hcidude's blog

Last week I was at the VMUG Connect 2026 Amsterdam event, and wow – the energy was real. After hearing about this year’s multi-day format replacing the old UserCon style, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Amsterdam delivered on every front. This wasn’t just another conference – it was a real gathering of practitioners, peers, and people living the tech we talk about every day.

A Community That Shows Up

The first thing that hit me walking into the venue was just how alive the community is. Hallways buzzed with conversations about real problems, deployment challanges, and honest lessons learned – not just highlight reels. Around 30 sessions, hands-on labs, panel discussions, and plenty of networking spaces meant there was always someone to talk to about whatever challenge was on your mind.

On top of that, I had the chance to catch up with former colleagues, old customers from my previous roles, and friends from the vExpert program, Knights, or just community people I know (or who know me!). It’s moments like these that make VMUG Connect more than just a technical event – it’s where real relationships are nurtured, reconnecting with people you’ve worked with and learning what they’re doing now.

Sessions That Inspire

One session I really enjoyed attending was with Christian Mohn and her colleague Stine. Their discussion highlighted practical strategies and real-world scenarios for „Living off the Land“ of ESX – a topic I’ve also covered in my own blog series here. It was great to see how they approached common ESX challenges, attacks, and defensive strategies, and the session sparked ideas I can immediately take back to my own work.

What I particularly appreciated about VMUG Connect – unlike a VMware Explore or Explore on Tour event, which often only highlight “positive” stories – is that there was space for discussion and even critique of strategies and products. People were openly sharing challenges, asking tough questions, and debating approaches. That honesty made the sessions feel real and valuable, and gave much more practical insights than polished marketing narratives ever could.

On the first day, there was also a podium session around security with questions from the crowd, almost like an AMA. It was fantastic to hear practitioners ask real, unfiltered questions – from tricky failure scenarios to architecture best practices – and see the experts respond with honest, practical advice. That kind of interactive session really set the tone for the rest of the event, making it feel less like a lecture and more like a genuine exchange.

Party Talks That Stuck

Beyond the sessions, the community energy continued at the evening events. I had some really memorable talks at the party with:

• John Nicholson, Staff Technical Marketing Architect at VMware, wearing his iconic cowboy hat. We chatted about VCF adoption, vSAN, and confidential computing, and it was fascinating to get his perspective on what customers are really struggling with and how VMware approaches these challenges.
• Christian Mohn from Proact Norway, we discussed about securing the ESX layer and some attacks actually seen in the wild.
• Daniel Krieger from Evoila, who gave his perspective on NSX VPCs and some of the challenges and opportunities he’s seeing in VCF networking.
• And of course, many more inspiring community members, each sharing real-world experiences and advice.

These informal conversations are what make events like this so valuable – learning from experts outside the session rooms in a relaxed setting can sometimes be even more insightful.

Another Win: Certification Achievement

Side note that I finally got around to completing my VCAP – VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0 in Storage during the event. It was great timing – with so much around storage optimization, architecture patterns, and multi-cloud best practices being discussed everywhere from sessions to lunch tables, it all felt very contextual and real. Earning that badge right in the middle of such a community focus event just made the whole trip feel like a personal and professional boost.

Final Thoughts

What makes VMUG Connect special – and what I kept hearing echoed in talks and chats – is the tangible experience. It wasn’t abstract theories or polished marketing lines. It was people sharing how they do things in the real world, how they wrestle with complexity, and how they solve problems that don’t always make the vendor slide decks.

Being able to reconnect with old colleagues, customers, and community friends reminded me why these events matter: they’re about people, not just tech. If you’re on the fence about making the next one – do it. Being in the room, having those side conversations over coffee or during breaks, and connecting with peers – that’s where the magic happens.

Already looking forward to catching up with folks again and building on the ideas that started in Amsterdam.