Tech news roundup week ending Nov 5, 2016

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When I first started blogging for work, I was at EMC. I actually started blogging internally first with weekly roundups of all the interesting blog posts, podcasts, and videos that I saw. Here’s one from 2010. I thought maybe I’d start that back up again during #vDM30in30 this year. I still read blog posts, although I don’t have the routine I used to have: Sunday morning with coffee, reading the interesting posts in my reader.

So I’m out on the patio of my new house, coffee in hand, to bring you some interesting posts I am reading. A couple of caveats: these are blogs in my reader, unless noted. I haven’t read through my reader in a while, so the posts may be old. If you just started blogging, please add a comment or ping me on Twitter so I can add you to the things I read!

As my friend Polly likes to say: let’s see how this goes!

What did you read this week?

Life is hard, but good #vDM30in30 Day 5

Posted by Gina Rosenthal in #vDM30in30 | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wow, this week has been crazy.

My great-aunt Martha died yesterday. Yesterday, after a normal medical procedure, she was put on life support. She never pulled through it. It sucks, so much. I drove up to the mountains to visit her the Sunday before Ignite. She wasn’t feeling well, but we went to lunch and she wouldn’t let me pay. And we ate ridiculously bad dessert. And I drove her in her Prius all over the North Georgia mountains. She told me some great stories about my grandparents, about when they started dating. I wanted to hear more.

I’m so friggin pissed.  She had fallen, and had been in the hospital. They took her in for a routine operation. It went bad, and when she never woke up. I don’t trust the doctors for rural and poor communities. I have many reasons not to, and this is just so sad I almost can’t stand it.

I also moved into my house today. Here are some pics. I have a little more to work out, but we’re in!

I want to give a shout-out to my new team, and my boss. I’m still new, but everyone is so supportive. Y’all do your research when you’re job hunting, and remember interviews are for you to evaluate who you’ll be working with. My last several teams have been outstanding, and this is in part to me seeing that interview as a two-way street. Also thanks guys, it means so much to have y’all’s support.

After I settled in for the night, Fred and I sat outside, listening to the kids playing and cutting up down the way. I had a scotch.

Life is good y’all. Even if it’s super friggin sad at the moment.

Here are some of my highlights from today:

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A cat ran up into the tree when we got here, and proceeded to watch over everything. I think this is her yard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soooo many boxes. This is under half.

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Important things out first.
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He is done!
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Well-deserved

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Knocked off course #vDM30in30 day 4

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I had plans to write in depth about danger pipelines pose to our nation’s water supply, and the under-handed methods the pipeline companies are using to get the land on which the pipelines will be laid. This topic was top of mind yesterday I because I attended a rally at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC), where Energy Transfer Partners CEO was attending the TPWC’s board meeting.

Let that sink in. The man behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, 2 pipelines in West Texas, and a pipeline in S Ga/N Fla (where it traverses aquifers), is also a board member on the TWPC. Insane.

I also worked today, and I’m getting ready to move into my new house. But I got some really bad news from back home, and I really can’t concentrate long enough to string sentences together.

I think we forget we’re human sometimes. We forget that no matter how well we plan, no matter the contingency plans we put in place for unexpected events, things are still going to happen that will knock us off our paths. It’s important to remember that this is true for everyone; it is part of the human condition. Being kind and open means looking past someone’s grating behavior or just plain meanness and remembering that we can’t always know what’s driving that behavior. Love is love is love means showing kindness even in the face of bad behavior. Love each other y’all.

I’m a little bummed I’m not writing on my intended topic. Instead, I’ll leave you with a video. Hopefully I’ll be in be in better shape to write tomorrow.

This video is of the resistance to the Dakota Pipeline being built by Energy Transfer Partners in North Dakota. These people came to pray at this place, because it’s a burial site, and the law enforcement officers who are protecting ETP workers did this to them. I keep sharing the news because the mainstream media isn’t showing it.

And the crazy thing is that this same company has been taking land from farmers and claiming sacred places as theirs in Texas and in the Southeast.

My crazy life – #vdm30in30 Day 3

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This may look like a filler post, and hey, maybe it is. #vDM30in30 is a marathon though, and not a race. I swear I’ll get back to talking ITSM and monitoring soon, but right now there is so much going on. This is my post to let y’all know why it will be a few days before I go writing back to tech.

I started this new job at SolarWinds on Sept 19. So I’ve been in this role for about six weeks. On week 2, I went to Ignite. Since then, I’ve been learning the product and getting ramped back up on ITSM and monitoring in general. It’s been a while….back to when I was a customer!

