VMWorld 2010 has come and gone. I’m definitely still recovering and trying to catch up on a lot of stuff I missed while working the Veeam booth. One of the first things I wanted to see that I heard so much about was the “vSpecialist Delight” video. This is definitely an awesome production from the team at EMC. Check it out, but please keep reading for the Veeam vPower video afterwards …

Mad props guys! BUT, I have a few observations I want to point out.

From what I can tell, although Fred and Nick wrote the lyrics, it appears that the vSpecialists are lip syncing to still yet to be signed Blaze1 actually rapping (Updated 9/5/10) Blaze1, a relative of the studio owner in Atlanta where the song was recorded, is the rapper in the song.

Here’s a screen shot from the credits at the end of the video.

Am I jealous? Sure. However, what really inspired me to write this post was when I read the lyrics available from Nick’s blog post. This rhyme especially got my attention:

Now I ain’t trying to start a backup race
Data Domain and Avamar will win that race

Fred, Thanks for the ride from the SFO airport, but “Holy 2Pac and Biggie Batman!”

That brings me to the “I Got vPower” song and video the Veeam Teeam made for VMWorld 2010. Like the guys in the bowling shirts

we didn’t use original music either (our own Matt Carpenter, aka NoWakeMC, re-sampled and mixed the original song by Snap, BTW), but, good or bad, that’s really Doug Hazelman talking and me rapping. Dave Siles created the robots and produced the video. Check it out and feel free to do “the Running Man” while you listen.

So, the purpose of this post is to point out the incredible creativity and talent in the virtualization community, and to let everyone know geeks have a sense of humor to match! That is just one of the reasons why VMWorld is so awesome.

In closing, I’ll also admit the vSpecialist hook is catchy, but I would modify the chorus to the following:

“Well, what do you know?!

The Veeam Specialists just took Best of Show!”

In case you don’t know already, Veeam Software won a record setting 4 awards at VMWorld this year. Among those awards, vPower in Veeam BackUp and Replication v5 won Best New Technology and Best of Show. Here’s a video of Doug accepting the Best of Show award.

WUPaaS first. Ask questions later!

Tune in here around 6 PM PST for the tweets, photos, interviews, videos, and general mayhem associated with the VMUnderground VMWorld 2010 Warm UP Party as a Service Event at the Thirsty Bear.

This week on VIRTUMANIA we focus on Xangati’s ability to record network activity between VMs and hosts on virtual infrastructure. The following is the podcast summary:

VIRTUMANIA Podcast Episode 24 – De-Funkified V.I. Rich Brambley (@rbrambley) of VMETC and Marc Farley (@3parfarley) of 3Par and StorageRap.com with guests and Rick Vanover (@rickvanover) of RickVanover.com and Ed Haletky (@texiwill) of The Virtualization Practice Blog and The Virtualization Security Podcast. This week’s episode features special guest Nathaniel Iverson, Director of Product Marketing at Xangati. With Xangati’s announcement of the free Xangati appliance for ESX, virtualization administrators now have a cost effective tool to auto record activity inside their virtual infrastructure and more easily prescribe the proper remedy to alleviate the symptoms. Virtumania is an Infosmack Production.

Listen to the podcast with the embedded player or subscribe to get a weekly copy so you can listen when convenient.

Check out the VM /ETC VIRTUMANIA Page to listen to past episodes as well as episodes of Infosmack.

The Twitter game
Back once again.
A little challenge
For VMWorld 2010.

Started last year.
Some thought strange
At VMworld 2009
And Partner Exchange.

Here’s the rules.
Hope you play.
Use three words
Whatever you say.

Hashtags are allowed.
Apostrophes are free.
Always use tag #vmworld3word.
above = 3.

Count symbols, numbers,
as word substitutes.
punctuation doesn’t count.
emoticons I’ll excuse

RTs are encouraged
to link conversations.
Here’s an example
“RT @twittername(s): to link conversations #othertag #vmworld3word>” note various exceptions

Slang is permitted
if commonly used.
There’s lotsa grey
gotta carefully choose.

