VMware Edu & Cert Community
rushad61
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Which DCD exam 550 or 510

Hi All

I am wondering if you can assist me please. I want to start studying for the VCAP-DCD exam having just passed my VCAP-DCA.

I took the VCAP-DCA in 510 as my test lab kit was all 5.1 vSphere and did not have access to a 5.5 lab environment

Now since the VCAP-DCD is more theory related my questions are:

  • is there much difference between 510 and 550?
  • is the 550 any simpler like some people suggested (this was the case for the DCA as the exam was shorter in 550 than 510)
  • if I do not have access to  5.5 lab will it be a big no no to study for the DCA on a 5.1 lab environment or since it is just design having a lab will not make much difference

Thanks for your assistance in advance

Regards

Rushad

18 Replies
JPM300
Commander
Commander

Hey Rushad61,

I have heard they have stream lined the DCD exam a lot in the 5.5 version and the reviews I've heard is that it is much better.  However they did change the format a little as there is less multiple choice and the 5.5 now has a masters design question that is worth more points.  There has been some people in the community that I believe have taken both so hopefully they can share their experiences.  I am re-trying the 5.1 again shortly, if I don't get a pass on it, I may try the 5.5 after.

rushad61
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi JMP300

Thanks for the info. But what about having a hands on lab that is only 5.1 will it hinder me going for the 5.5 exam.

Regards

Rushad

Reply
0 Kudos
rushad61
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Ok

After further reading the Blueprints it says

  • The VDCD550 Exam contains 46 questions. The items include a mixture of drag-and-drop items and design items using an in-exam design tool.During the exam candidates are presented with 5 design items in which a VMware vSphere-based solution is designed based on customer requirements using an in-exam design tool. There is also 1 master design item, for which a MINIMUM of 30 minutes should be allocated
  • The VCAP510-DCD Exam contains 100 questions. The items include a mixture of multiple-choice, drag-and-drop items and design items using an in-exam design tool. During the exam candidates are presented with 6 design items

It also says in the VCAP510-DCD Exam "Once you have provided a complete answer or design for a given exam item and advanced to the next item, you will NOT be allowed to return to that item and the item cannot be flagged for later review. Please ensure when taking the exam that you have completed each answer and/or design before continuing to the next item."

They do not mention this on the VDCD550 blueprint so does it mean you can go back once you answer a question.  Any thoughts or experience on this one

Regards

Rushad

Reply
0 Kudos
JPM300
Commander
Commander

You can  now go back to questions and also set questions for review on the 5.1 DCD exam.  The differences between the blue prints on 5.1/5.5 is slight, however I started with the 5.1 track so i'm going to try and finish with the 5.1 track if possible.  With that said it is possible to have your DCA 5.1 with your DCD 5.5 and still be able to apply for the DCX.

So the choice is really yours.

With the 5.1 exam keep in mind you have 4 hours to do 100 quetions. So that is 2min a question ruffly.  Also there is 86 Multiple Choice worth 1 point a piece, 10 drag-n-drop worth up to 10points, and 6 design questions worth 25-50 points.  So you can see where you should focus most of your time.

I also belive the 5.5 exam has the ability to set questions for review so you can go back, but I would need someone that has taken the 5.5 exam to verify that.

vfk
Expert
Expert

I would recommend taking 5.5 exam, I will taking my exam again some time in November and I will be doing 5.5 exam.  There is not a lot of information available on the 5.5 exam, I have not seen posting DCD 5.5 exam experience.  It would be interesting to see how people feel about the master design question. 

--- If you found this or any other answer helpful, please consider the use of the Helpful or Correct buttons to award points. vfk Systems Manager / Technical Architect VCP5-DCV, VCAP5-DCA, vExpert, ITILv3, CCNA, MCP
1fizgigSGRP
Contributor
Contributor

I took and failed the DCD550 exam recently. I agree that wording is not clear. A problem I had was my master design appeared to be missing elements it said I had to create connections to. These elements were not on screen, nor were they available under the Create options.

Unfortunately the Pearson test exam that comes with the VMware Press book you refer to is not helpful and does not look or feel anything like what the exam holds. It certainly doesn't cover off the topics well enough to be what I consider to be an Official Cert Guide - it pretty much seems to rehash what was in the DCD course material, but doesn't give you any clues.

What also was not great - our trainer had not done the exam, no communication that VMware examples were available to us on our transcript - which incidentally you have to apply for, get no response to that request, and/or multiple out-of-office emails or failed deliveries. Oh, and 3 days for the course is not enough - our trainer admitted he'd just taken an internal session the week before and that had gone for 4 days - and that's internal to VMware! Seems an issue that VMware don't recognize there isn't enough time to properly do the labs and discuss anything in 3 days for the rest of us at the coal face.