Back in early August, I stkeepcalmarted the process of buying a house. The plan was to buy a house before my lease was up in December. Then my landlady told me she was going to sell the house I rent from her. I live in an “up and coming” neighborhood, and have no desire to pay up and coming prices for an 80-year old house. So while I was at VMworld, the finance folks told me as soon as I came home I needed to find a house if I wanted to be in it before my lease ran out.

Well, I found a house. Everything just worked out, and I’m moving in on Friday. I’m super busy with move stuff, so I’ll be so happy to be in the house this weekend! I should be packing right now……

……………..but I am exhausted from running things back and forth.

socialy-protect-the-earth-against-the-black-snake-nodaplAnd of course the action defending Standing Rock from the Dakota Access Pipeline has been going on during this time too. During my time off between jobs, I almost went up there, but decided there were better ways for me to help. The ongoing genocide of native peoples is just obvious now. That, coupled with the danger to our environment from for-profit oil companies just needs to be called out. But that’s for tomorrow’s post. 🙂

The next couple of posts this month are going to be about what I’m going through on a personal level. I promise I’ll get back to speeds and feeds after that. Ok, I’m not going to write about speeds and feeds, y’all know I don’t like that mess. 🙂

 

What does a product marketer do?

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Product Marketing is probably the best job role I’ve held during my career. I’ve been a PMM (product marketing manager) at Dell, EMC, Dell-EMC (ok, just for 1 day!), and now at SolarWinds.

What is Product Marketing?

PMMs are responsible for messaging for a product. This means we develop the words that describe a product internally and externally. We are usually responsible for the product pages on a website, the datasheet, and other product-centric content. We are also responsible for training and enabling sales. This means we plan and execute training, as well as any content sales may need to better sell the product (battle cards, competitive analysis docs, etc).

PMMs also run product launches. They plan launch messaging, advise marketing teams where and how to do campaign, partner, demand gen, and any other type of corporate marketing. They make sure sales is ready for the launch, and ensure all the existing content gets updated with the new launch materials.

Product marketers have to keep their pulse on the market to understand which levers to pull to make a difference with their product. They have to have a very tight relationship with their Product Managers (PMs) to understand the roadmap and direction for the product, and to keep the expectations of sales and marketing in check. PMMs also help their PM by letting them know if planned features even have a market.

As you can see, there is so much to do!

How is product marketing different than technical marketing?

Sometimes PMMs also do technical marketing, especially if they are working on a very technical product. But it’s always really nice if a PMM has a tech marketer on her team. Tech marketers go deep into the tech, writing content that explains the nuances of products. They often are also evangelists at trade shows and in customer meetings. They also have good relationships with PMs, and can act as the voice of the customer and of reason when it comes to making product decisions.

Considerations if you choose this path

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking “hey! I’d like a job like that”! Here are something to think about. First of all, Product Marketing is different in every single company. I prefer to work in organizations where Product Marketing reports up through engineering vs through marketing. In my experience, if you report to marketing many times you’ll end up being a content monkey vs driving the messaging and strategy.

Most of all, if you don’t like getting your hands dirty in every part of communicating about a product, this may not be the job for you. If you need a certain type of document, you may have to write it the first time and model what is needed for your marketing organization. You may have to really push back on your PM or a marketing executive about messaging or product release timelines.

Personally, I love being in the middle of everything. I love being connected to customers, and love being connected to the technology. I hope y’all understand now why I remind everyone I’m not a marketer, I’m a product marketer!

eye of the hurricane

#vdm30in30 starts now!

Posted by Gina Rosenthal in #vDM30in30 | Tagged , | Leave a comment

#vdm30in30 is a blogging challenge that’s been going on for 2 years now. The challenge is to write a blog post every day in November. VDM is the Virtual Design Master event, but they are nice enough to let anyone in our community particpate in the blogging challenge.

I like to participate because it forces me to write outside of the things I write every day for work. Even though I’m new to my current role, there’s only so much my brain can take when it comes to monitoring. I also think practicing writing about other things helps improve my perspective on my work writing.

I’m going to include my writing from other blogs, but I’ll keep track of everything here on this blog.

My first post is actually published on 24x7ITConnection, and it’s about how compelling tech that is created by the American military is being used to monitor and control US citizens. Do we, as technologists, have a moral obligation to speak up when good tech is used for bad? The post is here.

