Eric Sloof

Here are the steps that need to be taken to become a VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX4). When you already are a VCP4 or VCDX3, there’s an upgrade path available.

1. Be a VMware Certified Professional on vSphere 4 Pass the VCAP - Datacenter Administration Exam
2. Pass the VCAP - Datacenter Design Exam
3. Submit a VCDX4 Application that is accepted
4. Successfully present and defend a VMware Infrastructure Design and Implementation Plan

VMware no longer requires qualifying exams to be taken in a specific sequence. However, required exams must be passed before the start of the application submission and defense process.

VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) is the highest level of VMware certification. This elite group is comprised of design architects highly-skilled in VMware enterprise deployments and the program is designed for veteran professionals who want to validate and demonstrate their expertise in VMware virtual infrastructure.

http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=16663&ui=www_cert

Check out VMware’s website, they just did the official launch of the VCAP certification, the frequently asked questions can be found here. Be one of the first in line to take the new VMware Certified Advanced Professional Exams. VCAP4-DCA exam opens July 12! Sign up here to receive an email alert when registration opens. VCAP4-DCD exam opens in August! Sign up here to receive an email alert when registration is opens.

Upon accomplishing VMware Certified Professional on VMware vSphere 4 (VCP4) you are eligible to pursue our intermediate level certification: VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP). Available in Datacenter Administration and/or Datacenter Design, this program is appropriate for VCP4s that are ready to further enhance their skills with the virtual infrastructure and add new, industry-recognized credentials to their list of accomplishments.

The following VMware advanced courses are recommended for VCAP4-DCA exam preparation but are not required:

VMware vSphere: Troubleshooting
VMware vSphere: Manage for Performance
VMware vSphere: Manage and Design for Security
VMware vSphere: Automation with VMware PowerCLI

You can also vote for the session Jon Hall has submitted for the VMworld 2010, it can be found in the Virtualization 101 section.

Title: VMware Certified Advanced Professional Certifications Are Here

Session Id: V18061

Abstract: This session announces the availability of two new Advanced certifications, the VCAP Enterprise and the VCAP Design certifications. These certifications allow a VMware Certified Professional to demonstrate advanced mastery of two areas of expertise: Enterprise Administration and Design. The VCAP Enterprise candidate demonstrates advanced abilities in implementation and administration of large and/or complex vSphere environments, while the VCAP Design candidate demonstrates advanced abilities in designing vSphere solutions. This session will further describe the purpose of these two certifications, along with the requirements for obtaining each.

In order to meet the December 31st  2009 deadline, many people recently scheduled (and hopefully passed!) the exam with their local testing partner.  In fact, so many of you scheduled exams that some of the VCP3 professionals were unable to find a testing center with available seats prior to the December deadline.

VMware's Melissa Tuite:

In order to accommodate participants that despite best efforts were unable to schedule their exam prior to the deadline, VMware will continue accepting the VCP3 certification as a qualification to take the VCP4 exam without requiring attending the 'What's New" class through January 31st  2010.  We fully expect that the additional four weeks will allow remaining participants ample time to find a testing center with available seating, and will NOT be extending the deadline any further, so please take advantage of this opportunity!

Jon C. Hall VMware's Technical Certification Developer reports:

VCP4 Welcome Kits will begin shipping Monday, December 14th! As I have posted previously, these kits were delayed due to a rebranding effort that changed the look of both the VCP logo and the Certificates themselves. The reprinting of these materials took much longer than expected, so my apologies to everyone that has had to endure the long wait.

The kits should take approximately 10 days to arrive, a bit shorter in some US locations, a bit longer in some International locations.

Congratulations to all you VCP4s!

December 31, 2009: This is the last day that VCP3s can become VCP4s by simply passing the VCP4 test. 

Remember that if you fail a VCP exam, you're required to wait 7 days before taking the test again. Therefore, it’s a good idea to take the test soon, in case you fail the first attempt.

January 1, 2010: On this date, anyone who wants to become a VCP4 must not only pass the VCP4 test, but must also take an authorized vSphere 4 class.

Most people will need to take “vSphere 4: Install, Configure, Manage”, or “vSphere 4: Fast Track”, or “vSphere 4: Troubleshooting”. VCP3s have a fourth class option : “vSphere 4: What’s New”.

January 1, 2010: VMware will begin offering the VCP4 test in Japanese.

March 31, 2010: VMware will discontinue offering the VCP3 test, and no new VCP3 certifications will be granted.

