Going Swiss: How VMware training can streamline your multi-cloud systems

Leading VMware trainer Bryan O’Connor highlights why organisations that want to maximise the ROI of their multi-cloud approach should be considering VMware training.

Clouds on the horizon (emphasis on the plural!)

Towards the end of last year, Forbes published an article in which they poetically stated, ‘90% of organisations have a multi-cloud destiny’. As a Cloud Expert, I’m already seeing that destiny play-out: numbers vary, but a recent survey put the number of organisations already using multi-cloud systems at 76%.

You may work in an organisation which is already doing it. If so, you’ll probably be familiar with 3 common ‘siloes’, each having their own cloud: infrastructure, platform and software. There are undoubtedly benefits in being able to select vendors in this way: you can pick the solution that offers the most appropriate functionality, has the best cost/benefit relationship and suits the skillset of your teams.

However, this approach also throws out challenges:

• Lack of knowledge: in a recent survey on the causes of multi-cloud issues, 41% of respondents selected skills-shortages, and 33% selected lack of training. 
• Complexity and opacity: without a view on how the systems relate to one another, data can be lost, duplicated or insecure. The leading causes of cloud data loss are accidents (20%) and malicious intent (24%).
• Cost: with multiple systems, it’s harder to see if you’re getting the ROI you were expecting. 70% of respondents in a recent survey highlighted this as a business issue.

All of this is alarming to business-minded individuals who were promised lower costs, increased efficiency and collaboration!

That’s where VMware training and implementation come in.

The power of diplomacy

VMware describes itself as the ‘Switzerland of the Cloud’ – but in business-terms, what does this mean?

Switzerland is perhaps the world’s most famous neutral nation. Respected as an arbiter, historically many nations in dispute have counted upon Switzerland as a venue for discussions, a mediator for disagreements and a broker of agreements.

VMware also acts in this way, but as an arbiter between your different cloud systems:

1. Relations: VMware training provides you with a way for different cloud systems to ‘talk to one another’ from a technical perspective. This ensures a smooth integration and avoids the issues of data siloes.
2. Neutrality: VMware is vendor-neutral, meaning that it is designed to be tailored to your existing systems, be they on-premises or from other vendors, such as AWS or Google Cloud. VMware training therefore complements existing knowledge and training, rather than replacing it – definitely an added plus!
3. Respect: VMware is well-established as a multi-cloud solution. VMware qualifications feature in the top 10 most sought-after IT qualifications, and other vendors ensure that their products are VMware compatible.

The role of training

If you are new to VMware or aren’t yet using it, your best port-of-call is to explore a Fundamentals course, such as the VMware Technical Associate Course. Once you’ve established a Foundation, you’ll be able to send your employees down the pathway that matches their job role, the products you are using and your business priorities.

I think it’s worth mentioning that to truly harness the benefits of VMware and of your existing cloud systems, training is indispensable:

1. VMware offers a rich suite of tools that can be tailored to your specific business objectives: but you need people who are intimately familiar with all that VMware has to offer – so that you don’t miss opportunities for optimisation.
2. Your business is in constant evolution; the cloud is in constant evolution; VMware is therefore in constant evolution. Keeping your people up-to-date with best-practice keeps you ahead of the competition, avoids glitches and ensures the security of your data.
3. It complements your existing training for other vendors: your cloud experts will be building upon their existing familiarity with AWS, Google Cloud and others in order to use them in a new context.
4. It’s positive for retention: employees that work in organisations with a positive training culture have 30-50% higher retention rates. With the Cloud Skills gap listed as the leading cause of multi-cloud obstacles, investing in training is a shrewd long-term investment.

What should my next steps be?

We’d encourage you to explore our VMware training offering, which caters for all levels of experience.

If you’d like to learn more about how VMware and multi-cloud work in harmony, check out our video: VMware: Multi-Cloud Introduction.