and cross-cloud efficiency.

VMblog:  What are you looking forward to most at VMworld this year?

Singh:  I find it thrilling to help our customers accelerate their digital transformation journey with modernized IT at enterprise core and offsite locations. I'm looking forward to engaging with attendees to understand their business priorities and help them  design IT architectures that reliably support all enterprise applications and help improve productivity.

VMblog:  How many times have you sponsored VMworld?  And what keeps you coming back?

Singh:  We have been a regular sponsor and exhibitor at VMworld U.S. and VMworld Europe for many years now. It's a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our breakthrough technologies, engage with attendees to help them revamp their IT landscapes and help them stay relevant to their customers. Hitachi and VMware come together to design solutions that solve real-world problems and free up tech resources to be leveraged for more strategic priorities.

VMblog:  Do you remember your first VMworld event?  What can you tell us about it?  What memories stand out?

Singh:  Personally, my first VMworld was in 2014, and since then I have attended seven VMworld events in the U.S. and Europe. Each event has enriched my perspective on data center technologies and allowed me to become a better tech marketer. Besides learning about tech advancements, the networking opportunities on the show floor are immense. I am very much excited to be in Las Vegas in a few days.

VMblog:  Attendees always enjoy a good trade show tchotchke.  Are you guys giving away anything special or interesting this year?

Singh:  We appreciate conference attendees taking time out from their busy schedules to visit the Hitachi booth. As a token of appreciation, we will be giving away swag to everyone attending a theatre presentation and watching demos. We will also be raffling each day to award a winner with a Nintendo gaming console. You wouldn't want to miss the Hitachi booth!

VMblog:  Does your company have any speaking sessions during the show?  If so, can you give us the who, what, when and where?

Singh:  Join us for panel discussion HCI3691PUS with large enterprise customers Conagra Brands and Norwegian Cruise Line to learn best practices on how to architect and size the hyperconverged environment for performance and high availability. Learn from the experience of enterprise customers who have successfully deployed Hitachi's integrated hyperconverged solution, powered by VMware vSAN, for business-critical apps. This session will focus on how these customers benefited from automation, analytics and simplified life-cycle management to transform their IT operations and became more responsive to market needs. It's a must-attend session taking place on Monday, Aug. 27 from 2:00-3:00 pm, and with limited seating, prompt registration is recommended.

VMblog:  Finally, is your company throwing or involved with any type of party during the week of the event?  If open to the public, can you share the details? 

Singh:  Attendees can relish Hitachi's Signature Sushi-and-Sake at the Hitachi booth on Tuesday, Aug. 28 at 4:30 pm. It's terrific opportunity to get more information on Hitachi solutions, while enjoying a mouth-watering Japanese delicacy.