Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Can you believe it’s almost time? Here we are, nearly halfway through the year and just over 100 days away from VMware Explore 2025 in Las Vegas! If you read my previous post, you already know how much I value this conference and the role it has played in advancing my career. Now that registration officially opened on April 29th, the buzz is building and early details about what to expect are starting to emerge. Are you ready? Register now to attend Explore 2025!
Before We Begin: Top 5 Reasons to Attend
If you have ever attended an industry conference before, you know the drill. Expect breakout sessions, vendor expo booths, a keynote presentation from top executives, and other foundational aspects of most any conference. You’ll find all of that and more at Explore 2025, but here are the top five reasons to attend:
🚀 Elevate your private cloud potential
At VMware Explore 2024 in Las Vegas, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan made a clear statement: the future of workloads is in your private cloud, powered by VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF). That vision is accelerating, and Explore 2025 will reflect it across the board from breakout and theater sessions to Hands-on Labs and expert panels. If you weren’t considering VCF before, chances are it’s now front and center in your strategy.
📚 Tap into collective expertise
This is my favorite aspect of the event: meeting and collaborating with fellow customers, Broadcom employees, and Partners alike. We each serve a purpose in the vCommunity and Explore 2025 is the most significant platform to bring everyone together. Once you’re immersed in the ecosystem with like-minded enthusiasts and professionals, the collective sense of creativity and fellowship elevates to new levels, and we learn from each other.
🧑🏻💻 Sharpen your competitive edge
Explore 2025 is expected to offer a variety of technical sessions suitable for all audiences: beginner to pro. You will also find Hands-on Labs to demo some of the latest technology, in addition to certification opportunities via on-site proctoring. I spoke highly of community engagement and learning above, but even those who prefer to “fly solo” will find engaging ways to learn and maintain pace with Broadcom’s roadmap.
🏗️ Chart your organization’s future
Broadcom’s transformation has moved fast, often outpacing bloggers and analysts. Now, many organizations are actively navigating the shift from perpetual to subscription licensing for VCF. If your team is asking “What’s next?” for private cloud or private AI, this is the place to hear customer stories, explore strategies, and get practical advice from those on the same path.
🤝 Make new connections
Networking at Explore 2025 goes far beyond exchanging business cards. It’s about meeting peers who understand your challenges, sparking conversations that last beyond the event, and forming professional relationships that truly matter. You’ll likely leave with new insights – and at least one new LinkedIn connection who inspires you.
Conference Passes
Broadcom is introducing a refreshed pass structure for Explore 2025, designed to make the event more accessible, especially for attendees who may have skipped past years due to cost. This new approach offers more flexibility for those who may not be interested in some aspects of the event, such as onsite certifications, The Party, or event meals.
The table below, provided by Broadcom, outlines the available pass types and included benefits:
Notice there are some important differences between pass types:
Full Event
Attendees with a Full Event Pass enjoy the complete benefits offered at Explore 2025. This experience should feel familiar if you have attended in previous years. You get it all! Of worthy mention, Early-Bird pricing is available until June 16th, which offers a $200 discount on registration.
Essentials
Attendees with an Essentials Pass are welcome to the General Session, The Meeting Center, The Hub, Sessions & Labs Access, and On-Demand Sessions. Note there are a limited quantity of Essentials Passes available for purchase.
Two aspects of the event are not included with the Essentials Pass but can be purchased as add-ons to your event pass:
- Certification Exams
A VCF certification exam voucher is available at a discounted price for attendees with an Essentials Pass. You may sit the exam at the event or at a qualified testing center of your choice at a later date. If you would like to sit your exam at Explore 2025, please note that seating is limited and should be reserved in advance if possible. - The Party
Attendees with an Essentials Pass may purchase admission to The Party, which is the Wednesday evening entertainment event. At the time of this article, the performer(s) have not been announced publicly, so stay tuned!
