Recently, I took the Exam 2V0-13.24: VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2 Architect exam, and I can confidently say—it’s a beast. The exam consists of 60 questions, and if you’re lucky, you’ll have about half an hour left to review your answers. During my review, I changed so many responses that I eventually just clicked "Finish" because I was afraid I might second-guess my initial, more accurate answers.
My Preparation: What Worked for Me
For preparation, I relied on the vSphere and NSX design training courses. Additionally, the VCF Design Guide was a valuable resource. However, you definitely shouldn't overlook topics like Aria Automation and Aria Operations. It also doesn’t hurt to explore HCX, and vSphere IaaS Control Plane is another subject that shouldn’t be ignored.
I went into the exam with relatively little preparation, mainly to see what kinds of questions would be asked. Honestly, I didn’t expect to pass but wanted to gain insight into how I could better prepare. To my surprise, I passed!
What Helped Me Succeed?
I must admit, the exam really pushed me to my limits. Fortunately, with over 15 years of experience delivering design training, I had a bit of an advantage when it came to concepts like risks, assumptions, and constraints. It’s also crucial to quickly identify whether a question is related to performance, availability, or recoverability. Understanding terms like RTO (Recovery Time Objective) and MTD (Maximum Tolerable Downtime) is equally important.
On top of that, you need to know the deployment types possible with VCF—whether it’s Stretched, Isolated, or a combination of both. These details can really make a difference during the exam.
A Fair but Tough Exam
One thing I appreciate about this exam is that it’s fair. There are no tricky word games or double negatives—it's all about your knowledge and understanding. But is it challenging? Absolutely.
If you’re planning to take the VCF Architect exam, I highly recommend focusing not only on the technical aspects but also on design principles and best practices. Good luck!