Looking forward to this month. Maybe I’ll do 30 this year! 🙂

 

Fall is my new year

Posted by Gina Rosenthal in me | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

I don’t know what it is about this time of year, but I always feel like there are endless possibilities in the fall. Maybe it’s because my birthday is in October. Maybe it’s the excitement of harvest time, and preparing for the cold winter months. Maybe it’s that the weather is perfect, warm (instead of HOT), less humidity. Maybe it’s because college football starts up.

I just love this time of year.

Good morning y’all #sunrise #beach

A photo posted by gina (@gminks) on

This fall is going to be crazy busy for me. I’m finally buying a house in Austin. My son and his girlfriend have moved to Austin. Oh yeah and I start a new job tomorrow!

I’m starting at SolarWinds as the PMM (Product Marketing Manager) for their Server and Application Manager (SAM) product. This is taking me back to my roots! The first job I had out of college was at EMC as a technical trainer, and the first product class I taught was for Control Center 5 – all about monitoring the components of an EMC SAN. I was also a sysadmin the years I didn’t work for a vendor. So, I’m excited to get back to this world.

I’m also excited to be working with folks I worked with at Dell, James Honey and Kong Yang. And I get to work with the Head Geeks at SolarWinds, a team of technical evangelists with a strong user community. For a technical product marketer like myself, joining a team that *gets* community is like a dream come true.

I’ll be at Ignite next week. I have booth duty so be sure to stop by, I’m interested in hearing about how people are monitoring their Microsoft stacks (on and off-premises).

I’m really looking forward to this new chapter. Happy fall y’all!

In Austin? Come support a team going to Standing Rock

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ICYMI, hundreds of Indian Nations are gathering in North Dakota to stand with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Dakota Pipeline, which threatens not only the tribe’s water, but the water of anyone in the Missouri River basin.

The gathering is historic. This is the first time the 7 Lakota nations have been united since the Battle of Little Big Horn. The community that has been built to sustain the action is just amazing.

The people there consider themselves water protectors. And they’re in it for the long haul.

That’s why several Austin communities have been holding fundraisers to gather donations to send up to Standing Rock. Today (Friday Sept 16), there is a benefit event for the effort. It starts at 6 at the 1st Universal Unitarian Church of Austin. All the details are here. Here is the list of items they need, if you’d like to donate bring it by. There will be dancers and singers, it should be pretty awesome!

TENTS & TARPS
BANNERS, SHEETS
BATTERY-AA, D, C
BATTERY PACKS FOR CHARGING PHONES
BLANKETS- HEAVY
COTS
FOLDING TABLES
HAIRNETS & CAPS
LANTERNS, FLASHLIGHTS, LED LIGHTS
LAUNDRY SOAP, BIODEGRADABLE
LIGHTER, MATCHES
MEDICAL, FIRST AID, AND HEALING SUPPLIES (no alcohol tinctures)
MALLETS, CHAINSAW FILE, TOOLS FOR SHELF/CAMP BUILDING
MATERIAL FOR TOBACCO TIES
PAINT & BANNER CLOTH
MENSTRUAL SUPPLIES & POISE FOR ELDERS
RAIN COATS, PONCHOS
ROPES, TIE DOWNS
SOLAR CHARGERS FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES
SOLAR PANELS, INVERTER
SCHOOL SUPPLIES- NOTEBOOKS, PAPER, PENS, PENCILS, ART SUPPLIES
SKIRTS- FULL LENGTH
SLEEPING BAGS (FOR COLD WEATHER)
SWEATERS (ESP. XL-3X)
TIPI AND TIPI POLES, OTHER LARGE PORTABLE STRUCTURES
WALKIE TALKIES, CB RADIOS
WATER BUFFALO / WATER TRUCK
WATER JUGS
WINTER GEAR- HATS, SCARVES, GLOVES
WOOD FOR BUILDING SHELVING
WORK GLOVES, ALL SIZES
MOBILE KiTCHEN/ FOOD TRUCK / LARGE-SCALE KITCHEN SUPPLIES

 

VMworld – Sunday is for connecting

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Sunday at VMworld is filled with events and parties. While these are held in cool venues, usually with plenty to eat and drink, the real benefit of attending these events are the conversations you can have with people who care about virtualization and cloud.

One conversation thread that I’ve had with several people is how the shift in storage infrastructure along with how developers are writing applications. Infrastructure is moving to flash and cloud (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS), and developers are learning to write to maximize their apps for these new platforms. What does this mean if developers have less and less knowledge (or even control) over how applications write to disk?

