WHAT: In response to VMware’s shift to an all-virtual VMworld in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, OpeningActs 2020 is a series of VIRTUAL panel sessions intermingled with the scheduled content of VMworld 2020.

WHY: We feel that subject matter experts having open discussions about technology and community provides a great learning opportunity, and an opportunity for professional networking.

WHERE: Links to be provided once we figure all of those out! One of the premier locations to interact will be Orbital Jigsaw’s Discord. For a primer on their support for us and VMworld 2020 in general, check out this video.

WHEN: See below for the schedule; we’ll be happening before, during, and after the scheduled time for VMworld 2020.

HOW: Streamed to YouTube, with simulcast & community interaction on Discord

As always, we strive to find just the right combination of snark, wit, and smarts in each and every one of our panelists and moderators. The only missing ingredient is your winning personality and friendly smile.

Also, this is a fluid schedule; please check back for new additions and updates as we get closer to “zero hour.”

Sessions

1) Tuesday, 29-Sep-2020, 8am PDT: Where’s the Hallway Track?

It’s easy* to recreate the breakout session experience during a virtual conference, but what about the informal, sometimes random experience of the “hallway track”? This panel will discuss what this experience is like (not everyone has the same experience), why it’s so important, and how we can have the same experiences online.

*See Session #4, below

• Moderator: Brian Knudtson @bknudtson
• Panelists
  • Kev Johnson @kev_johnson
  • Juliana Ramos @julianaram95
  • Gina Rosenthal @gminks
  • Bill Wall @the_billness
  • Emad Younis @emad_younis

Equivalent times: 1700 CEST, 2300 SGT

2) Tuesday, 29-Sep-2020, 6pm PDT: Career Advancement and Job Change During the Pandemic

Many companies have frozen promotions and not having in-person conferences, which are a big opportunity for career advancement — everything from exploring up-and-coming start-ups to final interviews. How do we continue to move forward with our careers when these opportunities are no longer available? Many in the community have had to deal with job changes during the pandemic, so come hear how they handled this lack of opportunity.

• Moderator: Matt Langguth @gsxesx
• Panelists
  • Luigi Danakos @nerdblurt
  • Craig Herring @sirgeekness
  • David Siles @dsiles
  • Paul Woodward, Jr @explorevm

Equivalent times: 30-Sep-2020 0300 CEST, 0900 SGT

3) Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 midnight PDT: Transition to the Workplace of the Future

Now that we’ve all had a taste of the remote/work from home experience, what will we go back to? Will globe-trotting still be a desirable job duty? How much time will we have in the office post-pandemic? Hear how a variety of people in different job roles foresee our future workplaces.

• Moderator: Tony Foster @wondernerd
• Panelists
  • Tom Howarth @tom_howarth
  • Tina Krogull @tinakrogull
  • Joep Piscaer @jpiscaer
  • Laurens van Duijn @laurensvanduijn

Equivalent times: 0900 CEST, 1500 SGT

4) Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 8am PDT: How Do We Make Virtual Conferences Better?

Let’s be honest, the great virtual conference experience hasn’t been great. And it seems likely 2021 will bring more of the same. What can make virtual conferences better? This session will be part brainstorming, part “unsolicited advice” to conference planners, and part therapy session as we close out the first global virtual VMworld.

• Moderator: Jase McCarty @jasemccarty
• Panelists
  • Jim Jones @k00laidit
  • Richard Kenyan @richardkenyan
  • Wences Michel @wmichel
  • Arnaud Pain @arnaud_pain
  • Phoummala Schmit @exchangegoddess

Equivalent Times: 1700 CEST, 2300 SGT

Sponsor Sessions

Cohesity

Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 7am PDT: Advancing Your Career with Public Speaking
Equivalent Times: 1600 CEST, 2200 SGT

Thursday, 1-Oct-2020 1am PDT: TBA
Equivalent Times: 1000 CEST, 1600 SGT

Kemp

Tuesday, 29-Sep-2020 10am PDT: Panel Session TBD
Equivalent Times: 1900 CEST, 30-Sep-2020 0100 SGT

Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 4pm PDT: Horizon Use Cases
Kemp provides load balancing solutions for several Horizon deployment scenarios.
Equivalent Times: 1-Oct-2020 0100 CEST, 0700 SGT

Veeam

Tuesday, 29-Sep-2020 3:30pm PDT: Beating Ransomware, The Demos You Want!

We’ve all heard the tips and tricks to beat ransomware, but in this session – join Melissa Palmer, VCDX and Andrew Zhelezko from Veeam for a demo-focused session on detection and recovery tips with Veeam ONE and Veeam Backup & Replication

Equivalent Times: 30-Sep-2020 0030 CEST, 0630 SGT
Rebroadcast: 1-Oct-2020 7am PDT, 1600 CEST, 2200 SGT

Zerto

Tuesday, 29-Sep-2020 11:30am PDT
Equivalent Times: 2030 CEST, 30-Sep-2020 0230 SGT

Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 3:30am PDT
Equivalent Times: 1230 CEST, 1830 SGT

Something Different

Desk Yoga

Slow down for 30 minutes in an online yoga class with Rebecca Ferdinando, an international yoga teacher and actor living in North London. Rebecca created her classes to heal and transform lives whether you require a more peaceful slower practice of restorative asanas, pranayama and meditation or a more dynamic flow leaving you energized and challenged. http://www.rebeccaferdinando.co.uk

1. Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 2am PDT
   Equivalent Times: 1100 CEST, 1700SGT
2. Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 9am PDT
   Equivalent Times: 1800 CEST, 1-Oct-2020 midnight SGT
3. Wednesday, 30-Sep-2020 11am PDT
   Equivalent Times: 2000 CEST, 1-Oct-2020 0200 SGT