1. Be in the know!  Sure, in this day and age, you can learn a lot from your couch at home, but there's nothing like being exposed to first hand information on site, live.  Be in attendance to hear from VMware executives during the keynote sessions to find out what's coming next!  Information will be flowing as it always does. 

2. Education.  Want to learn more and keep up with what's going on?  VMworld has more than 700 sessions, hands on labs, workshops, panel discussions, VMTN TechTalks and more.  Here's your opportunity to really dig in to the things that matter most to you.  Check out the agenda and schedule, and get these things on your TODO list once you've registered.  There's a lot to learn, and a lot going on at these events.  So make sure to schedule the most important things to you personally, that you believe will help your career.

3. Ecosystem.  Want to learn more about the products, companies and technologies that play in the VMware ecosystem?  Here's your chance to do so in one captured environment.  The VMworld Solutions Exchange will have hundreds of vendors on site, ready, willing and able to talk to you about their wares.  Find out what new things will work for you and your organization.  Talk to company experts one on one.  Get a live demo.  Take back printed materials.  Setup a follow up meeting with sales to speak with your management team.  Yes, these booths are where the freebies or giveaways take place, but they are so much more than that.  Make the most of visiting a booth by asking questions and talking to someone.  These one on one conversations often provide some of the best takeaways.  

4. Certification.  Build your skills and expertise with VMware certifications for career advancement.  As you register for VMworld, it’s easy to add discounted VMware Training and Certification to your cart.  You can get: 25% off select On Demand courses, 50% off a VMware Learning Zone (24/7 training hub) Premium Subscription, 50% off VMware Certified Professional (VCP) and VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) certification exams taken at VMworld.

5. Networking.  Catch up with colleagues, meet new friends, and explore ideas with thousands of fellow attendees.  Connect and collaborate with 21,000+ attendees, 500+ companies, and 230 sponsors and exhibitors, from 86 countries.  Here's your chance to meet like minded individuals with the same technology passions as you.  And meet up with folks you only know by their Twitter handle. 

6. Expert Answers.  Make sure to check out Meet the Experts to find answers to those hard to solve problems.  Got a problem you've been trying to solve?  Looking to advance your environment, but aren't sure where to begin?  Make an appointment to speak with the experts at VMworld and ask about certain problems, issues, design or product questions you might have.  And go back to work looking like a champ!

7. Hands-on.  We talked about educating yourself.  But one of the areas that deserves a special call out is the Hands on Labs (HOL).  Hearing and watching is one thing.  But actually rolling up your sleeves and touching the environment is a completely different thing.  Whether self-guided or instructor driven, these hands on lab environments are the way to go at VMworld.  Warning: Because of their popularity and limited number of seats, these things fill up extremely quickly.  So the sooner you register and attempt to sign up, the better the odds that you'll get in.

8. Hackathon.  There's a special event that takes place each year within VMworld called The VMware {code} Hackathon!  Full of friends, food, code, and beer, it's a night that promises a whole lot of fun!  Ranging from Blockchain, to Python, to Powershell, the possibilities for projects are endless!  You can sign up with an existing team as an individual, or if you have a group you can sign up as a new team.    

9. Career.  Looking for a new job or career opportunity?  If this is your field of expertise, there is no better place to network and explore for that next adventure.  If you want to move over into a new area of focus or you've been trying to engage with a company about an opening, or you're interested to see who might have the next big thing... this is a great place to look.

10. Fun.  VMworld has a fantastic close out party every year.  But, that isn't the only time to have a good time.  Relax and let loose with games, recreation events, sponsored get-togethers, and vendor sponsored parties and events.  There are always a host of activities and events taking place throughout the entire event where you can unplug and unwind.  If you can't find something fun to do, just try opening your eyes or ask around.  

There's so many more reasons to attend VMworld, but this should give you a sense of why you shouldn't be missing out on this experience.  There's so much to see and do, to the point that it's impossible to do them all.  At the end of the event, you'll wonder how it wrapped up so quickly and you'll tell yourself, the show needs another 24 hours next year (which we never get). 

Know in advance, you won't get to do or see everything that you wanted to.  But, you're still going to have a great time and come out of it more knowledgeable and connected than you went in.

Get registered!  And we'll see you there.