Can't finish my VCP-DCV

[Zowien]

I have just finished my online training for Vmware ICM 6.5 at an online academy called Stanly Community College, and I have just received the voucher for the foundation exam today. The problem is that I have got email from them stating that I have two options to complete my VCP DCV certification :

Option 1 – Highly Recommended

Step 1) Take both courses from Stanly Community College: vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage and Optimize and Scale Course.

Step 2) The academic exam PSE voucher will be provided to the student by the IT Academy administrator after completing both courses. Pass the Install, Configure, Manage class that aligns with the vSphere Foundations exam (2VO-602PSE) and the Optimize and Scale class that aligns with the Data Center Virtualization exam (2VO-622PSE) available at Pearson. Please make sure you use the correct PSE voucher at Pearson as outlined below or VMware certification may not recognize your class attendance. You will have 1 year from issuance to use your PSE voucher.

We are aware that the 2VO-602PSE and 2VO-622 PSE exams will be retiring on August 30, 2019. However the VMware IT Academies have been issued and extension for students to get 6.5 certified using only the PSE vouchers until June 1, 2020. All PSE vouchers for 6.5 must be used before June 1, 2020.

Option 2 – Not Recommended

If a student only takes the ICM class from Stanly and not the Optimize and Scale class, you will not be taking advantage of Stanly’s full offering of support and assistance. Note this option only gets you the PSE voucher for the 2VO-602PSE Foundations Exam and will meet the VMware class requirement.

If you choose to study the Optimize and Scale materials on your own and pass the Optimize and Scale 2VO-622 exam, you will have to pay the full commercial exam price $250.00. The commercial VCP exam retires August 31, 2019. Option 2 will not be available after that date.

I am very confused, and my confusion comes from the following:

• If I decided to go for the recommended option, then I will get the foundation training and exam for version 6.5 and the other exam for version 6.7, is that logical ???
• If I decided to go for the other option, do I have enough time to study and pass the remaining exam on my own ??

My colleagues have tried to contact Vmware learning support but no answer till now.

[scott28tt]

As you've only trained on vSphere 6.5, you are only eligible for VCP6.5-DCV - the exams for which expire at the end of August.

So unless you can pass both the vSphere Foundations exam AND the VCP6.5-DCV exam by then, you will need to work towards VCP-DCV 2019 instead, which has different training and exam requirements.

If you do not feel like you could pass both the exams for VCP6.5-DCV by the end of August, it would make sense to focus your attention on VCP-DCV 2019 - that will mean you need to take a vSphere 6.7 class, as well as passing at least 1 exam based on vSphere 6.7.

Here's the official pages for both certifications, for you to review the training and exam requirements

VMware Certified Professional 6.5 - Data Center Virtualization (VCP6.5-DCV)

VMware Certified Professional - Data Center Virtualization 2019 (VCP-DCV 2019)

NOTE: The pages above do not include PSE exams as they are specific to academic students only (ie. those who take training with organisations such as Stanly rather than a commercial training provider) - however the principles of what exams you need to pass and the retirement of the VCP6.5-DCV exams are the same.