VCP without hands on?

Im just thinking about VCP. I know you have to go to offical vmware training which is making me just ask a few questions about the whole thing. I can use vmware workstation but i have never used esx server. I have books for esx server and i can get the 60 day trial for a hands on lab. But is it worth going for VCP without real-world experience? Im going to have to pay for training myself if i went for it, hoping that it would pay off. My employer wont pay for training as we dont use esx, but it is something i like to do. Bad idea or no harm?

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dynamik

Are you looking to switch jobs after you get it?

You're kind of in the same boat as I am. I'm going to take the course, probably on my on dime, and then bail. I won't have experience in anything other than their Workstation/Server product as well. MCSE and CCNA first though...

hetty

Yeah, that would be the plan. Wont be for a few months though. I need to go for MCSE but if I could practice on an esx trial, read the books then maybe go for the training after then sit the exam. But i just dont know if it will pay off.

dynamik

I figure that I'm going to look pretty good with my MCSE, CCNA, and a few years of experience managing a small network. I think the VCP will be icing on the cake.

This is a good book: http://www.amazon.com/VMware-ESX-Server-Enterprise-Virtualization/dp/0132302071/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207496027&sr=8-1

That's the newest book I've seen, but it only covers 2.5 and 3.0.

Trainsignal has an updated 3.5 CBT: http://www.trainsignal.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=90

I just got it the other day, but I haven't really had a chance to look into it. The nice surprise was that it came with a Server 2008 intro DVD. It sounded cheesy, but it has a ton of info in it. It's not comprehensive, but it's actually a really well done intro to the new features.

Also, be sure to grab the 3.0 flashcards here: http://techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=210387#210387

hetty

Thanks for the links. The two books I have access to are below, but ill definetly have a look at that book and the train signal training. Dont know what version of esx they use.

http://www.amazon.com/Virtualization-VMware-ESX-Server-Muller/dp/1597490199
http://www.amazon.com/VMware-ESX-Server-Advanced-Technical/dp/0971151067

Main thing is to get a head start before official training if i go down that route.

HeroPsycho

You can always set up your own ESX server. You need SCSI hardware, but it doesn't need to be physical.

Oh yes, that's right, you can install ESX in a VMWare Workstation/Server VM.

Hey man, whatever it takes to learn...

Is it worth it? Well, keep in mind not many people have experience with VMWare at this point, so getting the cert kinda sets you apart even from people who have a lot of experience with it.

I can't really say if it's worth it for your career. Go look at jobs in areas where you want to live at the salary you want. Do they want people with VMWare expertise or VCP? If not, what do they want that you don't have? That will answer your question better than I could.

dynamik

HeroPsycho wrote:

Oh yes, that's right, you can install ESX in a VMWare Workstation/Server VM.

Good to know. I was hoping you'd be able to do that. I really don't have a spare machine to dedicate to that, and I'd prefer to not screw around with one of my existing ones.

hetty

HeroPsycho wrote:

Oh yes, that's right, you can install ESX in a VMWare Workstation/Server VM.

I think you need a quad core to do that dont you? I think i read somewhere that the esx hypervisor messes up with the workstation hypervisor unless you use one of the latest quad cores and then you can do that. Or can you still do it on a dual-core?

If i get the trial of esx 3.5 i can use SATA drives cant i, but you couldnt before?

Correct me if im talking crap.

hetty

I found that document that I read about esx 3.5 inside workstation 6 possibly needing quad-core cpus. They have not tested it though.

Commentary on VMware ESX 3.5 on Workstation 6

HeroPsycho

I do remember you had to do some hacking to get it to work. It wasn't terribly complicated.

I fortunately had ESX servers at work to mess with, so I didn't need to do it. I just heard it's possible.

whit80

I passed the VCP exam with no hands on at all except for what we did for lab exercises in the VMWare class. The thing I used to study was the student guide from the course. Get your hands on one of these, learn it THOROUGHLY, and you should pass the exam. It really is a very good student guide, very well written.

hetty

whit80 wrote:

I passed the VCP exam with no hands on at all except for what we did for lab exercises in the VMWare class. The thing I used to study was the student guide from the course. Get your hands on one of these, learn it THOROUGHLY, and you should pass the exam. It really is a very good student guide, very well written.

Have you got a job working with esx now that you have the vcp without the hands on?

eMeS

dynamik wrote:

Are you looking to switch jobs after you get it?

You're kind of in the same boat as I am. I'm going to take the course, probably on my on dime, and then bail. I won't have experience in anything other than their Workstation/Server product as well. MCSE and CCNA first though...

When are you taking it? Perhaps we could fill up one of their million or so classes with TechExams.net people?

MS

dynamik

I'm tentatively planning on doing it later this summer. It looks like they have a class nearby every month, so I don't have to plan too far ahead.

eMeS

I'd like to take it, but I'm not going to MSP...however, there is one in Vegas beginning on July 8th....

Any idea how they qualify their instructors?

MS

dynamik

They don't have anything down in Texas?

You should totally come up to MSP; I'll even buy lunch.

Wait until August though. That's when our cooler weather is actually nice.

No clue on the quality of their instructors. I've heard the course packet is quite useful though. I'm going to go into it not expecting much and hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised.

royal

HeroPsycho wrote:

You can always set up your own ESX server. You need SCSI hardware,

Just an FYI. But there are some SATA controllers that will emulate SCSI that work with ESX. Also, ESX 3.5 adds native support for some SATA controllers. In the ESX 3.5 documentation, it lists what SATA controllers it natively supports.

dynamik

Also, I researched how ESX runs in Workstation a bit, and it looks like v3.0 will run inside of Workstation (which you can configure to use "SCSI" HDs). Unfortunately, it looks like v3.5 crashes whenever you attempt to load a VM inside of it, and it does so in the Workstation 6.5 beta as well. I guess there are some hacks, such as editing the VM to use 700mhz or under, but those still seem to be pretty unstable. I haven't played around with it myself yet, but I would imagine that even without being able to load a VM, just playing around with ESX would still be beneficial.

Is the VCP in your future as well, Royal? It seems like it would complement what you do nicely, but I suppose if you're just focusing on MS products, Hyper-V might be all you need.

hetty

Whiteboxes and SATA controllers for ESX 3.5 and 3i

Good to know that the Intel G33 chipset (ICH9) is supported as well as the Silicon Image 3512. You could buy a cheap Vostro 200 desktop which uses the G33 chipset and stick another few hard drives in to it and the SiI 3512 is the chipset Ive seen used most with cheap SATA controller cards.

Ive run out of excuses to set this up

HeroPsycho

I know that in order to be an instructor, you have to at least score I think above 90 on the VCP exam.

My instructor was very good. I was pleasantly surprised.

eMeS

dynamik wrote:

They don't have anything down in Texas?

You should totally come up to MSP; I'll even buy lunch.

Wait until August though. That's when our cooler weather is actually nice.

No clue on the quality of their instructors. I've heard the course packet is quite useful though. I'm going to go into it not expecting much and hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised.

There are plenty of them here in Dallas, it's just that if I am going to sit through something that I only have a passing familiarity with, then I need to get away from my home area to minimize distractions....

With that in mind, perhaps Vegas is also not a good choice....

MS

astorrs

I can speak from experience that Andrew Ellwood and Mark Fei are both excellent VMware trainers (both are staff instructors) so any official course they are teaching you are in for a good time.