The Importance of Community Veeam - VMware Explore 2022
Transcript
(stirring music) >> All right, welcome back to coverage of VMWare Explore 2022. This is a sponsored piece of content from VeeAM, but I don't think you have to worry much about a lot of VeeAM messaging in this. Because Rick Vanover, returning to the "CTO Advisor Studio", at VMWare Explore 2022, Senior Director of Product Strategy at VeeAM, both you and Madalina Cristil, work, who's the Community Manager, work in the office of the CTO at VeeAM. This is a, this is kind of a passion project for all of us.
I want to know why my wife, who isn't in IT, knows about VeeAM. Like when you guys first came up on as a sponsor, Melissa obviously, you know, knows traditional clients and customers, the quote on quote, "big names in the industry". " Why is that, Rick? >> I believe at VeeAM, we actually have a strong community, really powerful community. They are really great advocates for us. And it's actually this way because we are putting a lot of accent on what we are doing for our communities and what we are getting back from our communities.
So I always get like, questions from our top influencers. " And my answer is yes, sure. And why? Because we care about our community. We think community is really important for us. They are our way to get the word spread out. I don't know if you want to add anything greater to that. >> No, that's right up the alley, Maddie. I mean, I've been at VeeAM 12 years, she's been here seven months and she gets it. The community strategy is built into everything we do, and it's really across the board.
It's with broad form influencers like you, and then press, and then analysts. But those technical influencers, right? The fans, the people who use our products, we want to reward them good. com. But then also other things like, you know, we throw a good party here at this event. Because our customers and partners, which are extended parts of the community, they want that experience from VeeAM. So yeah, it's right in the VeeAM playbook recipe, Keith. Community's very important to us, and there's so many different ways to engage, as well.
>> So let's talk about those ways to engage because one of the most difficult parts of any community is knowing how to jump in. I don't know if either you have ever played the rope jumping game Double Dutch, where you... >> Rick: Oh, no way! >> Madalina: I have not. >> No, Rick, you're not a big Double Dutch fan? The thing about Double Dutch, when I first ever tried to do Double Dutch, you know, you have the people turning the ropes.
It's kind of knowing how to jump in. You know, once you're in, jumping is not a problem. But how do you get involved in the VeeAM community? >> There are so many ways to get engaged, actually, Keith. com, we have a lot of ways to engage. We have VeeAM user groups that are dedicated to countries or regions, and the members can do the interaction in their own language. We do have discussion boards where people are coming to ask questions, to ask for support from the other members.
We have a category where you can blog and do podcasts, and so many other ways. We have thematic groups where people passionate about cybersecurity, kubernetes. And now we have an automation desk, as well. So people passionate about these subjects, they can go and explore the subjects, they can get knowledge, they can get together with peers and work on projects. But also, we have our top influencer program, that is called VeeAM 100. And this is comprised on three programs. Two are external influencers and one is internal influencers.
So we have Legends and Vanguards for the external one, and MVPs for the other one. >> And you hit on something really important there. Those thematic groups, the automation, cybersecurity, kubernetes, and user groups. But Keith, you know VeeAM, and what we've done over the years. It's like you can't do VeeAM without something else. So, a lot of the content is like people talking about how to upgrade vSphere. People are talking about ExaGrid Storage. People are talking about automation with Ansible.
They may be automating VeeAM, they may not be. But just the nature of VeeAM and the current spread of the products, it hits so many different things. So this community hub, in a way, is that Double Dutch in, but you know, you got to worry about the ropes, and you got to worry about your jumps, and you got to worry about all those other things. You got to worry about Windows, you got to worry about VMware, you got to worry about storage.
Everybody's welcome to have security. And a lot of times of discussion, some of the ones that we feature on our weekly recap aren't even about VeeAM. You know, we really are just, I'm not trying to dethrone any of the tech news sites or anything like that, but the thought is I just want this community hub to be at the heart of what we are with our products. So VeeAM, I like to say is this (imitates air whooshing) crossroads of data because we touch it all.
But like, we're touching VMware data, we're touching Microsoft data, we're touching Clouds, SAS, enterprise storage, we're at the heart of it all. And the community just follows that lead. >> So Madalina, I got to push you on this idea that Rick just said. That's a massive undertaking. >> Madalina: Absolutely. >> How do you partner with, as I think about Vanguards and VExperts and MVPs, and all these other similar communities. How do you partner with them to kind of bring this knowledge to the forefront?
>> It's a lot of work and it's constant conversations, at all levels, all the time. And as you said at the beginning, this is like a passion that we are putting in it. So when it's passion, you don't feel it like work. But yeah, there are ways of doing it. We are trying to also getting to the point that Rick touched a bit earlier. and bring different important names to our community. And even if that is related or not to VeeAM products.
>> So I, Rick, this is really interesting because the you said something earlier that I keyed in with. You don't just go out and buy VeeAM. You don't have no IT, and buy, "Oh, I saw VeeAM at the airport and I'm going to go out and buy VeeAM". VeeAM is about data management, data protection. You have to have data and data to manage and protect. When you're at a big show like this, there's two I think there's two audiences you're talking to.
There's the person whose job it is to protect data. And then there's the person who doesn't know that their job is to protect data. You should always be about managing data. How do you help, how does community help get out that message, that everyone should be concerned about data management and data protection? >> Well, I think it's the interconnectedness of technology. That's why, you know, we're recording here at the expo floor, because all of these brands bring something to the conversation.
