Get ready as Explore 2024 arrives in Barcelona from November 4-7 at Fira Gran Via! This year, we’re bringing an exciting and refreshed Hands-on Labs experience, featuring the latest VMware innovations across a range of topics. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a Hands-on Labs veteran, there’s something here for everyone to dive into.
New to Explore or the Hands-on Labs?
Check out this video from Explore Las Vegas 2023 for a taste of what you can expect.
Directions: Find the Hands-on Labs Room in Hall 8.0 at Fira Gran Via. It’s located in the hall directly behind registration.
Expert-led Workshops
The Expert-led Workshops at Explore Barcelona are a top draw, providing in-depth, 90-minute sessions where you can learn directly from the experts who created the labs. These sessions cover advanced features, new products, and real-world use cases, giving you a hands-on opportunity to dive deep into VMware technologies. With only 32 seats per session, the workshops often fill up quickly due to high demand.
Don’t Miss Out! If your desired workshop is full, be sure to arrive 15 minutes early to join the waitlist for a chance to secure a seat. Even if you don’t get in, the learning doesn’t stop there. Head over to the Self-paced Labs, where nearly all the workshop content is available for you to explore at your own pace, with expert guidance readily accessible. Don’t let a full session limit your learning opportunities—there’s always a way to engage with the labs and make the most of your time at Explore.
Self-paced Labs
The Self-paced Labs are the centerpiece of the Hands-on Labs experience at Explore Barcelona, offering a vast array of opportunities to dive deep into VMware’s latest innovations. With over 60 labs available, covering topics such as VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 5.2, vSphere 8, NSX Advanced Networking, and Tanzu Machine Learning, there’s something for everyone, regardless of skill level.
These labs allow you to get hands-on with real-world scenarios, covering everything from security configurations to machine learning integrations. No pre-registration is needed—just walk in, start exploring, and revisit the labs as many times as you like. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide guidance. You can also prioritize the labs that interest you most by favoriting them in the content catalog to optimize your schedule.
Odyssey by Hands-on Labs
The excitement of Odyssey returns to Barcelona, bringing a high-energy, competitive twist to Hands-on Labs. Odyssey gamifies the experience by challenging participants to complete a series of technical tasks as quickly and accurately as possible. Instead of following traditional lab guides, you’ll race against the clock, relying on your skills and knowledge to solve real-world scenarios using VMware solutions.
This year introduces new challenges across the VMware software ecosystem, with short, timed missions designed to test your expertise in areas like network security, cloud automation, and storage management. The competition starts on Monday, with all games open, giving you the chance to strategize and improve your scores ahead of the finals.
Odyssey Tournament Details:
- Monday: Game launch – begin tackling challenges right from day one.Tuesday: Continue playing to qualify for the finals. Top 8 on the leaderboard at 17:00 will move on to the finals.Wednesday: The top 8 scorers advance to the live tournament at 14:00, competing head-to-head for exclusive prizes and ultimate bragging rights.
Special tagged labs available in the Self-paced Labs area will help you brush up on the skills required for each challenge. Be sure to complete each qualifying game to increase your chances of making it to the final round!
The live finals will feature interactive commentary and support from the audience, creating a thrilling atmosphere as competitors battle for the top spots. Don’t miss the excitement on Wednesday!
Hands-on Labs Tours
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how we operate the labs at scale with the Hands-on Labs Tours in Barcelona. These 30-45 minute tours offer insights into the tools, processes, and cloud-based monitoring techniques that ensure seamless operations. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet lab creators and engineering teams who manage our multiple cloud environments.
For more details, check out our dedicated blog on Hands-on Labs Tours.
Tour Schedule for Explore Barcelona
Tours will depart from the Hands-on Labs Welcome Desk in Hall 8.0.
Command Center Wall
The tours include a stop at the Command Center Wall, where you’ll see live monitoring systems tracking event clouds, system performance, and capacity utilization in real time. It’s an excellent opportunity to understand how we maintain optimal operations during the event.
Check out this short video to learn more about the Command Center!
See You There!
We can’t wait to see you from November 4-7 2024! If you haven’t signed up yet, register now!
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The post Explore 2024 Barcelona: Dive Deep with Hands-on Labs, Expert-led Workshops, and Odyssey Challenges appeared first on VMware Hands-on Labs Blog.
