It's time to dust off your most comfortable shoes, pack your spare battery packs, and warm up your throwing arm-VMworld 2014 is almost here. As always, the Cisco Data Center team has a lot going on both on the show floor and off. Here's a quick guide to some of the community highlights for those attending and those watching it all unfold.

Conference hair? We have your solution. Visit us at Cisco Booth 1217 for your#CiscoUCS hat. Tweet a selfie and enter our raffle!

Sunday, August 24

8-11 am: vBreakfast
What better way to get to know the community than over breakfast at Mel's Diner? Join#CiscoChampion Shane Williford and many others in this yearly tradition of carbo-loading for an action-packed day.

1-4 pm: Opening Acts
This new addition to kick off the community learning at VMworld is brought to you by the VMunderground group in partnership with vBrownBag, both of whom Cisco is sponsoring this year. Learn about topics spanning tech and professional development in this informal panel sessions.

3-5 pm#v0dgeball
For the 2nd year in a row, Cisco is the proud sponsor of Team CloudBunny at this annual charity event. Exactly what it sounds like, this is the time of year where smack talk is encouraged and a year's worth of glory is earned. All proceeds benefit Wounded Warrior Foundation. So don a pair of ears, or just come out and prepare to cheer. Suggested donation is$5 for fans.

Yes, it's an actual charity dodgeball match! Come out to donate and cheer us on!

8-11 pm#VMunderground
This annual tradition is bigger than ever! Come out to meet your colleagues at this community-backed event. Conveniently located right across from Moscone, it's the perfect time to meet old friends and connect with new ones. We'll be there with various giveaways (did someone say#vBacon?). Be sure to follow @CiscoDC this week for a chance to win one of the limited supply of#VMunderground wristbands available.

Tuesday, August 26

8-11 pm#vBacon
Back for the 3rd year,#vBacon is bigger and more bacon-filled than ever. If you've not yet registered, do so today for the VIP entrance into the community party where everyone knows your Twitter handle. Complete with caricaturists to capture the moment, locally themed food and drink, and lots and lots of bacon. Accept no imitations.

The one and only#vBacon happens Tuesday night! Join us!

In between the social activities, there are great Cisco sessions, demos, and#EngineersUnplugged being shot at the Cisco Booth 1217. Also, we'll be in the Social Media Lounge and on the vBrownBag stage. For a complete listing of learning opportunities, here's a Full Cisco at VMworld Event Schedule. We look forward to connecting with you!

For those watching from home, you can keep up with the news by following any of the hashtags above, and also#CiscoUCS,#CiscoACI,#VMworld.

What's on your schedule for next week?