VMware videos - Global Knowledge UK - YouTube Tuesday

As some of the regular readers may know, one of the additional things I do for Global Knowledge UK is record videos for their YouTube Tuesday series, and I've recorded many different VMware-related videos over the last year or so.

Global Knowledge UK have their own channel on YouTube, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/gkunitedkingdom

The most recent batch of videos I recorded are here:

• Desktop virtualization
• Virtualisation of server-based applications
• vSphere: Troubleshooting course overview
• vSphere: Manage for Performance course overview

I did another series a videos last year about vSphere, you'll find a list of those on this blog post: http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.com/2009/12/vmware-vsphere-clips-for-global.html


We will also be running some webinar sessions in the coming weeks which I will be presenting, and no doubt I'll be recording more videos for YouTube too!

Get more from your VMware training with VMware Xtra!

Over the last few weeks I've been heavily involved in a project for Global Knowledge UK, and today I'm proud to be able to announce the launch of VMware Xtra, a unique collection of value-add online resources designed to enhance the end-to-end learning experience for anyone wishing to increase their knowledge around key VMware products such as vSphere 4.

http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/vmwarextra

There are resources for those who are still deciding which is the right VMware course for them or their employees, resources aimed at those who have booked on one of our courses and want to prepare themselves in advance for their course, and resources for those who have attended a course and want to take their learning further.

We believe that attending a VMware training course with Global Knowledge UK should simply be the middle part of a complete learning experience. The resources we have made available today are unique, and designed to maximize the value of attending a Global Knowledge UK VMware course. You will only receive such a complete learning experience by booking your VMware training with us!

This is just the start of our "value-added" journey too, we will be adding lots more additional material for the variety of VMware courses we offer in the coming weeks. We have lots of ideas for the extra material we would like to add, based on internal discussions as well as feedback from our customers, if there's anything else you'd like to see please feel free to email me.

I'm really excited to have been so heavily involved in a project like this, and know that the time and effort we have invested in the Xtra program so far will make a real difference to our customers.

Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat 9 or Acrobat Reader 9 installed to view some of the content at VMware Xtra.

Update on new vSphere Certifications

I have a few snippets of news on some of the new certifications coming from VMware for vSphere 4, I am only allowed to say a limited amount at the moment, VMware will be making an official announcement in the coming weeks ahead of the release of these new certifications and their component exams.

On top of the existing foundation level VCP4 certification, there will be three new certifications for vSphere 4:

• Enterprise Administrator Certification *
• Design Administrator Certification *
• VMware Certified Design Expert on vSphere 4 (VCDX4)

* Final name still to be confirmed

I know when VMware plan to announce these certifications officially, and I also know when the relevant exams are due to be released, but due to confidentiality I can't say any more than the above at the moment...

I shall certainly be signing up to take at least one of the above certifications when they become available!

VCP310 exam now retired

I'm a couple of days late with this post, but it's very relevant to what this blog is all about, so I'm going to post anyway...

March 31st saw the retirement of the VCP310 exam for the VCP on VI3 (VCP3) certification, that was the last day anywhere that you could take that exam at a Pearson Vue testing centre, and quite a few did - Global Knowledge UK offer Pearson Vue testing at most of their training centres, and there were quite a few who had left it to the last minute to take their VCP310 exam.

If you are a VCP3 already, you will remain one, VMware don't retire certifications, only the exams that you have to pass to obtain those certifications. VCP3 holders can choose to "update" their certification to the VCP4 for vSphere, but they will have to attend an official vSphere: What's New course in order to qualify for VCP4.

If you missed the boat on VCP3, and I've already had emails from those who did, then VCP4 is now the only current VMware certification you can go for. If you've attended one of the VI3 training courses that qualified for VCP3, then you also have the option of attending the vSphere: What's New course or any of the other qualifying vSphere courses. If you didn't attend a VI3 course, you will have to attend a full course on vSphere such as vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage or vSphere: Fast Track.

Something big is coming...

I've been rather quiet on the blogging/tweeting front lately, my work schedule has been fairly crazy recently, so I haven't had a lot of time to devote to much on the social networking side...

This is going to change, and it might just change from next week onwards...

I can't say too much until next week, when all will be revealed...