As part of VMblog's live VMworld 2016 coverage coming up next month, we're in the process of working up our schedules to make sure we can see and learn as much as possible when the show kicks off.  VMworld is the leading virtualization event, and there is no shortage of great information coming out of the keynotes, the breakout sessions, the networking and more.  But every year, one of the key places to learn a lot in a short amount of time is the Solutions Expo where valuable vendors from the VMware ecosystem and beyond setup shop to display their wares. 

Over the years, VMworld has always had a large turnout of vendors sponsoring the event.  And the expo floor always seems massive!  With so many vendors exhibiting, how do you know which booths to visit and who to get on your schedule?

Last year, VMblog had a great conversation with Zadara Storage and we're looking forward to a follow up discussion and a demo of their solution to see what's new.  Are you familiar with them?  If not, make sure you visit them at the show to learn more.

Zadara Storage offers enterprise Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) through the award-winning Zadara Storage Cloud.  It can be deployed at any location (cloud, on-premise or hybrid), supporting any data type (block, file and object) and connecting to any protocol. The VPSA service provides enterprise SAN and NAS while the ZIOS service delivers private object storage. Zadara provides resource isolation, exceptional data security, and management control. Zadara is available via OPaaS (On-Premise-as-a-Service) and through a variety of partners including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and others. 

Read our exclusive pre-show interview with Zadara to learn what they have planned for the upcoming VMworld 2016 event.

 

VMblog:  As a VMworld 2016 sponsor, how can people find you this year? 

Zadara:  This year, we'll have a 10x20 booth with about 7 of our team members in attendance. We will be giving continuous presentations throughout the show, and we're located at booth #854. So come by and visit with us.

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

Zadara:  The theme is "Always aligned with your changing world." In uncertain times (e.g., Presidential elections, Brexit, etc.), the markets, the industries and businesses need to be flexible and agile. Zadara Storage aligns with your needs.

VMblog:  If an attendee likes what they see and hear at your booth... what message about your product can you send them back with to sell their boss on your technology?

Zadara:  With Zadara Storage you can't make a mistake. You can try before you sign up. You can sign up and disengage without penalty. You can scale up/down as needed. You can change the "personality" of the storage as-needed. There are no limitations.

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

Zadara:  The storage market is in a dramatic transition from CapEx to OpEx storage. Zadara is a leader in this market. You need to stop by and learn how you can have flexible, agile storage-as-a-service anywhere (cloud, on-premise or hybrid), with any data type (Block, File, Object), and with any protocol (FC-SCSI, iSCSI, iSER, NFS, CIFS, S3, Swift).

VMblog:  Why is VMworld a must sponsor event for your company?

Zadara:  We know this is one of the biggest industry events of the year and provides great exposure for our brand. It also provides great networking opportunities alongside other IT executives and experts, and key decision-makers and influencers in the storage industry.

VMblog:  Attendees are always on the look out for a good trade show tchotchke.  Are you guys giving away anything special or interesting this year?

Zadara:  We are giving away literature backpacks.

VMblog:  Do you have any speaking sessions this year during the show?

Zadara:  Nelson Nahum, Zadara Storage CEO, will be speaking at the SiliconAngle Cube. Details to come.

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

Zadara:  We launched a new product and enhanced many features of our offerings in Spring 2016. We are excited to demo these features to a large audience of key industry experts.

VMblog:  What would you say to prospective attendees who are thinking about attending VMworld but aren't sure if it's worth it or not?

Zadara:  It's a great opportunity to network and discover up-and-coming companies in the industry as the show is always very well attended.

VMblog:  If you don't mind me asking, what does event success look like to you?

Zadara:  First, we look forward to networking with some of the industry's brightest and most forward-thinking minds.  The show is always a great think-tank of industry leaders and gives us excellent feedback on industry trends. Second, we are excited to share our Storage-as-a-Service solutions with key decision makers.  As the market continues to transition from traditional CapEx storage to OpEx as-a-service models, Zadara Storage is taking a leading position in this rapidly growing segment.  Finally, we are looking forward to simply networking and having fun.  The show is always a great event. 

I don't think you guys will have a problem with any of those goals.  Attendance at this year's VMworld 2016 US event is expected to be up there again like the last couple of years.  And with that many interested people, Zadara should look forward to a number of fantastic conversations at their booth and should have no problem getting their brand out there in front of the right people.

##

I'm definitely looking forward to visiting with the Zadara Storage team at VMworld 2016 to see what's new.  And also, to check out their literature backpack giveaway!