Three aspects of the event are not included with the Essentials Pass and cannot be purchased as add-ons to your event pass:
- Session & Labs Scheduling
Attendees with an Essentials Pass can not pre-schedule sessions, but they may queue outside the session room 10 minutes prior to the start and will be allowed in space permitting. This differs from the Full Event Pass, which enables attendees to reserve a seat in advance. - Event Meals
Attendees with an Essentials Pass will not have access to the meal hall. This differs from the Full Event Pass, which provides buffet-style breakfast and lunch Monday through Wednesday. Attendees with a Full Event Pass will also be provided breakfast on Thursday, if a certification exam is scheduled for the same day. Attendees with an Essentials Pass shouldn’t despair – there are a variety of restaurants and quick meal options available within the Venetian Conference and Expo Center, all within 5-15 minutes of walking. - Explore Backpack & T-Shirt
Explore 2025 will offer a unique backpack and t-shirt design to commemorate your experience, but is only available to attendees with a Full Event Pass.
Meetings+
Attendees with a Meetings+ Pass are welcome to the General Session, The Meeting Center, and The Hub. Note there are a limited quantity of Meetings+ Passes available.
One aspect of the event is not included with a Meetings+ Pass but can be purchased as an add-on to your event pass:
- The Party
Attendees with a Meetings+ Pass may purchase admission to The Party, which is the Wednesday evening entertainment event. At the time of this article, the performer(s) have not been announced publicly, so stay tuned!
A few aspects of the event are not included with a Meetings+ Pass and cannot be purchased as add-ons to your event pass:
- Session & Labs Access
Explore 2025 will offer over 400 sessions, such as breakouts, roundtables, tutorials, and Hands-on Labs, available to attendees with a Full Event Pass or Essentials Pass. Sessions & Labs will not be available for attendees with a Meetings+ Pass. This goes without saying, Session & Labs Scheduling is not offered to attendees with a Meetings+ Pass either. - On-Demand Sessions
Remember those 400+ sessions I mentioned above? The general session, breakout sessions, tutorials, and quick talks are professionally recorded and made available after the event. Attendees with a Meetings+ Pass may access the recordings effective October 1st. This differs from the Full Event Pass or Essentials Pass, which provide exclusive, immediate access to the recordings after the event. - Certification Exam
A VCF certification exam voucher is not available for add-on purchase with a Meetings+ Pass. This differs from the Essentials Pass, which allows attendees to add-on the purchase a VCF exam voucher. Attendees with a Full Event Pass are provided with a complimentary VCF certification exam voucher, which is new this year! - Event Meals
Attendees with a Meetings+ Pass will not have access to the meal hall. This differs from the Full Event Pass, which provides buffet-style breakfast and lunch Monday through Wednesday. Attendees with a Full Event Pass will also be provided breakfast on Thursday, if a certification exam is scheduled for the same day. Attendees with a Meetings+ Pass shouldn’t despair – there are a variety of restaurants and quick meal options available within the Venetian Conference and Expo Center, all within 5-15 minutes of walking. - Explore Backpack & T-Shirt
Explore 2025 will offer a unique backpack and t-shirt design to commemorate your experience, but is only available to attendees with a Full Event Pass.
What about The Expo?
You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned The Expo yet. Don’t worry – partners and event sponsors will still have a strong presence at Explore 2025! The Explore Team has announced that The Expo will merge with The Hub, offering a fully integrated area for attendees to interact with communities, sponsors, and partners! This is truly a union of both settings: The Hub will continue to be a one-stop-shop for learning, networking, and recharging. The Expert Bar, Community-centric theaters, and other beloved offerings will remain in The Hub!
VCF Certification Exam Voucher
New for Explore 2025 is a complimentary VCF certification exam voucher for attendees with a Full Event Pass! Per usual, onsite exam proctoring will be offered during the event, but availability is limited. Reserving your seat in advance is highly recommended! If you prefer to sit the exam at another time or testing location, the exam voucher will be honored. This is an exciting perk included with the Full Event Pass, as each VCF certification exam costs around $250 USD when purchased independently. Of worthy mention, attendees with an Essentials Pass may purchase a VCF certification exam voucher at a discounted rate as an add-on to their event pass.
Stay Informed
Keep-up with the latest news and information about Explore 2025 by following the official channels, available on your favorite social media platforms:
Wrapping Up
What I thought would be a quick post turned into much more! There’s simply so much to look forward to at Explore 2025! I will publish one final article closer to the event, filled with last-minute tips and insights to help you make the most of your time in Las Vegas. Until then, take care – and I’ll see you at Explore 2025!
This is such a great breakdown, Don. Thank you so much for promoting VMware Explore. It should be an epic event this year in Vegas. I’m excited to experience The Hub merger as well! Love the graphic at the end. I can definitely tell that you’ve Leveled Up.