When will VCAP-DCD and VCAP-DCA exams for vSphere 5.0 be available for registration?

[mapuancloudengi]

I am a VCP5, I cannot take VCAP-DCD and DCA for vSphere 4.0 right? So any ideas when will VMware release the VCAP-DCD and DCA version 5.0 exams? Thanks a lot!

[simonhamiltonwi]

Nobody knows.  I doubt even the certification folks at VMware can give you date yet as to my knowledge there hasn't even been a beta for them yet.  Early next year would be my guess.

[mapuancloudengi]

Thanks a lot Simon. I think you're right. Are you waiting for it as well?

[simonhamiltonwi]

Well I was hoping for the DCA beta - I'm DCA/DCD 4 already, and they had announced that DCA 5 would rev our VCP to 5 without taking an additional exam, but that is not going to work if DCA doesn't come out by the February timeframe - I don't want to leave it too late to take the VCP 5 exam only without a course requirement.

[mapuancloudengi]

Wow, that's cool man! I suppose you're already on a consultant level. I actually belong to a pioneer cloud strategy enablement project right now in our company, VMware is our company's partner. We currently have the "System Integrator" Level of partnership. Maybe you could help me out sometime and give me some tips on the VCAP Certifications? Thanks man

[firestartah · Accepted solution]

Hi

I asked the certification team at VMworld about the release dates and got a very vague answer. So far there has been no mention even of the VCAP beta exams nor has the blueprint even been released so i cant see it becoming available before the end of February which as Simon noted is a real shame as it means all VCP4 and VCAP4 holders have to do the VCP5 so as to save themselves from doing the Whats New course as a pre-requisite. For the cost of the exams i think it's a real slap in the face of the people who have spent time and money gaining a number of the certifications. Also there is no official ruling of if you pass the VCAP5 you will also have your VCP4 upgraded to 5. So much so that the postings that said that have been removed.

I've booked my VCP5 due to this lack of news and ability to upgrade and am seriously contemplating not even doing the VCAP5 exams as it takes so much time, money and effort to obtain them and then VMware take forever to even keep us up to date on how it is going or if there will be any kind of upgrade.

I say VMware as a show of appreciation for those who have spent so much time gaining the VCAP4 accreditations gives a 50% off voucher for the VCAP5.

I've built a whole page of resources i'm using for my VCP5 if you're interested here: http://thesaffageek.co.uk/vcp5/

Also a page for the VCAP5 resources here: http://thesaffageek.co.uk/vcap5-dca-dcd/

Gregg

[simonhamiltonwi]

The timing issue is most likely why all the DCA gives VCP 5 references are gone.

I don't think the certification team is very big, and am not sure throwing more people at it would necessarily solve the problem.  VMware is an amazingly fast moving company and they have chosen to build a program where all the certs are version specific - which is going to give them a tremendous challenge every single year for a long time, and us as cert holders in terms of upgrading.

I'm hoping they come up with some sort of sensible upgrade policy, doing every exam every two years is not workable for me either, even if my employer pays, the time requirement is too great.

Meantime I'm working on my VCDX design, as that program had a 3 -4 upgrade path which was sensible, so if I can get 4 in Frankfurt or Toronto then I'll be set for a while.  (assuming I'll have VCP 5 and DCA/DCD 5 by then too)  1Y 2012 will be a full of exams, have a CCIE recert due too...

[AndreTheGiant]

Those exam seems to be released soon. But honestly I'm not sure. As I know neither the beta period has yet started.

[rickardnobel]

Andrew Mauro wrote:

Those exam seems to be released soon. But honestly I'm not sure. As I know neither the beta period has yet started.

There is also no advanced vSphere 5 training courses available yet. For the VCAP-DCA 4 the recommended courses were mostly Troubleshooting (4 days) and Performance (3 days), but also some content on the exam was from the Security (2 days) and Automation with PowerCLI (2 days).

My guess is that there will be no VCAP5 until at least some of these, likely in new bundles, are available for vSphere 5 as well.

[AndreTheGiant]

The courses are not stricly required. So can be that that the exams goes live before the courses.

But actually I think that at least one month is needed (for the beta period, that is not started yet).

[rickardnobel]

Andrew Mauro wrote:

The courses are not stricly required. So can be that that the exams goes live before the courses.

Yes, as I mentioned above they were recommended on VCAP4, but they were at least available for interested customers.

[scott28tt]

VMware generally have three stages to releasing a new exam:

1. Survey of some holders of certification on previous version to define exam objectives and weightings

2. Beta exam period

3. Registration opens

From end to end that process typically takes 6-8 weeks, and hasn't even begun yet for the VCAP5 exams.

There are advanced-level vSphere training courses in development, no confirmed release dates for those yet though.

Scott.

[AndreTheGiant]

Point 1 has been completed already in august.

Point 2 has not yet started.

[slaclair]

Gregg Robertson wrote:

I say VMware as a show of appreciation for those who have spent so much time gaining the VCAP4 accreditations gives a 50% off voucher for the VCAP5.

That's actually a good idea and it would be awesome if something of that nature was ever implemented (even for a trial period).  It is a handful keeping up with all of these exams and requirements.  It is almost discouraging to shoot for a VCDX with all of the requirements that have to be met within a product/certification lifecycle.

[scott28tt]

VMware did do that for those that had passed the Enterprise Admin and Design exams for VI3 that formed the initial VCDX3 program. I would hope they repeat a discount for VCAP4 holders when the VCAP5 exams are released.