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It's been amazing to watch the flurry of blogs and press articles flying around the Internet about the upcoming VMworld conference next week. There's been rampant speculation about a huge blowout fight that reportedly erupted between Citrix and Microsoft on one side... and show sponsor VMware on the other. Articles have referred to "dustups", "swords drawn" and my personal favorite... a "flaming handbags at dawn fight." Wow... sounds like a scene right out of Pirates of the Caribbean, Part IV!
I love a good story as much as anyone, but the reality in this case is actually far less dramatic. Not only have there been no fireworks or fisticuffs between Citrix and VMware, there haven't even been any sharp words exchanged. While Citrix obviously competes aggressively with VMware in the marketplace, no customer wants to see their strategic vendors resort to the kind of childish catfights or event boycotts that some stories have reported. While these speculations make for an entertaining read, it's important to set the record straight.
Despite reports to the contrary, Citrix did not pull out of VMworld this year. Far from it. When VMware announced the availability of sponsorships for their San Francisco show earlier this year, Citrix promptly returned the paperwork requesting a Gold Sponsorship, just as we've done in previous years. VMware's event management firm responded quickly (and very politely, I might add), informing us that due to "new guidelines", Citrix was no longer allowed to sponsor the event. When we expressed our surprise at this change (again, very politely) we were informed that the most we could do this year is set up a small 10x10 booth. They also politely pointed out new guidelines for "non VMware partners" suggesting the appropriate use of product demos and activity in and around our booth to be sure we were aware of them. Apparently we weren't the only ones singled out, as several other bloggers noted at the time.
In parallel, a couple of Citrix employees outside of corporate marketing inquired at a nearby hotel about the possibility of renting conference rooms to hold customer and user meetings, something we frequently do at large industry trade shows. With so many customers already in the area, we find events like this make a convenient venue to hold a variety of get-togethers with folks we normally see only over email or GoToMeeting. After hearing that we were from Citrix, however, the hotel informed us (also very politely) that Citrix was on a "do not rent to" list supplied to them by VMworld, so they could not support our request.
While we were admittedly a bit surprised by these changes and wish we had an opportunity to participate more broadly, I can assure you there were no swords, dustups or angry rants. And certainly no flaming handbags. We understand that VMworld is a proprietary event run by one vendor and agree they have every right to change the rules in any way they wish. Citrix respects that right and will comply with the terms of our show contract. At the end of the day, if customers want a more open event, they will have to give that feedback directly to VMware.
Meanwhile, I'm happy to confirm that Citrix WILL be exhibiting at VMworld. Attendees can find us in booth #1938 (a cute little 10x10 tucked in between Emulex and Netuitive... you can't miss it). And while we may not be able to fit many people in our booth this year, I can assure you we have plenty of exciting things to talk about and would love to see each and every attendee stop by. We'll even show you how to use our products with VMware if you like!
Most of all, I want to assure you that we're not mad at anyone, including our friends at VMware. Life is too short for that. This is an exciting and vibrant industry with more than enough room for both of us. And there are an abundance of venues outside of VMworld to talk with customers and share our vision of a simpler, more open way of delivering IT as an on-demand service.
I'd also like to be the first to personally extend an offer to VMware (or any other virtualization, networking or cloud vendor, for that matter) to sign up now to sponsor our upcoming Synergy 2010 conferences next year. We'd be delighted to have you as a silver, gold or even platinum sponsor... whatever your budget allows! If you sign up to sponsor both Synergy San Francisco in May and Synergy Berlin in October, in fact, I'll even give you a great package deal! I'd also like to invite any of the smart folks at VMware, or anywhere else out there, to submit session topics for next year's Synergy events. An open Call for Papers will be publicized broadly starting on September 8th with presenters chosen by a selection panel that includes folks from Citrix as well as independent industry analysts, publishers, bloggers and other thought leaders in the industry. Call us crazy, but we actually WANT competitors presenting at Synergy. It makes for a far richer and more interesting event for everyone. After all, we're all working side-by-side at the same customers anyway, right?
And while I don't mind poking a little fun at our friends at VMware for their overly sensitive guidelines this year (c'mon guys...what are you afraid of?), I'll be the first to admit that Citrix has made our share of silly paranoid moves in the past as well. It's easy to do when you're in a highly competitive industry and passionate about your products, as both of us undoubtedly are. But I can promise you that we're doing our best here at Citrix to be more open, more transparent and more inclusive. Thanks to all 230,000 of our customers for their business. We'll see you all next week at VMworld in booth #1938... just please don't all try to come at the same time!
