VMware CertificationsA Deep Dive Discussion

Chris Wahl, VCDX

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First The Boring Intro BitFeel Free To Check Your Email

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Who is this Chris guy? Not just a pretty face Recently held all GA VMware certifications

missing the brand new ones Recovering Certification Junkie

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So, What’s New?VMware Certification Explosion(You can stop checking email now)

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The Old Workflow

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Since We Have Those Tests Anyway…

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Hey, What About The Other Stuff?

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The New Certification Gist Three tracks for certification:

Data Center Virtualization (DCV) Desktop Cloud

Some tracks “bleed” into one another to some degree

DCV is still the foundational pillar

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For Those Paying Attention You may have noticed that the “classic” VCP

changed names Formerly: VCP Then changed to: VCP-DV

(Datacenter Virtualization) And now it’s: VCP-DCV

(Data Center Virtualization)

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Exam Types and ExperienceHow The Sausage Is Made

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Some Common Info All exams are proctored via Pearson VUE

Register with Pearson You’ll get a VCP-ID# (ex VCP######)

Ones I recommend: NetXperts (North Burbs) MicroTrain or CoD (West Burbs) Nexum Inc (Downtown, few blks from Union)

Get Cold? Sweater OK, Hoodies Not OK

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Associate Level

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Professional Level VCP-DCV, VCP-Cloud, VCP-Desktop, and IaaS Multiple Guess Choice Matching Some Visual Identification (Graphic Aids)

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Advanced Professional - Admin Requires authorization by VMware 100% Live Lab Exam – You have 3.5 hours

Assigned tasks to complete Some tasks depend on one another

During the exam, you get: RDP Client Calculator PDFs of publicly posted VMware documentation vSphere Client

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Advanced Professional - Design Requires authorization by VMware Mostly written exam with multiple choice 3.5 hours (feels like forever) Some “visio-like” questions to solve

Simulation available on VMware cert site During the exam, you get: Nada

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Expert Level – To Apply Must be a VCP, VCAP-Admin, and VCAP-Design for

respective track Create an enterprise-grade architecture design

Architecture, installation, implementation, testing, and procedures – usually 300+ pages

Submit a very detailed application regarding your certifications, experience, and brief biography

Pay $300 for VMware VCDXs to perform a technical review

Wait anxiously and refresh inbox like crazy

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Expert Level – To Defend If design is accepted by technical review

Pay design defense fee of $800 Travel to defense location (global) Spend about 3 hours defending (with breaks)

Design presentation and defense in front of 3+ VMware VCDX panelists (75 minutes)

Mock design session (30 minutes) Mock troubleshooting session (15 minutes)

Refresh inbox like crazy some more

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Certification ResourcesWrinkle Your Brain

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VMware HOL Online (NEE) Next-Generation Education Environment Free Hands On Labs (HOL) Tons of labs available (40+) updated often Request Access

http://blogs.vmware.com/hol/2012/09/hol-online-reg-now-open.html

Login https://www.projectnee.com/HOL

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Books Check out VMware Press (& Others)

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Common Questions & Answers How many courses do you need to take to get

all the certifications? What is the difference between the IaaS Exam

and VCP-Cloud Exam? What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen

swallow?

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Discussion / Q&AIncludes Bribes Giveaways For Participation

Special Thanks To

@ChrisWahlWahlNetwork.com