Dell Technologies World is returning to Las Vegas, and is set to be the first in-person event for the industry giant since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a new era of eased international travel restrictions.

This means that, after two years of virtual and semi-virtual events, Dell is ready to once again welcome attendees to the spectacular Venetian hotel and conference centre. Given that this will be my first time travelling to Vegas, I’ve been provided with a set of useful tips on how to survive Dell Technologies World 2022, ranging from packing advice (comfortable shoes and A/C-proof layers) to emotional prep (little to no sunlight).

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For those wishing to avoid the privilege of witnessing Americans recreate the Venice Canal for a small fee of $2,495, Dell has also added the option of a free digital broadcast which can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. Bear in mind, though, that some sessions, including one on cyber resilience with Dell SVP and CSO John Scimone and Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Chris Wylie, or a keynote on sci-fi movies with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, are set to be in-person only. 

What is certain is Michael Dell’s opening speech will be enjoyed by all attendees, virtual and physical alike. The annual speech always combines the best of big announcements with a hint of entertainment, with Dell being among the few big tech CEOs who are pleasant to listen to. As far as the substance goes, though, the keynote itself will likely include udpates on Apex as well as multi-cloud and storage offerings. 

First unveiled at last year’s Dell Technologies World as a “response” to HPE’s Greenlake ‘as a service’ offering, Apex consolidates Dell’s own ‘as a service’ cloud products. It facilitates the process of acquiring, managing, maintaining, and servicing physical IT infrastructure by its customers. In January, Apex Data Storage Services was expanded to include channel partners in the UK, allowing UK businesses to select from three performance tiers for either one or three years. The widely anticipated storage announcements are likely to relate to this particular product.

Although the impeding multi-cloud offerings news is expected to be revealed on Monday, attendees can also expect a Tuesday morning keynote delivered by Dell vice chairman and co-COO as well as CDO and CIO Jen Felch on multi-cloud and software-defined innovations. However, the conference won’t be all Dell and no play: Tuesday will see a session on the gaming industry delivered by content creator and streamer Alixxa, while Wednesday “Luminary Lunch” will focus on the intersection of art and cryptocurrency.

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Dell Technologies World 2022 will likely also include an announcement or two on the tech giant’s new edge solutions, which were announced only days prior. On 21 April, Dell unveiled the expansion of its edge solutions that will aim to assist retailers in quickly generating more value as well as delivering enhanced customer experiences. Dell is known to provide edge computing systems to more than two-thirds (69%) of Fortune 100 companies across a number of industries, with the retail industry specifically expecting a significant increase in edge deployments over the next two years.

Dell Technologies World 2022 will be an event like no other, with big company announcements heading our way from Monday onwards. Las Vegas must have felt weirdly empty over the last two years, but it’s nice to see the tech industry finally returning to its natural habitat. Better start packing.