2025 HESS Conference Schedule – DAY ONE

DAY ONE Sessions – Wednesday, November 12, 2025
HESS Member Institutions & Elite / Platinum Business Partner Presentations

Registration begins on Tuesday, November 11 at 6:00pm EST.

PLEASE NOTE: Session times and locations are subject to change. All DAY ONE meals are in the Archibald Dining room and ALL sessions are in the West Tower Wing. All times are eastern time (EST). The Business Partner Showcase in Cochran will be open from 8:00am EST to 6:00pm EST on DAY ONE and DAY TWO as well as specified times slots below.

*Morning Break drinks and snacks will be available between 9:30am EST and 10:30am EST and afternoon break drinks and snacks will be available between 2:30pm EST and 3:30pm EST in the HESS Business Partner Showcase in Cochran.

Facility Map – The Galt House Hotel Meeting Spaces (subject to change)
Previous Page
Presentation Title
Pfeiffer University’s IT Transformation: More Than a VMware Alternative with VergeIO
Session Time
10:00 AM
Location
Holly
Brief Presentation Description
At Pfeiffer University, we embarked on a transformative journey to optimize our IT infrastructure by transitioning from VMware to VergeIO. This decision was driven by our commitment to enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and leveraging existing resources across our three campuses. One of the most compelling reasons for choosing VergeIO was the significant cost savings. VergeIO’s licensing costs are 30% to 70% lower than VMware’s, allowing us to reallocate funds to other critical areas of our university. Additionally, VergeIO’s straightforward licensing model eliminated the need for expensive add-ons, further reducing our expenses.
VergeIO’s ability to work seamlessly with our existing hardware was a game-changer. This feature enabled us to avoid the substantial costs associated with purchasing new equipment. By extending the life expectancy of our current servers, we maximized the return on our existing investments and improved hardware utilization. The platform is optimized for performance, with deep code-level integration of storage and network services. This optimization has led to better hardware utilization and improved overall system performance, which is essential for handling the diverse and demanding workloads of our university environment. VergeIO offers a scalable solution that can grow with our needs. Whether expanding to new campuses or increasing the number of virtual machines, VergeIO provides the flexibility to adapt without significant additional costs. This scalability ensures that our IT infrastructure can evolve alongside our university’s growth.
Advanced features such as global inline deduplication, unlimited immutable snapshots, and robust ransomware resilience help protect our data and ensure continuity in the face of potential cyber threats. Since Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware, many customers have reported dissatisfaction with increased costs and declining support quality. In contrast, VergeIO has provided us with responsive and reliable support, ensuring that our IT operations run smoothly and efficiently. In summary, our transition to VergeIO has been a resounding success. By choosing VergeIO over VMware, Pfeiffer University has optimized its IT infrastructure, achieved substantial cost savings, and enhanced overall efficiency and security. This decision has positioned us to better serve our students and faculty while maintaining budgetary constraints.
Presenter Type
Member Institution Presentation
Session Track
New & Emerging Technology
Lead Presenter Name
Ryan Conte
Lead Presenter’s Email Address
Co-presenter
Nick Matheson
Co-presenter Email #1