It is once again the time of year when Veeam Vanguard application results are announced. While the class of 2022 is not listed on Veeam’s website just yet, many who submitted an application were able to breathe a sigh of relief this week, myself included.
I was delighted to begin my workday yesterday only to find an email from Veeam confirming that my renewal nomination has been approved, meaning that I will be part of the Veeam Vanguard Program for a second year! Of course, I wouldn’t be able to have been part of the program if not for a few key people at Veeam. In particular, I’d like to thank Rick Vanover and Nikola for organizing the Vanguard program. Additionally, I wouldn’t be nearly as involved with or as knowledgeable about Veeam if not for the help of Vitaly Safarov, Jason Buffington, Tim Hudson, and Ben Beckham.
2021 as a whole was quite an interesting year, even more so for the Vanguards. Despite many of us still only being able to attend events virtually, we still able to come together as a group. As a first-year in the program, I received quite a warm welcome from everyone. Here were some of my highlights in 2021:
- Invited to special previews of VeeamON and VeeamON Update
- Invited to meet Veeam’s PM team in Prague for a week long conference showing the great new features coming in the next software releases
- Invited to special Vanguard pre-release presentations and product demos for version 11a
- Hosted a webinar with Jason Buffington detailing evolving data protection trends and predictions
My highlights cannot even begin to fully encapsulate the Vanguard program. Beyond them, there are several other benefits to being part of the Vanguard program, such as:
- Access to Veeam Product teams
- A forum to provide feedback and perspective
- Sharing of unique perspectives in the industry and exclusive networking opportunities
- NFR licenses for all Veeam products
- Access to pre-releases and betas
- Exclusive access to Veeam Forums and Support
- Exclusive access to Veeam events like VeeamON
I have a feeling that 2022 will bring even more. This year I am blogging of course, but I will also be attending VMUG meetings in Houston beginning in March. Of course with VeeamON being offered in Las Vegas this May, I’ll be attending my first-ever VeeamON in person.
Interested in learning more about the Veeam Vanguard program or becoming a member in 2023? Here are some links you’ll find useful:
