I’m really proud and honored to become a vExpert this year and more especially because this is my very first time!

Many of you may know what is the vExpert program but for those who are not aware of it, here’s a description that you could also find on the official vExpert website.

Program Overview

The VMware vExpert program is VMware’s global evangelism and advocacy program. The program is designed to put VMware’s marketing resources towards your advocacy efforts. Promotion of your articles, exposure at our global events, co-op advertising, traffic analysis, and early access to beta programs and VMware’s roadmap. The awards are for individuals, not companies, and last for one year. Employees of both customers and partners can receive the awards. In the application, we consider various community activities from the previous year as well as the current year’s (only for 2nd half applications) activities in determining who gets awards. We look to see that not only were you active but are still active in the path you chose to apply for.

Criteria

If you are interested in becoming a vExpert the criteria is simple. We are looking for IT Professionals who are sharing their VMware knowledge and contributing that back to the community. The term “giving back” is defined as going above and beyond your day job. There are several ways to share your knowledge and engage with the community. Some of those activities are blogging, book authoring, magazine articles, CloudCred task writing, active in Facebook groups, forum (VMTN as well as other non VMware) platforms, public speaking, VMUG leadership, videos and so on.

How to apply for vExpert

The process to apply is easy, twice per calendar year we open applications for a period of 30 days. Once the 30 days are over we close the applications and start voting which takes 30 to 45 days. Applications open for each calendar year in November / December and results are announced in February. We open applications again which we refer to 2nd half applications in June with an August announcement. Every vExpert, VCDX as well as any new applicants must apply at least once per year.

vExpert Program Benefits

• Invite to our private #Slack channel
• vExpert certificate signed by our CEO Pat Gelsinger.
• Private forums on communities.vmware.com.
• Permission to use the vExpert logo on cards, website, etc for one year
• Access to a private directory for networking, etc.
• Exclusive gifts from various VMware partners.
• Private webinars with VMware partners as well as NFRs.
• Access to private betas (subject to admission by beta teams).
• 365-day eval licenses for most products for home lab / cloud providers.
• Private pre-launch briefings via our blogger briefing pre-VMworld (subject to admission by product teams)
• Blogger early access program for vSphere and some other products.
• Featured in a public vExpert online directory.
• Access to vetted VMware & Virtualization content for your social channels.
• Yearly vExpert parties at both VMworld US and VMworld Europe events.
• Identification as a vExpert at both VMworld US and VMworld EU.

VMware vExpert Program Participation

The vExpert Program (“Program”) is a marketing program designed by VMware to reward community members for evangelizing VMware’s products and services. The program has grown to nearly 2,000 recipients, and VMware wishes to be clear that it may and will exercise its discretion with respect to which individuals may participate in the Program. Our goal is to promote actions consistent with the Program’s mission. Accordingly, we will assess whether an individual may participate in the program based not only on their own activity in evangelizing VMware products and services, but also on the activities of the company (or division within the company) that employs the individual.