Kim Woodward
VP of Corporate Marketing (and proud exhibitor at VMworld 2009)
Citrix Systems, Inc
Comments (17)
Aug 28
Shawn Bass says:
Well said Kim and pretty much spot on with my assumptions about what really happ...Well said Kim and pretty much spot on with my assumptions about what really happened. I'm also quite relieved (I'm missing VMworld this year and I was really saddened when I heard I was going to miss flaming handbags LOL)
Thanks.
Shawn
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
Hi there. Can I just say that I'm totally loving this post. Like many on the o...Hi there. Can I just say that I'm totally loving this post.
Like many on the outside of VMW/CTXS/MSFT we can't know technical accuracy of the information that is spiralling of the blogsphere both independent and corporate. So I will guess unless you work professionally in the field of event management its impossible to 100% judge if VMware's actions are industry standards as VMware claim, and that folks over at MS have just seen this situation as opportunity to bash VMware.
But something about the way you write and the excellent ethical standards you demonstrate in this blogpost - makes me instantly trust what you say. As you rightly say, although many customers enjoy bear-baiting one vendor and against another - fundamentally, when any vendor(s) take to the airwaves to bash each other as VMware & Microsoft - or NetApp or EMC do. The net result is that customers look down on the whole thing - and I not impressed. The focus should be on the customer, not one vendor bashing another.
So I'm loving the fact that you able to air your criticism/insight without it descending into excuse to score points against competitors.
Personally, I've never regarded VMworld as remotely "industry neutral" - and I'm surprised that others have. Merely looking at the number of breakout sessions that delivered by VMware Employees, Customers and Partners would tell you that this is a VMWARE vmworld (capitals for emphasis) So I don't see VMware's T&Cs as such as big departure from previous years. But I can clearly understand how Citrix might feel aggrieved by the fact that there money (that's what sponsorship is) was once welcome, and now it is not. However, on the opposite side that was much easier for VMware to do when Citrix was less of direct-competitor to VMware...
Finally, I would say that whilst I'm loving your lack of negativity. The resoluteness to turn this into personal affront. I only wish other Citrix representives were equally enclined. I watched the "Thrilla in California" and was personally turned off by the way Simon Crosby in his opening statement turned on Scott Drummond of VMware - in what was almost a personal attack on the Scott Drummond, and divert immediately from the subject of performance - to the subject of cost.
http://www.catalyst.burtongroup.com/Na09/PlayerVideo011.html
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
Oh, I should said who I am. I'm Mike Laverick, of RTFM Education. www.rtfm-ed.c...Oh, I should said who I am.
I'm Mike Laverick, of RTFM Education. www.rtfm-ed.co.uk
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
Well said! It's quite refreshing to read posts like these and to see th...Well said! It's quite refreshing to read posts like these and to see that Citrix is taking the high road. Rather then spend time, money and energy focused on challenging a "school bully" - they have chosen to focus on the most important thing....their customers. Kudos to Citrix.
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
Chad Sakac (EMC) aka virtualgeek here. Kudos on this post and kudos to Citrix -...Chad Sakac (EMC) aka virtualgeek here.
Kudos on this post and kudos to Citrix - people always want dirt, spiraling escalations, and polarizing issues. It take strength to swim upstream against that.
Aug 28
Jason Silva says:
Succinct and to the point. This should clear all of the drama and speculation ar...Succinct and to the point. This should clear all of the drama and speculation around the blogosphere.
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
You guys need to stop with this childish BS. Both Citrix and VMWare lose credibi...You guys need to stop with this childish BS. Both Citrix and VMWare lose credibility when I read these "stories".
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
Very carefully put, but it sounds like there's a bit of dueling going on there. ...Very carefully put, but it sounds like there's a bit of dueling going on there. Also, can't help but notice all of the out of home Citrix ads currently surrounding Moscone (understand this may be part of a larger branding effort, but timing + placement in SF can't be 100% coincidence). I think the copy on the taxi tops reads: "It's a Citrix world now." That's a bold move and I like it but you have to admit that's an attack on VMware and VMworld.
@mawkus
Aug 28
Anonymous says:
Give it up for Citrix. They took the high road when VMware took the low. Thumbs...Give it up for Citrix. They took the high road when VMware took the low.
Thumbs down to VMware-World and Thumbs up to a new industry event for Virtualization.
I'm thinking that Microsoft, Citrix, and Oracle should pull some of their resources together for a truly open, industry-all Virtualization event.
I can dream right?
Aug 29
Anonymous says:
Very well said and to the point. When an industry player takes great care to ens...Very well said and to the point. When an industry player takes great care to ensure that its competitors are not a part of their flagship activity, especially so when they were there all along, t sends a clear signal to the customers that they are afraid of something.
