scott28tt's Accepted Solutions

Even when an objective topic is covered in the training, it may or may not be covered to the same degree as the exam could test you on, so it's not as simple as you think it is. In other words, to prepre for the exam you should assume that you need to work through every topic on the exam blueprint using the documentation and the software in a lab setup.

This question comes up each time VMware release a minor version of vSphere, and the answer is that VCP exams are independent of minor versions. VCP510 is the exam for VCP for vSphere 5, not 5.0 or 5.1. The certification team go through each question in the pool for the exam and ensure that each item is valid across all minor versions. Unless VMware publish a new exam blueprint which specifically calls out 5.1, you can continue your preparations as you are today.

After you complete the training you will need to email certification@vmware.com - this is one of my "common questions" on my blog: http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/vcp-common-questions.html

The wizard could cause the very disruption you're talking about if it were to offer that option Avoiding or minimising disruption is a challenge of migrating from standard to distributed switch, in a lab such as this it's less of a concern obviously, imagine if it were a production enviornment! If you were to follow a real world approach, you'd look to have all your switches using NIC teaming to begin with, the process would be: 0. Migrate VMs off one host 1. Remove 1 NIC from the standard switch NIC team 2. Create the distributed switch and add the host to it using the NIC removed in step 1 as the first uplink 3. Migrate or create the port group to the distributed switch 4. Remove the remaining NIC from the standard switch and add it to the distributed switch 5. Move on to the next host I would complete the process of managing the NICs on a host by host basis, obviously you only need to create a single distributed switch in total. Does that make sense?

No problem, that path has always been available for VCP5. And to Bob, the 4.0 class counts as well as the 4.1 class - it's only the 4.1 class that's mentioned as the 4.0 class retired some time ago and was removed from the VCP5 page when it was retired.

You don't need to take anything to the testing centre, or do anything else in advance of the exam - just focus on your preparation and getting a passing score! VMware have a process for checking those who pass the exam against those who have taken the training, that process may still work automatically. You would normally receive an email from VMware within 2 weeks of passing the exam - I would advise that you email certification@vmware.com if you don't get that email after 2 weeks and explain the situation to them at that stage.

Hi, There's no concept of a simulator, building a set of VMs to run the various vSphere elements (ESXi, vCenter Server, some "shared storage") is the best approach and you can run an entire environment on VMware Workstation in evaluation mode for up to 60 days. You'll need more RAM if you want to run the basics on a single system - there's a post on my blog which has some uesful info and excellent links: http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/building-vsphere-home-lab-for-vcpvcap.html Scott.

The whole process starts with an email that comes from VMware, normally within 2 weeks of passing the exam. Until you have completed the tasks defined in that email you are not officially a VCP - everything else like the Workstation licence, transcript update, and paper certificate follows afterwards...

Have you taken the required authorised training? Books can enhance your learning but the best resources to use are the documentation, and a lab. The exam will expect you to have a very deep understanding of the vSphere features you are tested on, as well as knowing the process for setting certain configurations and troubleshooting. Have a good look through the links on the VCP5 tab on my blog: http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.com

I managed a team of 4 VMware instructors in my last job, 2 of them were also Cisco instructors. I also coached 2 other full-time Cisco instructors through their VCP so they could teach Cisco datacenter courses, and I've trained a lot of people from a networking background including 30 people who are now VCPs working within Cisco in the UK.

VCP5 acts as a pre-requisite for VCAP5-DCA, VCAP5-DCD, VCP5-DT, or the new VCP5-IaaS certification - all of those have recommended training but no mandatory training requirement. See the links to the right of this page: http://mylearn.vmware.com/portals/certification/ I have information on all of those certifications on my blog too: http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.com Best of luck for VCP5 - I would focus exclusively on that for now, worry about what comes next once you're ready... Scott.

For VCAP4-DCA there were a number of recommended classes - Troubleshooting, Performance, Security, PowerCLI - but for VCAP5-DCA it's only Optimize & Scale. As Andre says, the training is not mandatory, but it will be useful.

You could look at building a VM running OpenFiler or FreeNAS, or a Windows VM running either the Microsoft iSCSI Target or StarWind's iSCSI SAN. You will also need a VM running vCenter Server, you can download and install the software on top of Windows, or download the vCenter Server Appliance from the vSphere downloads area.

For VCAP5-DCA, you're right that AutoDeploy is included in the blueprint topics, Update Manager PowerCLI is also mentioned. But for VCAP4-DCA, I would describe the required level of PowerCLI knowledge as pretty basic.

I'm a little late to join this thread, but right now you have two options to achieve any kind of VCP status: 1. Pass the VCP4 exam - you will achieve VCP4 status, and as you've already sat the What's New class for vSphere 5 you will also achieve VCP5 status. 2. Sit the Install Configure Manage or Fast Track class for vSphere 5 - you will achieve VCP5 status only.