skill and experience before VCP5

Hello, fellow knowledge seekers,

Is it recommended I have some experience with a server OS(s) before i delve into VCP5? What would be some responsibilities for a VCP5 tech in the field besides creating the virtual environment/platform for VMs and maintaining them? If there is a particular skill-set or cert I should go for before this please let me know. I know networking and network storage is a big part of VCP5 from what I have read so far.

Also, pardon my ignorance but I am wrapping up my ICND2/CCNA this month and looking ahead to learning something I find interesting and would have fun with in VMware/VCP5. I am starting my research and learning some foundations and basics through the PDFs they have vmware.com.

Hope to hear from ya'll!

-RyRo

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Essendon

Welcome to the forums! Hope you stick around, this place is a cornucopia of knowledge and wisdom.

Some OS experience is recommended, but not essential. You'll have a fairly steep learning curve, but you should be able to pull through it.

There's a lot to a virtual environment, ranging from performance management to planning to everyday administration.

You have some networking knowledge, so you are not a total n00b and figuring out the storage side of things for the VCP 5 shouldnt be too difficult provided you put in the due diligence.

For the VCP 5 and for ESX/ESXi administration in general, the Mastering vSphere 5 book is highly recommended. That book is worth its weight in gold. If you understand it, the exam will be a breeze (well maybe not a breeze, but fairly easy).

There are a lot of tutorials floating around the interwebs and numerous threads on this forum that are enough to get you up to speed. Do your research, d1ck around with the product and post up here if you run into any issues.

Just so you know, the VCP has two parts - one's the test and the other is the training requirement. Search through these forums for more info.

Hope this helps!

ryrova

Thank you for the detailed response Essendon! Thats just the response I wanted to hear. Even though this is my first post, this site has definitely helped me through ICND1 these past couple months.

Mastering vSphere 5 was definitely on my radar for reading material besides the material on VMware site. I'll definitely look through it.

Can't wait to get started, thanks again!

-ryro

jibbajabba

Just one thing to bear in mind though. Although 'server' OS knowledge isn't necessarily essential, you need it for the management part - the VMware Virtual Center Server. The installer USUALLY works by just clicking 'Next>Next>Next', but with vSphere 5.1 (Exam will be based on it sooner or later), Active Directory is pretty much essential. Once you start labbing you will have to setup an AD environment eventually (although a basic one).

vCenter Server and some components of it also require SQL. The installer comes with it, so again, you don't REALLY need any SQL knowledge.

But it helps to know what you'd have to do if you already got a SQL server somewhere and you'd like to use it (how to create a DSN for example).

There is certainly a LOT to learn.

It also depends really what your goal is - getting the VCP for VCP sake or knowing maybe a little bit beyond that.

I am sure you can pass the exam without knowing much about AD or SQL, but it might mean you have to ACE the rest to allow failing those particular questions

dave330i

jibbajabba wrote: »

Once you start labbing you will have to setup an AD environment eventually (although a basic one).

Autolab takes care of it for you.

As others have said you need working knowledge of Windows AD, DNS & DHCP, SQL, Networking, Storage & little bit of Linux.

ryrova

Thanks Jibba and Dave! I will be sure took look into those topics you have listed that I dont already know. These are really good reference points going forward.

I already enjoy the networking pathvery much. After using products like fusion and looking into VMware I also find this to be very fun to work with from what I learned so far . I am definitely trying to specialize in a particular field so who knows where or what I will lean towards after these 2 certs but I am definitely on a mission to learn skill-sets and apply them.

-ryro

jibbajabba

dave330i wrote: »

Autolab takes care of it for you.

As others have said you need working knowledge of Windows AD, DNS & DHCP, SQL, Networking, Storage & little bit of Linux.

I don't like scripted setups myself