VCAP-DCA or go for VCIX when it's released

Deathmage

Hey guys,

So I'm finishing up the Storage + study, exam in a few weeks and I'm half way through the ICDN2 book. I took a tad longer than I had hoped for the CCENT but meh no worries. There is no rush, want to round off 2015 with the CCNA: R&S and Storage +. Goal for 2016 is a VMware Implementation level cert and a MCSA.

Now I'd like to do the next level of VMware certification but the VCAP5-DCA I think will take me easily 6 months to study for or maybe less. But my licensing for 5.5 expires from VMUG Feb 23rd and will need to renew for ESXi 6.

With that being said, even updating my home cluster to ESXi 6 Enterprise Plus would it still be viable for me to go for the VCAP or just wait for the VCIX? - are the changes that big from 5.5 to 6?

I already called up VMUG and asked them if I could downgrade the license and they said it's not possible, so I'm like poo poo. I don't want to resort to um 'alternative' means to keep the 5.5 lab operational so kind of perplexed.


Thoughts?

Essendon

Do the VCIX but don't wait for the test to go live, start preparing now. Like you know, it's going to take 6ish months assuming you pass on your first go. Throw vSphere 6 on your lab anyway, 60 days are enough to get you going. When 60 days are up, uninstall and re-install - it doesn't take overly long and it gives you good practice since this is what you'd be doing in the VCIX/VCAP anyway. I've rebuilt my lab twice already (first time was with the beta), not bad practice. Keep the lab simple - 3 hosts, 1 PSC, 1 vCenter (and VUM), 1 AutoDeploy machine and 3-4 VMs = enough. You'll need to re-install just the PSC and vCenter every 60 days.

jibbajabba

Deathmage wrote: »

Hey guys,

So I'm finishing up the Storage + study, exam in a few weeks and I'm half way through the ICDN2 book. I took a tad longer than I had hoped for the CCENT but meh no worries. There is no rush, want to round off 2015 with the CCNA: R&S and Storage +. Goal for 2016 is a VMware Implementation level cert and a MCSA.

Now I'd like to do the next level of VMware certification but the VCAP5-DCA I think will take me easily 6 months to study for or maybe less. But my licensing for 5.5 expires from VMUG Feb 23rd and will need to renew for ESXi 6.

With that being said, even updating my home cluster to ESXi 6 Enterprise Plus would it still be viable for me to go for the VCAP or just wait for the VCIX? - are the changes that big from 5.5 to 6?

I already called up VMUG and asked them if I could downgrade the license and they said it's not possible, so I'm like poo poo. I don't want to resort to um 'alternative' means to keep the 5.5 lab operational so kind of perplexed.


Thoughts?

You are vExpert now so you will get 365 day licenses soon ...

https://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-28743

You should have access to this link once you get your vE badge on the forums ...

Essendon

I dont think they'd be handing out Enterprise licenses. How's he going to work with things like AutoDeploy, FT, vDS, DPM etc?

jibbajabba

Oh but you do, including Enterprise Plus and vCloud and the lot

Deathmage

Ya vExpert does give licensing for Enterprise Plus, just checked the vExpert area, nice catch! ....didn't know all the kool stuff it provides!

I wonder when VCIX will be available.

TheProf

I am assuming they're going to announce something next week during VMworld.

kj0

I'm doing bits and pieces here and there for VCIX, I'm following the VCAP guides for now as certain things will roll over. Particularly Powershell and ESXCLI, etc. Monitoring and Optimize. If you want to look at the Design side, read through Essendon's VCAP-DCD thread, it's got a lot of great. The main point is that you will get a good idea what you will be up for and you won't have to "Upgrade" as much information once it is released.

Sign up for the Pluralsight subscription also (vExpert only) and watch Jason Nash's 3 part series on VCAP.


Good luck.

Deathmage

kj0 wrote: »

I'm doing bits and pieces here and there for VCIX, I'm following the VCAP guides for now as certain things will roll over. Particularly Powershell and ESXCLI, etc. Monitoring and Optimize. If you want to look at the Design side, read through Essendon's VCAP-DCD thread, it's got a lot of great. The main point is that you will get a good idea what you will be up for and you won't have to "Upgrade" as much information once it is released.

Sign up for the Pluralsight subscription also (vExpert only) and watch Jason Nash's 3 part series on VCAP.


Good luck.

Well I'm not dreadfully worried about licensing now. I sent an email to VMware about my licensing for the home-lab. Sent them a few pictures upon request of it and then sent me a 3 year 5.5 license for all my hosts and vCenter.

Want to get VCAP5-DCA for 5.5 and then study for VCIX while it still fresh and skip VCP6...basically devote Q1 to Q3 next doing them both back to back...

Deathmage

Well next week I have an extended 4 day weekend so probably Sunday I'll take a break from the Storage + training I'll do some leisure upgrading to ESXi 6 on the home-cluster and upgrade to ESXi 6.0 and use the vExpert licensing to update the cluster.

Also got the VCP6-DCV book, might after CCNA: R&S is done (hopefully by the end of October!) read that book quickly and take the VCP6-DCV exam, skimmed the blueprints and it seems pretty straight forward except for the maximums change, the additions to ESXi 6 and vCenter, and a few other things.