There are other connections too, introducing people you know to others who should be connected to them. Sometimes catching up with people you used to work with, or visiting your competitor’s booths to say hi to the folks who play in your space. The opening of the Solutions Expo last night was a great place for that.

 

What’s happening today?

First of all, Keynotes! They are actually going on right now (I’m writing this in the blogger’s lounge as I watch them). Lots of cloud and even SaaS talk today! which is pretty amazing. Do your best to get to the keynotes. You can go to the hang space and sit on a couch, grab some coffee, and have some great conversations as you watch them.

Visit the Solutions Expo. It was crazy yesterday during the opening, and I’ll admit I stuck to the EMC, Dell, and Dell Software booths. There are so many I want to visit today, so this is my first stop once they open at 10.

Go to a presentation. To get into the popular ones, you need to sign up on the session scheduler.

Go to vendor sessions. I’m going to a VCE presentation (supporting the EMC Elect program). If you’re a customer, go to your favorite vendor’s booth and ask if they have special presentations. I’m sure they’ll hook you up with the info and an invite!

Parties: There are so many parties again tonight. Pace yourself, because breakfast is at 7:30 and general sessions start at 9 on Tuesday morning. O

Pro Tip of the Day

Be sure to eat! This is probably going to mean that you will miss something, but you have to eat. We’re doing a lot of walking, and talking and thinking. All of that requires fuel! So take breaks to eat!

Tweets/Pics from yesterday

 


 


 

VMworld 2016 is officially underway!

Posted by Gina Rosenthal in VMworld | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This week I’m at VMworld in Las Vegas as a blogger. I’m going to try to get a post out every day with interesting news for those of you who aren’t able to join us this year. This is my make-up post from yesterday. 🙂

You may be wondering, wait Gina, don’t you just talk about Office 365 and SaaS data protection all the time? Why the heck are you at VMworld? Interestingly enough, this year’s theme isbe_Tomorrow“. According to this page, that theme is all about cloud infrastructure: app availability, resource management, APIs, operations management, automation, lifecycle management and security. Of course, here we’ll be talking from a VMware perspective so it will be focusing on IaaS/PaaS. But cloud also includes SaaS, and we worry about all of those things in the SaaS world too. It’s just as important to understand how to manage a SaaS application, because at the end of the day the business just wants to do business, they count on us to keep the infrastructure pieces running.

So that’s why I’m here. I’ll be talking about SaaS as part of your cloud strategy in a vBrownBag Tech Talk on Tuesday morning. The entire vBrownBag schedule is here, there are some awesome presentations and panels planned, make sure to attend some of these! I’ll also be around the EMC booth hanging with the other EMC Data Protection folks, I have some awesome swag coming…so go find Alex Almeida in the booth to talk about Spanning if you can’t find me.

What’s happening today?

#vFit: Every morning at 7 am, folks are meeting at the registration area of Mandalay Bay to run/walk outside. It is good for you, come join us!

Opening Acts: Today (Sunday) I’m also moderating a panel about careers at vmunderground’s Opening Acts. If you’re trying to figure out how to move your career forward, this panel is great and I think I’m going to be able to get some really useful information out of them. It’s free to attend, so come on out! Our panel is first up and starts at 11, there’s a break for BBQ lunch at 1 (small fee for that), then more panels at 2.

V0dgeball: After Opening Acts is the 8th annual v0dgeball. Basically, vendors pony up registration money to form teams to clobber each other with balls for a great cause (Wounded Warrior Project). It is free to attend (it starts at 3)but they will let you know how to donate to the Wounded Warrior Project — and you should do that!

Welcome Reception: After v0dgeball, the show floor opens at 5 with the Welcome Reception. There are so many booths I want to check out this year, for me it takes 3 or 4 days to visit them all. Make sure you visit the booths. Yes, grab your swag, but talk to the folks working the booths. Many times, you’ll have the product manager or key technical marketer standing there really wanting to hear from you. Do more than get your badge scanned, have a great technical product conversation!

vmunderground: And finally (for me at least), is #vmunderground. This is the 10th anniversary edition, and will be held at Nine Fine Irishmen (memories!!!). You have to have a wristband. If you don’t have one already, hit up a vendor to hook you up. This party is one of my favorites, my week is usually booked from conversations I have here.

Lots going on today! Looking forward to talking with you all, you know you need to know how to #backthatsaasup!

Pro tip of the day

Drink a lot of water y’all! We are in the desert, you need the water. This is even more true if you’re drinking…alcohol dehydrates you and you’re going to feel awful if you don’t replenish your body with the water it needs.

Tweets/pics from yesterday