8. VMware customers want to be just like Google, according to Maritz. "They think Google has this giant computer they can flexibly deploy applications on top of, and that's what they aspire to achieve," he said. These customers say they want to operate an "internal cloud," as if they were a "hosting provider to internal customers," he said. This will require more flexible and efficient methods of delivering computing resources, Maritz said.

9. Plastered all over the conference walls are cartoon pictures of customers along with quotes describing the success they've had with VMware. The quotes are from actual customers, though some are anonymous. One example: "We consolidated 26 call centers into two. Virtualization made it possible by ensuring HA [high availability] and enabling remote management and provisioning of virtual desktops."

10. The iPhone and other mobile devices are in VMware's plans. Herrod said VMware's research and development team is working on virtualization technology for such gadgets. "That is an area we're thinking about," Maritz said of supporting mobile devices. "We think there's a move for virtualization in these mobile phones and PDAs, and I hope to have more to say about that in the future."

© 2007 Network World Inc.