Friends and Family
This is usually a program run with a limited set of customers who are willing to work with alpha level software. Because of the product instability this requires customers with a high tolerance to software pain levels. Customers involved in these programs are identified by product management through previous working relationships or interest in a particular feature.
Customer Expectations for Friends and Family:
- Customer under existing NDA
- Willing to exercise the product in a timely fashion
- Work closely with engineering on testing and problem feedback
- Weekly status reports
Private
Some VMware beta programs have strict confidentiality requirements and limit the number of participants allowed in the program. In this scenario we will go through a site selection process. Customers will be required to fill out an application. The application will then be reviewed by the site selection team. Sites meeting the selection criteria will be allowed into the program. Sites not selected will have to wait for either the public beta or the GA release of the product.
Customer Expectations for Private Beta:
- Leverage existing NDA or sign a nonnegotiable mutual NDA
- Product exercise plan that details the product usage and provides a timeframe of testing events
- Weekly product usage commitment for the length of the beta program
- Installation and feedback within the first week
- Conference calls on an as needed basis
- Possible customer visit
- Survey response for select beta milestones
- Possible reference site at the completion of beta
Public
The majority of VMware beta programs fall into this category. Public betas will be announced to all customers who have opted in to the particular product beta. The announcement will be sent out shortly before or on the beta start date. Customers will be required to register using their VMware Store account and answer a short questionnaire. At that point they will be accepted into the beta program and be able to download the product.
Customer Expectations for Public Beta:
- Accept an End User License Agreement (EULA)
- Complete a short questionnaire before downloading
- File support requests when problems are encountered
- Complete an occasional beta survey around major test milestones