The contest begins
On WUPaaS Sunday.
Join, you must
Yoda would say

Tweet when inspired.
Not every time.
Make it fun
without the rhymes

I was told
around the Moscone
screens will display.
Honest, no bologna.

If they do
Look for mine.
Tweet your own.
try to outshine!

This little ditty
shows game intent.
Clear as mud?
Leave a comment!

For those attending VMWorld 2010 in San Francisco, CA, On Wednesday September 1 at 1:00 PM PST take a break from the sessions and stop by to meet VIRTUMANIA and Infosmack personalities Marc Farley, Rick Vanover, and me in person on the VMWorld 2010 Solutions Exchange floor. The Veeam and 3PAR booths are adjacent to each other, so this tweet up will be in the general area at both booths from 1 PM to 2 PM PST.

RSVP at twtvite.com/vmworld2010smackup and then add to your calendar:

Outlook Google iCal Yahoo!

Be sure to follow (and use) the hashtag #smackup during the event on that Wednesday. The twtvite.com page will be collecting tweets and photos using this tag!

Looking forward to seeing everyone then!

See the full twtvite after the page break.

Citrix CTO Simon Crosby was our very special guest for VIRTUMANIA Episode 23! The following is the podcast summary:

VIRTUMANIA Podcast Episode 23 – The Citrix Virtualization Safari. Rich Brambley (@rbrambley) of VMETC and Marc Farley (@3parfarley) of 3Par and StorageRap.com with guests and Rick Vanover (@rickvanover) of RickVanover.com and Greg Knieriemen (@knieriemen). This week’s special guest is Citrix CTO Simon Crosby (@simoncrosby / Citrix Blogs). This episode’s conversation covers almost everything going on at Citrix for virtualization. From Citrix Receiver on the iPad, HDX with VDI, development of the Citrix XenClient, XenServer strategy, partnership with Microsoft, to Citrix in the Cloud, Crosby offers inside thoughts and experiences.  VIRTUMANIA is a Infosmack Production.

Before, between, and after the important stuff we also have some fun with Rick’s picture of the wrong end of a giraffe and Dell’s rumored acquisition of 3PAR

Listen to the podcast with the embedded player or subscribe to get a weekly copy so you can listen when convenient.

Check out the VM /ETC VIRTUMANIA Page to listen to past episodes as well as episodes of Infosmack.

I was lucking enough to get an invite from the VIRTUMANIA mothership this past week. I was back for my third appearance on the Infosmack Podcast, and this time the guest of honor was Paul Maritz!

The following is the podcast summary:

Infosmack Podcast Episode 63 – VMware’s Paul Maritz. Greg Knieriemen of Chi Corporation, Marc Farley of 3Par and StorageRap.com and Rich Brambley of Veeam and our sister podcast Virtumania with special guest Paul Maritz, CEO of VMware. In this week’s special episode with Paul, we explore VMware beyond server virtualization, how they are building the data center platform of the future and Paul’s work with The Grameen Foundation as well as “10 Big Questions”.

I have to say that it was an honor and a thrill to be able to chat with Paul. When we weren’t recording he made some funny comments about Infosmack being his first public podcast, and at the end he suggested he possibly would be interested in making another appearance depending on how this one turned out! I know that Greg, Marc and I are definitely pleased.

Infosmack also experimented with soliciting questions from Twitter during the episode. Although Infosmack doesn’t have a live audience, the real time interaction via tweets was definitely fun. Both Infosmack and Virtumania will most likely repeat this use of Twitter in the future!

Listen to the podcast with the embedded player or subscribe to Infosmack to get a weekly copy so you can listen when convenient.

If you’ve visited this site before you probably already noticed the VM /ETC swag, but now you can show your support of the VIRTUMANIA podcast too. Check out the VIRTUMANIA store on Cafepress.com for some t-shirts, coffee mugs, and a few other items that will help declare to the world you are a true VIRTUMANIAC!

Click on the shirts to go straight to that product, or use the link above to see the entire store.

On behalf of Infosmack Productions, @3parfarley, @rickvanover, @knieriemen, and myself, thanks for listening to VIRTUMANIA!!