There is a new vSphere Beta Program starting soon. I don’t know the exact date but I would suspect that it will be in time for the upcoming release (v6.5 maybe) to be ready for VMware at the end of August.
You can apply to be part of this vSphere Beta Program at http://info.vmware.com/content/35853_VMware-vSphere-Beta_Interest
This vSphere Beta is a private Beta but is open to VMware customers who have deployed vSphere 5.5 and 6.0.
Beta participants are expected to do the following: –
- Online acceptance of the Master Software Beta Test Agreement will be required prior to visiting the Private Beta Community
- Install beta software within 3 days of receiving access to the beta product
- Provide feedback within the first 4 weeks of the beta program
- Submit Support Requests for bugs, issues and feature requests
- Complete surveys and beta test assignments
- Participate in the private beta discussion forum and conference calls
vSphere Beta Program Overview
This program enables participants to help define the direction of the most widely adopted industry-leading virtualization platform. People who want to participate in the program can now indicate their interest by filling out the simple form found at the link above. The vSphere team will grant access to the program to selected candidates in stages. This vSphere Beta Program leverages a private Beta community to download software and share information. VMware will provide discussion forums, webinars, and service requests to enable you to share your feedback with them.
You can expect to download, install, and test vSphere Beta software in your environment or get invited to try new features in a VMware hosted environment. All testing is free-form and VMware encourage you to use their software in ways that interest you. This will provide them with valuable insight into how you use vSphere in real-world conditions and with real-world test cases, enabling them to better align their product with your business needs.
Some of the many reasons to participate in this beta opportunity:
- Receive early access to the vSphere Beta products
- Interact with the vSphere Beta team consisting of Product Managers, Engineers, Technical Support, and Technical Writers
- Provide direct input on product functionality, configurability, usability, and performance
- Provide feedback influencing future products, training, documentation, and services
- Collaborate with other participants, learn about their use cases, and share advice and learnings