New blog posts about vSphere 5, VCP and VCAP-DCA

scott28tt

I've added NINE new posts to my blog related to the vSphere 5 release:

1. How does a VCP3 holder update to VCP5?
2. Is it worth doing vSphere 4 certifications?
3. New certification - VCP5
4. New vSphere 5 training courses
5. New vCloud Director 1.5 courses
6. New VMware official curriculum
7. Update your VCP4 to VCP5
8. Update your VCAP4-DCA to VCP5 and VCAP5-DCA
9. Gaining VCP4 and VCP5

You'll find them all here: VMware Training and Certification

Feel free to email me if you have any questions: scott.vessey@globalknowledge.co.uk

Scott.

tbgree00

Their timeframe on the training puts me in an interesting situation. I have done 3 vSphere 4 upgrades and rollouts and would like to have that experience capped with the VCP4 but I haven't set the class yet and didn't plan to until October - December in a cheaper college (UCSC) setting. That makes it hard to upgrade in the time allowed without retaking the course so I may have to skip and just focus on 5.

vCole

Thanks Scott - makes it a lot easier for me instead of trying to find it all on VMware's site.

QHalo

tbgree00 wrote: »

Their timeframe on the training puts me in an interesting situation. I have done 3 vSphere 4 upgrades and rollouts and would like to have that experience capped with the VCP4 but I haven't set the class yet and didn't plan to until October - December in a cheaper college (UCSC) setting. That makes it hard to upgrade in the time allowed without retaking the course so I may have to skip and just focus on 5.

I'm in the same boat. I'm really pushing my self-study forward quicker so I can take the test and pass and then wait to take the class to fulfill the requirement. After I take and pass VCP4, I'll start working on the VCP5 upgrade so I'm just waiting to take the class to get the certification. If I'm able to take and pass the exam by the end of August, that should be plenty of time to study for the VCP5 before Februrary of 2012.

If you've put in significant time studying for VCP4, I wouldn't just throw in the towel and start with VCP5. Try and focus on finishing VCP4 unless you absolutely are against taking the test before the class. I have all the classroom materials from a friend and you may not so that might be the difference. But as others have stated, the class is not going to teach you everything you need to know anyway so I'm not going to spend the cash until I have to. Exam voucher be damned.

Scott, your thoughts on this methodology?

tbgree00

I've probably put 10 or 20 hours into studying. I've more or less read the Sybex guide and have started memorizing theoretical maximums. I planned to make flash cards for that and to read through most of the official documentation.

I'm not opposed to doing the test first but it would make a 10 week class more frustrating than it already is. I'll run it by my boss to see what he wants me to do. He cares much less about the cert itself than I do so it may be a hard sell on him. He took the vcp 4 class when it was new so I have the lab books for it.

Does anyone know when I should expect the official vSphere 5 documentation to come out?

blargoe

It sounds like ICM2 is functionally a replacement for the Manage for Performance workshop with some stuff from the fast track course mixed in, and ICM3 will have the vSphere:Troubleshooting workshop content. Is this pretty close to correct?

QHalo

So there's no dates on the VCAP-DCA/D items. Wonder how long for those. Also Scott, I posted in the comments on your post about passing VCAP-DCA5 to upgrade your VCAP-DCA4 and VCP5. Is that right? Shouldn't that be VCP4? I find it hard to believe that passing a higher level class wouldn't upgrade your VCP as well. Maybe I'm not reading that right.

meadIT

QHalo wrote: »

So there's no dates on the VCAP-DCA/D items. Wonder how long for those. Also Scott, I posted in the comments on your post about passing VCAP-DCA5 to upgrade your VCAP-DCA4 and VCP5. Is that right? Shouldn't that be VCP4? I find it hard to believe that passing a higher level class wouldn't upgrade your VCP as well. Maybe I'm not reading that right.

The way I understand it is if you have your VCAP-DCA4, then passing the VCAP-DCA5 will also grant you VCP5.

QHalo

meadIT wrote: »

The way I understand it is if you have your VCAP-DCA4, then passing the VCAP-DCA5 will also grant you VCP5.

That's how I understood it as well. But that's not the way the diagram explains it which is why I questioned it.

http://vmwaretraining.blogspot.com/2011/07/update-your-vcap4-dca-to-vcp5-and-vcap5.html

undomiel

I'd just signed up for the UCSC October course when I heard this news. It made me hesitate a bit but the blog posts really helped clear up the upgrade path. Thanks Scott!

scott28tt

QHalo wrote: »

I'm in the same boat. I'm really pushing my self-study forward quicker so I can take the test and pass and then wait to take the class to fulfill the requirement. After I take and pass VCP4, I'll start working on the VCP5 upgrade so I'm just waiting to take the class to get the certification. If I'm able to take and pass the exam by the end of August, that should be plenty of time to study for the VCP5 before Februrary of 2012.

If you've put in significant time studying for VCP4, I wouldn't just throw in the towel and start with VCP5. Try and focus on finishing VCP4 unless you absolutely are against taking the test before the class. I have all the classroom materials from a friend and you may not so that might be the difference. But as others have stated, the class is not going to teach you everything you need to know anyway so I'm not going to spend the cash until I have to. Exam voucher be damned.

Scott, your thoughts on this methodology?

The clock is going to start ticking for both the VCP4 exam and vSphere 4 courses in 6-8 weeks time - I would expect that vSphere 4 courses will become more rare as we head towards the end of 2011 into 2012, so whatever you do just don't wait too long.

scott28tt

tbgree00 wrote: »

Does anyone know when I should expect the official vSphere 5 documentation to come out?

The day they actually release the software, which I expect to be in 2-4 weeks time.

scott28tt

blargoe wrote: »

It sounds like ICM2 is functionally a replacement for the Manage for Performance workshop with some stuff from the fast track course mixed in, and ICM3 will have the vSphere:Troubleshooting workshop content. Is this pretty close to correct?

Sort of, but then sort of not at the same time...

ICM2 will include lots of advanced networking and storage content, as well as the whole performance piece. ICM3 will be more than just troubleshooting.

From what I've seen I think they will both be good courses to deliver and attend - a much better blend of material than what we have today for vSphere 4.

scott28tt

QHalo wrote: »

That's how I understood it as well. But that's not the way the diagram explains it which is why I questioned it.

VMware Training and Certification: Update your VCAP4-DCA to VCP5 and VCAP5-DCA

The diagram is supposed to show exactly what you've "understood".

If you have VCP4 and pass VCAP5-DCA you will be awarded both VCAP5-DCA and VCP5 certifications, you won't have to take the VCP5 exam separately.

QHalo

scott28tt wrote: »

The diagram is supposed to show exactly what you've "understood".

If you have VCP4 and pass VCAP5-DCA you will be awarded both VCAP5-DCA and VCP5 certifications, you won't have to take the VCP5 exam separately.

Edit: nevermind Scott. I just realized that VCP4 is implied by having VCAP-DCA4. DUH!

QHalo

scott28tt wrote: »

The clock is going to start ticking for both the VCP4 exam and vSphere 4 courses in 6-8 weeks time - I would expect that vSphere 4 courses will become more rare as we head towards the end of 2011 into 2012, so whatever you do just don't wait too long.

I actually found an online course near me for $200 less than UCSC and doesn't take 3 months to complete so I'm golden. They're on the VMware IT Academy listing, I'm just going to confirm the class is eligible.

scott28tt

I'm presenting a free webinar on August 10th, I'll be bringing my blog posts to life and hosting a Q&A session at the end too:

VMware Training and Certification: Free webinar on vSphere 5: Training and Certification