My first submission for defense was for VCDX3. It was rejected. It was a completely fictional project as I am a Storage TSE with VMware GSS. I built the environment purposely small with 6 large hosts to handle ~30 VM's, a single Tier1 array and then BC/DR to a remote site 2/3's the size. While my design was quite nice, where I really went wrong was in two places. I didn't justify any of my decisions. While I followed best practices for the most part I didn't explain why my network cables were plugged in where they were, I didn't explain why my fabric was laid out as it was.
Almost as important to my lack of justification was my lack of logical/conceptual design. I did draw out a number of logical drawings in my submissions but nowhere in there did I make mention of users/groups/sla's etc in my design.
I think if people have written the DCD and have paid attention to the scenarios where the business case is put forth and you have to base your answer on that, you can determine the type of pre-amble they are looking for in the design.
I am using the Design Workshop book to base my revised submission on. Chapter 2 goes through a section of investigation and planning the entire design that I think after all I have been through is really going to be a requirement to get the submission accepted. When I first drew up my submission I was going for technical excellence only. When I had some of my peers read through it and be impressed I felt that would have been enough. Now I understand that it's not just putting together a bullet proof design, it's explaining why every decision you make is the right one.
If you read the application form for the VCDX4 you will see that they mention the average submission is between 100-300 pages. My original design was 60 pages and then I stole some of our canned documents for my supporting stuff (install/test/manage/etc) which from what I could tell didn't work out for me too well. Even though I modified them to fit my design, I don't think my reviewer was impressed with my decision to do that. So for the people that feel access to the partner/PSO design packages is putting them a step ahead or a step behind for the people who don't have access don't feel that this is a make or break thing. In my experience it was part of the break thing.
Good luck to everyone who is building a submission for defense. I will try to answer as many questions as possible if people have them but keep in mind I am pretty much in the same boat as you guys.
cd.
-- What's another few months!
