Sean's predictions for VMworld Europe

Not finding much for prognostications about VMworld Europe 2009. So I thought I would get my predictions out quick so that I have some more data to play with. If you have any of your own, tweet them to me at @vseanclark or in the comments below.

1. vSphere 4 public beta and/or release dates announced

2. VMware announces feature enhancements to VMware View making VMware View more appetizing to Enterprises.
2a. VMware client hypervisor emerges from the vapor.
2b. ThinApp management features improve and more tightly integrate with View Manager.
2c. Display protocols emerge that make ICA sweat a little.

3. VMware kills the SAN in small business sector (almost) by combining Storage VMotion with VMotion AND Fault Tolerance! VSphere 4 Enterprise license sales sky-rocket in rest of 2009 now that SAN cost is eliminated for smallest businesses that only need 2 ESX servers for their <20 VMs. I've been talking about this capability for a while, I just hope I'm right for once. I'm tired of selling expensive SANs that blow through a small biz budget leaving me with VMware Foundation and no DRS. This feature could bring HUGE value to small biz market, to VMWare AND keep M$ at bay.

4. Since VMware kills the SAN this conference, what good is the EMC mothership? So, just to stir the pot a little, I'll fall in line with others and predict that Cisco buys VMware from EMC. I don't think they will swallow the whole fish (EMC) though.

5. VMworld Underground community and podcast will explode in popularity and sponsors will converge on our Pella, Iowa headquarters. I'll have to quit my day job to blog, tweet, and podcast full-time. ;) A nerd can dream can't he?