Effect of vSphere 4 Release on VCDX

I swapped emails with Jon Hall this evening, Jon is a Technical Certification Developer at VMware - in other words, he's the guys that writes the VCP and VCDX exams!

I asked Jon what the implications are on VCDX on the release of vSphere 4, and this was his reply:

"Just as we have announced a new exam and an upgrade path for existing VCP on VI3s who want to upgrade to VCP on vSphere 4, we intend to announce new exams and an upgrade path for the VCDX certification. As the VCP on vSphere 4 exam has just completed beta, it will be later this year before you could expect an Enterprise Administration on vSphere 4 Exam or a Design on vSphere 4 Exam. Only after those exams are available would we announce the upgrade path for existing VCDXs."

It's exactly what I was expecting to hear, but it's great to actually hear it.

I think the big questions is going to be "Is it worth doing the VCDX on VI3?" - well I think it is. To me, the VCDX is such a high-level certification for anyone to hold, that the version you hold it in is a lot less important than it is for the VCP.

It remains to be seen exactly what the upgrade process will be for VCDX, but if you compare it to other higher-level vendor certifications like MCSE (or MCITP as it is now) then some sort of single-exam upgrade process would be good to see.

Watch this space....

New Resources Available for Enterprise Administration Exam

Jon Hall, Technical Certification Developer at VMware, has just announced two new resources to help those studying for the Enterprise Administration Exam of VCDX:

1. An official Mock Exam:
http://mylearn.vmware.com/quiz.cfm?item=11292

2. A demonstration of a live lab, along with an explanation of the exam format:
http://communities.vmware.com/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadBody/10386-102-1-8512/LiveLab_demo.exe

As someone who has taken (and passed!) the exam, I would have to say that these are excellent resources - well done VMware!

New Course - VMware View: Design Best Practices

This is another course that is not yet listed on the VMware Education site, but the Datasheet is available at:

http://mylearn.vmware.com/descriptions/EDU_DATASHEET_ViewDesignBestPractices_V4.01.pdf


The course covers a variety of design aspects around VMware View, and whilst it is aimed primarily at VMware partners it is available to all. This course is expected to be available from the end of August.

New Course - vSphere 4: Fast Track

You won't find this listed publicly yet on the VMware Education web site, but the Fast Track course for vSphere 4 now has an official Datasheet. You'll find it at:

http://mylearn.vmware.com/descriptions/EDU_DATASHEET_vSphereFastTrack_V4.0.pdf

The additional content over and above the recently launched Install, Configure, Manage course is as follows:

• vSphere Management Assistant
• Network and storage troubleshooting
• Resource monitoring through the CLI
• vCenter Server Linked Mode
• Distributed Power Management
• Fault Tolerance
• vCenter Server Heartbeat
• Host Profiles
• Scripted installations of ESX

It is my understanding that the course will be available from this August, but I'm still waiting for the release date to be made official. I know that a lot of folk are waiting to attend this.

Global Knowledge will be creating a full schedule of dates for the vSphere Fast Track in due course, and I'll be the first of our VMware instructors to deliver it - watch this space!

UPDATE: Global Knowledge are running the first vSphere Fast Track in the UK on September 28th in London:
http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=461&coursecode=VSFT

VMware Training on Facebook

After my recent arrival on Twitter, I decided tonight that Facebook was also lacking a little bit of VMware Training....

I've created a page which complements what I do here, and just gives me another opportunity to spread the word about what I do - I know many people find it useful to hear about what's going on in the world of VMware Training and Certification.

If you want to take a look, maybe even become a "fan", get yourself logged into Facebook then click this link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/VMware-Training/122962936857?ref=s

Alternatively, login to Facebook and search for "VMware Training".

UPDATE:
I've also created a work-specific Facebook account:
http://www.facebook.com/vmware.training

vSphere Seminars - July 2009

Global Knowledge are running a number of seminars on vSphere 4 around the UK in a couple of weeks time. The morning session is a business-related briefing, presented by guest speakers from VMware, the afternoon session is technical and will be delivered by myself.

For further details, follow this link:
http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/whats%20new/events/vsphere%20launch%20seminars.aspx

Places are already filling fast!

vSphere 4 VCP Exam Beta

I had an email in my inbox this morning from the VMware Certification team, inviting me to register and take the beta exam for the VCP on vSphere 4. It listed a number of rules that apply ONLY to the beta exam:

• You have to answer every item, you cannot return to items
• You don't get your score when you finish, that comes 6-8 weeks later
• You get 240 minutes to complete the exam
• You still have to pay 30% of the regular exam price
• You only get to take the beta exam once
• You have until July 17th to take the exam

The rules for the final exam will be the same as they are for the VI3 VCP exam.

Now I've just got to find the time to prepare for it, and take it before the 17th!

UPDATE: The comment from Cody (below) reminded me to link to the exam blueprint:

http://mylearn.vmware.com/lcms/mL_faq/2726/VCPonvSphere4ExamBlueprint.pdf

UPDATE 1: Jon Hall from VMware tells me that the beta exams have been processed, and the results will be sent out to those who took the beta exam by the time the final exam can be taken, which is August 25th!

UPDATE 2: Jon Hall from VMware has now confirmed that the beta results will be sent out by email at the same time as the final exam goes live, so check your Inbox next week if you took the beta exam! Best of luck!

UPDATE 3: Unfortunately I've just heard that the beta exam results will not now be sent out until the week after VMWorld, so scores should be sent out during the week of September 7th. If you're attending VMWorld, it is worth popping by the testing centre and talking to the VMWare and PearsonVUE staff there though....