John Powell manages the Release Development, Open Source and Security Tools and Services Team at VMware. We are meeting with him to learn more about the team he is establishing in Sofia!
John, you have been with VMware for over 13 years. What kept you in the company for so long?
VMware is a fantastic company to work for. In addition to our position in the industry and reputation for engineering innovation, the work culture promotes strong personal values. This kind of professional integrity is very important to me, and across my 13-year tenure here I have always felt that there is no better place to work that offers like-minded, and passionate individuals in combination with such stellar career opportunity. I believe that the products and services created here are a force for good in the industry and also the world.
Tell us more about the team that you are leading and how it impacts VMware's business.
One of the projects that my team is focused on involves shifting Product development teams closer towards a true SaaS delivery model. There are many aspects involved in a Products SaaS transformation but one of the key areas (and that has potential to grind a release schedule to a screeching halt), is getting approval from the Legal and Security organizations to incorporate Open Source or Third-Party code into their Offering.
In a world where changes are grouped into features that are shrink-wrapped and sold to Customers to be deployed on-Premise, it might be acceptable to spend several months getting approval from these organizations to ship your release. In a world where changes are moving into production every day, this approval must be automated and “pushed left” as far as possible into the developer workflow. Without proper automation, this SaaS transformation is simply not feasible.
In a world where changes are grouped into features that are shrink-wrapped and sold to Customers to be deployed on-Premise, it might be acceptable to spend several months getting approval from these organizations to ship your release. In a world where changes are moving into production every day, this approval must be automated and “pushed left” as far as possible into the developer workflow. Without proper automation, this SaaS transformation is simply not feasible.
You are currently assembling a team in Sofia, what kind of people would be interested in the vacancies?
We are looking for strong analytical thinkers who can see the big picture and develop solutions that challenge the status quo. We want teammates that can see the idealized vision of what we are creating and imagine and implement strategic changes that will get us to where we need to be one building block at a time.
Our team is a diverse working group from Palo Alto, Shanghai, and now Sofia. We value clear and direct communication, healthy debate, and passionate execution. The ideal candidate will be mindful of their strengths and weaknesses and willing to participate in an environment where effort (in success or failure) is celebrated.
Our team is a diverse working group from Palo Alto, Shanghai, and now Sofia. We value clear and direct communication, healthy debate, and passionate execution. The ideal candidate will be mindful of their strengths and weaknesses and willing to participate in an environment where effort (in success or failure) is celebrated.
What are the challenges that the team will be facing in the short and long term?
Our short- and long-term challenges are the same in some respects. We are striving to strike a balance between developer education and automation magic. If our tools and services are working as envisioned then the fundamental question "What Open Source package am I using, and am I allowed to use it?" becomes a question you can get an answer to in close to real-time.
Similarly a developer, who is unaware of the mechanics of the VMware Security Development Lifecycle, may not ever need to grasp its complexities as the discovery and remediation of Security findings is hidden from plain view through world class automation and tools.
Our challenge will always be, how can we solve these major business challenges with as little developer friction as possible.
Similarly a developer, who is unaware of the mechanics of the VMware Security Development Lifecycle, may not ever need to grasp its complexities as the discovery and remediation of Security findings is hidden from plain view through world class automation and tools.
Our challenge will always be, how can we solve these major business challenges with as little developer friction as possible.
What skill set is needed to overcome the challenges that the future holds?
Effective communication, a collaborative mindset, strong engineering principles and practice of staying informed are skills that are all top-of-mind when preparing to tackle any project. In the Open Source and Security space within an Enterprise organization doubly so. An attitude of curiosity and a willingness to engage with Subject Matter Experts will be a strong requirement in solving these challenges.
John, where can people learn more about your team and the open positions in Sofia?
For more information visit the VMware Careers website:
