My Top {code} Sessions to see at VMware Explore Europe 2022
Introduction
VMware {code} is a set of tools and content to help you develop tools and scripts against the VMware suite of products. Pre-covid {code} had it’s own online conference which was excellent. In 2021 the {code} event was rolled up into the main VMworld event as a separate track of sessions.
I really enjoyed the {code} sessions I have seen in previous years as they are always practical, enjoyable and interesting. In this year there are 14 {code} sessions and I have picked out the top 5 I would love to attend.
Automating your home with GitOps and Project Keswick [CODE3013EUR]
Content Catalog Link: CODE3013EUR
Excerpt:
In this session you will learn how you can insert a USB key into one of your home lab servers and watch as your entire system is built out and enabled in front of your eyes through GitOps desired state deployments, Kubernetes and Project Keswick, this will allow you to provide a resilient home automation system allowing you to automate your devices and your life. Learn more about Project Keswick, a new xLabs project from the Office of the CTO in VMware. Don’t have a home lab server? You will want one after this session!
Speaker:
As a home lab enthusiast this session has really excited me. I am trying to automate my lab using Terraform and Ansible but this sounds like a potential path forward. It has buzzwords in there like GitOps and Kubernetes that could provide a good practical project to learn them which will also help in my career. Alan has a track record of cool projects so I am looking forward to this one.
Build and Publish a PowerShell Module to the PowerShell Gallery [CODE1877EUR]
Content Catalog Link: CODE1877EUR
Excerpt:
Have you ever created a PowerShell module and needed to share it and didn’t know how? The PowerShell gallery is a great place to do this. Join this session and learn how to build and publish a PowerShell module to the PowerShell gallery, and allow your contribution to be shared with the VMware community.
Speaker:
Most of my PowerShell is written for me and my use. However as I go on I sometimes think I should be making the code available for my team at work or the wider community. This session will show how to properly use the PowerShell Gallery to make a contribution to help others.
PowerCLI and REST APIs – A New Beginning [CODE2689EUR]
Content Catalog Link: CODE2689EUR
Excerpt:
VMware PowerCLI is the most popular VMware admin tool, used by thousands of admins every day to automate different aspects of their VMware infrastructure. In addition to calling the cmdlets, which are included in the PowerCLI product modules, you can now use PowerCLI to make direct calls to VMware product APIs. In the latest PowerCLI versions, we developed a new, more intuitive approach to calling VMware REST APIs. We also built integration with the VMware REST API documentation database, so you can fetch PowerCLI samples directly from the API documentation portal. Join our session and see a demo of how you can easily automate workflows by using VMware vSphere and VMware NSX REST APIs with PowerShell.
Speaker:
I love using PowerCLI for automating my vSphere work but I know I need to start to ‘learn’ using the vSphere APIs to do further integration with other automation. I’ve used Swagger interfaces and Postman to play with the vSphere APIs so I’d like to learn how using PowerCLI can do this too. The Documentation database integration sounds like it would be a useful feature when learning.
PowerCLI Users Guide to Terraform [CODE1872EUR]
Content Catalog Link: CODE1872EUR
Excerpt:
Ensuring your toolbox includes a diverse set of languages, skills and tools is incredibly important to a successful career. Over the years, Terraform has basically become synonymous with infrastructure as code and proven to be a terrific tool to have available. This session will look at how easy it is to transfer existing VMware PowerCLI knowledge to become familiar with Terraform’s lingo, coding and overall usage.
Speaker:
PowerShell/PowerCLI were the first scripting languages I learnt to use like I’m sure is the same for most Sys Admins. I have spent a lot of time learning Packer and now re-learning Terraform. This session will benefit us who are trying to go from an imperative style of scripting to declarative. Terraform is the hotness just now, so worth learning.
Developing and Operating with Tanzu Community Edition and Carvel [CODE1866EUR]
Content Catalog Link: CODE1866EUR
Excerpt:
If you are just approaching the cloud-native world or are running a production-grade infrastructure on Kubernetes with Tanzu you will need to have the right environment for experimenting the infrastructure evolutions or just to give a sandbox for Developers. Moreover, to make easy the CI/CD experience with Application in Tanzu, the community suggest Carvel which provides a set of reliable, single-purpose, composable tools that aid DevOps in application building, configuration, and deployment to Kubernetes. In this talk, we will see how to automate the deployment of Tanzu CE and how the set of tools in the Carvel suite with Tanzu will simplify the day-by-day workflow of truly a DevOps team via standardized templating, building and packaging methodologies ready for the GitOps/Continuous Delivery philosophy adopted in production.
Speakers:
Tanzu Community Edition is something that is on my to-do list to explore as my Container/Kubernetes knowledge is sadly lacking. Tanzu CE is the platform I will start to learn on this journey. I’d like to learn more about Tanzu CE in this session and how third party tools might make my learning journey easier, or develop my skills.
Wrap Up
If you can’t find a session in that list you would be interested in I would be amazed. Well done the VMware {code} team - great sessions again. What are your must see {code} sessions? I’d love to know in case I’m missing something good.