When VMware acquired Nicira and developed the first version of NSX (4.x), they were very cagey about which customers would be allowed to evaluate it in a “Proof of Concept” (with very specific success criteria). I fully understand the strategy, they wanted to manage expectations and minimise bad press by controlling it very carefully.
Jump to October 2014:
- VMware has established a 100+ customer base for NSX over the past year
- NSX Version 6.1.1 has been released
- NSX training courses are available
- The Network Virtualisation track has been announced and the VCP-NV exam is available
- The first VCDX-NV program has been boot-strapped and the first 39 VCDX-NVs minted
- Customers cannot download NSX 6.1.1 for “Evaluation”
- vExperts and VCDXs cannot access NSX 6.1.1
My assessment so far:
- NSX is revolutionary and will change how we implement networks in the Data Center.
- This “Kid Gloves” routine is getting very old, very fast.
- Does NSX use the same testing program and methodology as vSphere? Because it seems incomplete, I have had NSX running for just a few days in my lab and already I have found weaknesses and inconsistencies.
- If I was deploying NSX into my Production network, I would hold off until a later release.
VMware: Take off the “Kid Gloves” and allow NSX to be free-range. Open the NSX “Evaluation” to everyone. With your next major release of NSX, go with an NDA free, public beta. Allow NSX to evolve into the foundation product of network virtualisation. The more people that play with NSX, the more robust it will become.
NSX was an infant child in 2013, it is a teenager now, allow it to mature to adult-hood.
Other Resources
vcdx133.com 
It is a valuable request. They have to be available for evaluation like all other VMware products. Otherwise they will face
huge resource gap to manage NSX.