Planning to take VCP, can i go for vcp 8 or vcp 7 which is going to expire coming jan 2024.

[supportengineer]

Planning to take VCP exam, can i go for vcp 8 or vcp 7 which is VMware announce going to expire coming jan 2024.

Also note I dont have experience on 8.x version

which exam i can take 2V0-20.21 or 2V0-21.23?

[TimVCI]

If you look here https://www.vmware.com/learning/certification/vcp-dcv.html and select 'no VCP certifications' on the left you can see what the requirements are. It states that you can either take the 2V0-21.20 or the 2V0-21.23 exams.

If you had already taken and passed the 2V0-21.20 exam then you would only have the option of taking the newer exam.

Attending a required course and passing either of the exams grants you the same certification - VCP- DCV 2023. 

Out of interest, which qualifying course did you take?

[supportengineer]

I have experience on vSphere 7, My wish to take exam on VCP 7 get certification , My worry is VCP7 going to expire soon in next few months. Please suggest the best which is VCP 7 or can i directly prepare for VCP 8.

 I have completed course on vSphere troubleshoot 7

Note I understand i can write both VCP 7 and VCP 8. Need suggestion which is better approach

[supportengineer]

I have taken course vSphere troubleshoot 7

[TimVCI · Accepted solution]

Once you gain a VCP it will not expire. Only the 2V0-21.20 exam is retiring, not the certification gained by taking the exam.

If you have more experience with vSphere 7 then I would recommend taking the exam based on that version. There is also more exam prep content and study guides available for the older exam - I particularly recommend the Official Study guide from VMware Press. 

Once again, just to reinforce the point, If you become a VCP 7, your certification will not retire at the end of Jan 2024, only the exam will retire. 

[supportengineer]

Thanks for providing clarity on this, I will prefer to write exam on vSphere 7.

Just I got another question.
I am already certified on VCP- DTM in 2019 year. Still am I considered as VCP professional? as you said Certification gained by exam will never have expire date.

[TimVCI]

Yes, you are still a VCP-DTM 2019.

There was a time back in VCP 3 or VCP 4 era when the certs did expire after 2 years if you didn't recertify but that was removed many years ago. 

[scott28tt]

There’s no such thing as VCP 7 or VCP 8, the vSphere VCP is not specific to the version, instead it is specific to the year in which you complete the requirements.

The current VCP-DCV is therefore VCP-DCV 2023, and you have the option of taking training on vSphere 7 or vSphere 8, and passing a “Professional” exam on vSphere 7 or vSphere 8 - whatever versions of training and exam you complete you would be a VCP-DCV 2023 if you complete the requirements this year.

All the requirement options are listed here: https://www.vmware.com/learning/certification/vcp-dcv.html

[Vsheki]

Sir, thanks for your explanation. But i have a stack in my mind. After successful pass Vcp 7 or vcp8 you will be certified by the same name certification? Or there are not any advantages of vcp8?

[scott28tt]

There’s no such thing as VCP7 or VCP8 these days.

Since 2019 VMware switched the naming of the certification to be the year in which completed the requirements for it.

So, right now you could complete vSphere training on v7 or v8 and pass the exam for either v7 or v8 and you would be a VCP-DCV 2023 because it is 2023.