VeeAM is not all things to all people, right? We're not an iPhone. You know, that is probably a a better example of a complete standalone technology. But even then you need apps from other brands, right? And, you know, enterprise IT is very different than a phone, but it's an an analogy. And, you know, we have market data indicating we're the leading backup provider worldwide from market share standpoint. And from there, the reality is, what are we backing up? We're backing up VMware and Microsoft and all these other things that are out there.
So you have to speak their language, you have to ask their interests. And then if you look at the strategy behind the community, it's the same thing. We're just given an avenue, a vehicle, for those different disciplines to share, exchange, to best practice. And we just crossed 14,000 members? >> Yes. That's a great milestone for our community. >> It's great traction on this community stuff. It's working, man. >> So Madalina I can't help but, again think about people who are trying to break into community.
VeeAM, I'm not going to say VeeAM is complicated, 'cause VeeAM is actually a fairly simple to use product overall. But data protection and data management isn't simple. And the number of solutions on the market is, I can look behind me and there's the same number of solutions. How do I, as someone who need to kind of kick the tires and learn any one of the products, how do I do that? Do I have to engage a salesperson? Like if I give you, do I have to come to a show like this, get my number away and then get a card to download a eval copy?
How do I learn the products? >> I think that, well yes, as you said, you can also come to these kind of events. This is a bit more expensive option, I believe. But yeah, you can also reach out to us. We have few other properties that are part of our community which is R&D Forums, which is led more by our VeeAM team, rather than community driven. And there is a lot of information you can, you can reach out to and there is the product management team you can reach out to.
And we have a VeeAM University that is actually connected to our community hub. So this is another engine where you can go and you can find out information. >> Got to have different consumption models. >> Yeah. >> You know, some people want to go through structured course and they're willing to pay for it. Some people just want to download the product, gimme the manual, and I'll figure it out. We can do that too. >> Absolutely. >> The free additions, the community additions.
Some people want to see what other people are saying. So those forums and then the community hub and then maybe somebody wants a training course but they don't want to pay for it. The VeeAM University course is free and we issue a badge on the community hub. So, you know, "Pay 'em in pixels," right? So you can, you know, get recognition for the accomplishment. So we're multimodal Keith, we want to be able to meet people where they're at. And then if you think about, she mentioned the three programs, The Legends, the Vanguards, and then the VeeAM MVPs, which are internal employees.
But all of those people have some levels, their own identities. Maybe some people just want to consume on a blog. You know, like one of the people on my team Anthony Spaterri. " You know, wherever people are we want to find them where they're at. >> So talk to me about that opportunity to become the Vanguard, 'cause I got to tell you, I may not even read much of Anthony's content but I can definitely tell you what a VeeAM Vanguard is.
I see them at the shows. They wear their t-shirts, their gear proud, they're very proud of the program. If I'm passionate about data protection, about sharing my knowledge, how do I become a Vanguard? Like, is this a invite only thing? Like, how do I... I want to be one of the cool kids. >> Well, I would say, that we actually changed a bit of the concept and now we have as Rick said, as I said earlier, we have VeeAM 100 program, which is our top influencers, and is comprised by the three programs.
So everyone is aligned in the way they are doing things at VeeAM. And if you want to become, because you are asking about Vanguards, because they have their, they are external influencers, right? Rather than legends that are in, like, they are more top engagers on our properties, like, R&D forums, and the community hub, VeeAM University. So it is a bit more complex process I would say because they will have to go through an application. It's like an interview if you want.
You apply for a job, you know, it's the same process. >> Well if you're sending me to Prague, to talk data protection, I don't know, I might, I might... Well, I may not keyboard as much as I used to, so that's a different topic. But I have people who are really interested in in the Vanguard program. >> Well, but then the other side of that, Keith, is the Legends program, which as Maddie said are on VeeAM properties, like the forums, the community hub, and the user group activity.
That's completely metric driven. So the way is the leaderboard. And, you know, we don't really define where the bottom of Legends would be. But when we think about the Vanguards, which are, in fact, the previous guests you had, had the Vanguard bag, I don't know if you saw that. If you think about the Vanguards who have their just their external influence and they have VeeAM favor. And then if you think about the Legends who really perform well on VeeAM properties, and then those employees, the VeeAM MVPs.
If they're behaving like that we want to still give them an opportunity, as well. So it's a targeted 100. So it's a little bit of math, a little bit of hocus pocus. There's one leaderboard. But the thought is, you know, that's the way, and the Legends is the clearest path in rocking the leaderboard. >> Well, I really appreciate both of you coming on. It is always a pleasure to talk to VeeAM but specifically about community. I really appreciate you two sponsoring this and talking about community.
We didn't just talk VeeAM 100, we didn't just talk VeeAM, actually we didn't talk any VeeAM product. We talked about the importance of community. VeeAM has always supported the CTO Advisor. We appreciate that. Full disclosure, we use VeeAM in our data center, to back up our data center. Rick's team generously have supported us, kind of, off channel and we appreciate it. If you want to learn more about the CTO advisor, or even if you have questions about the Vanguard, the 100, the Legends, et cetera, you can reach out to me directly.
I'm just going to redirect you to Madalina and Rick. It has been a pleasure coming to you live from VMware Explore 2022, in Barcelona. I'm at the, a couple of more interviews, one with Kelsey Hightower. If you haven't watched that watch it above. Another one with Sally Ease. I'm going to get out and enjoy the city. Wherever you at, make sure you get out and enjoy this world while we can. Talk to you next episode of the CTO Advisor Studio at VMWare Sports 2022.