I had issues with the design tool, where deleting items took between 5 and 10 seconds, and you couldn't do anything until it had completed the deletion, and occasionally this occurred on move as well.

It also looks like the exam blueprint has undergone a revamp, but I notice that a number of the docs are still vSphere 4.1 - you'd think these would get updated also.

Plus the whole focus almost solely on FC storage solutions gets a bit tiresome. Yes, FC is a lossless storage, but in the real world outside of North America we don't always use it, and it is not always the best option. In fact I have not implemented an FC solution for several years.

I'm going to reschedule the exam at a later date, and go through everything again. I hope to pass, but more I hope VMware updates its practices of allowing trainers to train without having done the exam, fix their design tool, and improve their exam.

vfk
Expert
Expert

Thank you the detailed feedback, I think this is the second time I have heard items were missing in the master question and wording is not quite clear.  I was planning to take the exam before the end of the year, but I will take reschedule to early next year.  I completely agree with the material referenced in the blueprint is out of date.  Good luck and let us know how you are getting on?  Please do share any material your deem useful.

Have you opened a case with VMware?

--- If you found this or any other answer helpful, please consider the use of the Helpful or Correct buttons to award points. vfk Systems Manager / Technical Architect VCP5-DCV, VCAP5-DCA, vExpert, ITILv3, CCNA, MCP
Reply
0 Kudos
JPM300
Commander
Commander

Hey 1fizgig,

If you want more of warm up prior to the exam I built a simulator that is close to what the exam is like. You can find it here:  www.virtualtiers.net

Sorry to hear about your experience, if you could PM me with any functionality or missing items issues you had with the exam that would be great and I'll do my best to look into it.

If you have any questions please let me know,

1fizgigSGRP
Contributor
Contributor

I'll do my best to post some ideas on useful material. There are a couple of eBooks I've picked up that were recommended by some blogs so I have yet to look into them.

Good luck when you do decide to take your exam. Make sure you're comfortable with your technical knowledge as well as matching to business requirements.

Thinking about where HA, DRS, vMotion, Storage vMotion, NIOC and SIOC should be used is good, as is vSphere Replication and SRM knowledge.

Obviously mapping business requirements to Constraints, Assumptions, Requirements and Risks, as well as AMPRSC - Availability, Manageability, Performance, Recoverabiity Security, Cost.

These come up a lot, but often the statements are ambiguous. I don't know if you get full marks assigning statements to multiple categories even though the question might say they can. The word they use is "might", whereas I'd rather they said one or more statements "will" map to more than one category.

I haven't opened a case with VMware yet - not sure to whom I do that - presumably on the education site?

Reply
0 Kudos
1fizgigSGRP
Contributor
Contributor

Hi JPM300

Thanks, your simulator looks great! I think the multiple choice questions are good only from the perspective of making sure you know what some of the categories mean (based on the few I've seen). I haven't played with the design question I saw, but was very pleased with seeing a drag 'n' drop question, as that fits the style of the 5.5 exam. I'll be sure to go through that somehwat and let others know.

Do you have a reasonable question pool, or is there a set range of questions?

PM'd as requested Smiley Wink

Reply
0 Kudos
ikiris
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The 510 does have the ability to flag questions for review. There was a period where that functionality was broken in the 510, thus the note, but it was fixed (I just did it yesterday).

-Chris- http://www.twitter.com/ikiris http://blog.chrischua.net
1fizgigSGRP
Contributor
Contributor

I can verify you can mark all questions for review (including design) in the 550 exam and go back to them.

Reply
0 Kudos
tushartopale
Contributor
Contributor

Is the VCAP5-DCD 550 that tough to crack? Why didn't you go for that one instead as its the latest?

Reply
0 Kudos
tushartopale
Contributor
Contributor

Is the VCAP5-DCD 550 that tough to crack? Why didn't you go for that one instead as its the latest?

Reply
0 Kudos
1fizgigSGRP
Contributor
Contributor

That IS the exam I took, because it's the latest.

Reply
0 Kudos
SNJY
Contributor
Contributor

Hi JPM300,

Thanks for your simulator at Virtualtiers.net - it gives look n feel of exam scenario. However I am able to see only one design, could you please share link of other designs and MCQ's as well.

Please mail me at - delhisanjay@yahoo.com

Thanks Again --

jayhebe1983
Contributor
Contributor

Hi JPM300,

Thanks for your simulator, it looks great, I just want to ask if your simulator is for the master design question ??

Br,

Jay

Reply
0 Kudos
etiennemunnichf
Contributor
Contributor

Blue print for 5.5 has been updated (22 Dec 2014)

Reply
0 Kudos