Customers are an intelligent lot and in this world of blogging and transparency, customers will realise that VMWare seems to be afraid of Citrix and MS! Why, we wonder?
I also liked the open offer to VMWare to come in for your events as any level that they would like.
Here's wishing Citrix all the best for Synergy and to make it a truly OPEN event.
Aug 31
Mayunk Jain says:
Well done, Kim. While walking the double-edged sword of blogging, it gets easy t...Well done, Kim. While walking the double-edged sword of blogging, it gets easy to lose sight of facts in the interest of dramatics (and hits). A post like this goes a long way in clearing out the rumors and even some of the hasty "journalism" that reports how Citrix/MS has "pulled out" of the event. When the event is long over and the announcements all done, the customers will start again to look for real solutions. At such times, honest and straight facts like these will save the customer from falling for FUD.
Great job and we look forward to seeing VMWare at Synergy next year!
Aug 31
Anonymous says:
Great post Kim! Citrix has been guilty of this in the past too and I'm...Great post Kim! Citrix has been guilty of this in the past too and I'm glad to see there's new leadership in marketing that has decided not to go down that path. Good luck with VMWorld and it sounds like next year's Synergy will be the place to be!
Aug 31
Anonymous says:
I think Bramfitt @ www.xencentric.com has found the ideal solution to these mark...I think Bramfitt @ www.xencentric.com has found the ideal solution to these marketing spats. Marketing execs in sumo suits would be a welcome addition to a Synergy final night party.
Aug 31
Simon Bramfitt says:
While I have to agree that it would make an entertaining climax to any conferenc...While I have to agree that it would make an entertaining climax to any conference, I can't take the credit for the Sumo suit idea.
All credit for that has to go to Chris Hoff, and I guess also to Simon Crosby for stepping up to the original challenge.
Simon
Sep 03
Anonymous says:
What a load of rubbish, as if Citrix would let VMWare be a Platinum sponsor at S...What a load of rubbish, as if Citrix would let VMWare be a Platinum sponsor at Synergy. Do you really think we are that gullible? This is a feeble effort at taking the high ground and adopting a holier than thou attitude in the vain hope of winning a few friends. Pathetic. You've always been just as bad as VMWare at these petty little games (just ask Packeteer, F5, Expand etc.) but because VMWare are now bigger and richer than you are, and employ most of your ex-staff, you deem it justified to pretend to be above these childish little spats do you...?
"Call us crazy, but we actually WANT competitors presenting at Synergy". Yeah right. And Michael Jackson had an incurable skin disease that just happened to turn him white.
"Poking fun at VMWare" you say? Lose that enormous chip on your shoulder and we might actually believe it.
Everyone knows you and VMWare wouldn't urinate on each other if you were on fire so don't try and come over all high and mighty now, just because VMWare have had a bit of bad press. Stick it to them good and proper while they're down; twist that knife. Like a company with balls would.
An anonymous coward
Sep 04
Kim Woodward says:
As I said, we've certainly made our share of silly moves like this in the past a...As I said, we've certainly made our share of silly moves like this in the past as well. That's why we tried to take this one with a smile and make the best of it without getting mad. It's also why we're genuinely trying to be a lot more open with Synergy than we may have been with other events in the past. In many ways, it's part of maturing as a company. At some point, you stop and realize that a big part of competing effectively with someone is not being afraid to let customers see their products side-by-side with yours. So yes, we are serious about inviting VMware (or any other vendor in this space) to sponsor Synergy next year. We're also serious about inviting all the smart folks in virtualization, networking and cloud computing - regardless of vendor affiliation - to submit session proposals in the Synergy Call-for-Topics that I just gave a sneak peek about today. And yes, my "anonymous coward" friend, you are more than welcome to submit your Synergy session ideas as well... only requirement is that you have to give your real name this time.
Sep 27
Anonymous says:
This is a good post with awesome set of comments I must say! Thanks Kim for prov...This is a good post with awesome set of comments I must say! Thanks Kim for providing us with authentic info and for assuring that Synergy is going to be a much more Open and unbiased event!
I guess VMWare has not only proven to play cheap tactics at VMWorld but also in the comments section of this post (this is for you anonymous coward). I (once used to account VMWare to be a great company) am really depressed by their stupid behavior.
I am really looking out for change in Virtualization market dynamics. Let's hope the monopoly dies and Citrix-VMWare-MS share this space equally. Because with Competition comes Perfection.
Thanks
Not an anonymous coward but still anonymous
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