Jon C. Hall from VMware:

Some of you may have already seen this posted or blogged about, but to make it official  , VMware will be extending the availability of the VCP3 exam until March 31st, 2010. We have many customers still using the VI3 platform and as a result, we continue to offer classes. In light of this, we want to make the exam available a bit longer.

Please note that this does NOT change the deadline for the fast track path to obtain VCP4. If you are a VCP3 or are working on obtaining your VCP3 and want to avoid taking any additional classes to move to VCP4, be sure to obtain your VCP4 certification before 12/31!

Jon C. Hall reports: In the coming weeks VMware will be initiating a process that will allow your certifications to be registered with your myLearn account. This process will involve an e-mail to you allowing you to opt in by verifying some information and obtaining your consent. We will be doing this for VCP3s and VCP4s, so even though you may be a VCP4, you will likely still get an e-mail regarding your VCP3 certification so we can get that registered in myLearn as well.

Upgrade to VCP4!

VMware is allowing participating candidates who fail a VMware Certified Professional on vSphere 4 exam (exam code – VCP410) to have a free re-take. Visit www.PearsonVUE.com/VMware/Upgrade for more details.

Jon Hall, Technical Certification Developer over at VMware has clarified the exam scoring on the new VCP4 exam. This new exam became generally available during the VMworld 2009 at San Francisco and can be scheduled at Pearson VUE. Some people already have taken the exam and are reporting they had to answer 85 "fair" questions in 90 minutes. There’s also some confusion about "extra" questions that doesn’t count to your score but are build in to improve future exams.

I have often been asked how the percentage for the VCP on VI3 exam is calculated, which led me to post a discussion thread on scaled scoring some time back. Scaled scoring is used with SATs and many other standardized tests. We used scaled scoring with the VCP on VI3, but many folks thought the resulting number (ex. 70) was actually a percentage, which it was not. With the VCP on vSphere 4 Exam, we are modifying the scale so that the resulting score does not appear in any way to be a percentage.

The scale for the VCP on vSphere 4 Exam is 100 - 500, with 500 being a perfect score. A 300 or better is required to pass the exam. When you are preparing for the exam, don’t forget to pay a visit at Scott Vesey’s VMwaretraining weblog. I’ve also written some articles that can help you with preparing.

Update : Duncan Epping via Twitter -> @esloof @vmguru_nl yes it is 300 out of 500 and 400 to become a VCI.

Update : John Hall via the VMware Community ->  VMware may add as many as 10 unscored items to an exam (75 items scored, the additional 10 unscored). The VCP exam will always have 75 scored items.

Update : The VCI passing score has been revised based on the baselines VMware saw coming in. It’s not an easy exam! VCI passing score is 350.

To help VCP4 delegates stand an even better chance of passing the VCP4 certifcation, Margirus is proud to announce a vSphere 'certification' style test online. Click here to try!

You also should take a look a Scott Vessey’s VMwaretraining blog, he’s got some great VCP 4 study tips.

Now that the VCP on vSphere 4 exam is finally live, VMware have released a number of official resources to help those who want to obtain what will quickly become the new "industry standard" virtualization certification.

Studying for the VCP on vSphere 4

I’ve just been informed by an unnamed but very reliable source about the outcome of my VCP4 beta exam..... I passed it!!! I was the first one to break the news on Twitter, but soon after some of the other fellow vExperts also shared their happiness. The first VCP4 graduates worldwide are:

Jase McCarty (@jasemccarty)
William Lam (@lamw)
Eric Sloof (@esloof)
Rick Scherer (@rick_vmwaretips)
Kenneth van Ditmarsch (VirtualKenneth)
Wade Holmes (@wholmes) -> VCDX

Forbes Guthrie over at the revamped vReference has released version 1.0 of his vSphere Documentation Notes. His latest updates are:

• Completed the documentation set.  Just added:
• vSphere Command-Line Interface Installation and Reference Guide
• vCenter Update Manager Administration Guide
• vCenter Converter Administration Guide
• vCenter Orchestrator Administration Guide
• VMware Consolidated Backup – Virtual Machine Backup Guide
• Added ESXi notes
• Added 2 supplementary (not officially vSphere 4.0 documentation) notes covering:
• vSphere Management Assistant Guide (vMA)
• Data Recovery

This is a great resource when studying for your VCP4 exam, which will be launched in a few weeks.

http://www.vreference.com/

When you’re over there, don’t forget to take a peek at the vSphere 4 reference card.