Keith Woolley, University of Bristol | VMware Explore 2025

Описание: In this VMware Explore 2025 interview, Keith Woolley, CDIO at the University of Bristol, joins theCUBE’s John Furrier and Rebecca Knight to share how one of the UK’s top research institutions is transforming its digital foundation with VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF). Woolley explains how the university tackled the challenge of balancing diverse needs - enterprise operations, cutting-edge research and 30,000+ students - by consolidating onto a flexible, secure and cost-controlled private cloud platform.

The discussion highlights why the University of Bristol invested over £100 million in its digital strategy, the decision to adopt VCF early and how that investment now enables agility, governance and sovereignty across research workloads. Woolley details the risks of runaway cloud costs, hidden operational overhead and fragmented legacy systems - and why VCF 9.0 provides the flexibility of hyperscaler-like operations without the unpredictable economics.

Key themes include the role of partners like Xtravirt in managing day-to-day operations, the university’s vision for borderless education underpinned by sovereign data controls and how certification, automation and Kubernetes are reshaping both developer productivity and compliance. Woolley also connects the roadmap to emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing, emphasizing how VCF 9.x provides the foundation for risk management, innovation and long-term resilience in higher education.

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00:00 - Intro
00:07 - Strategic Insights and Implementations: VMware and VCF at the University of Bristol
02:54 - Strategic Modernization: Addressing Hidden Costs in Technology and Cloud Operations
07:23 - Improving IT Response and Academic Research
09:30 - Empowering Digital Transformation: Strategies for Certification, Outsourcing, and Equity
13:00 - Impact of VCF 9.0 on Future Prospects
16:25 - Flexible Cloud Strategy and Technology Leverage
19:19 - Preparing for Future Technology Changes
21:31 - Concluding Insights on IT Leadership and Future Directions

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