VCAP5-CID scheduled

dave330i

Got this exam scheduled for 4/18. Probably wouldn't study as hard if I didn't schedule it.

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forestgiant

What resources are you using to prepare for the exam? This one's next on my cert to do list.

dave330i

forestgiant wrote: »

What resources are you using to prepare for the exam? This one's next on my cert to do list.

Just the blueprint & pdfs. Scope for non vSphere exams are pretty narrow, so they're relatively easy.

kalebksp

Passed this last week at PEX after doing the vCloud Director ICM class. It's not an easy one, be sure to go through the UI Demo if you're not familiar with the diagraming tool they use. Good luck!

dave330i

While studying for this exam, I noticed there are different design considerations depending on vCD1.5 vs. vCD5.1. The exam blueprint doesn't state which version you'll be tested on (educated guess is 1.5). Searched the net and found out the exam's based on 1.5.

QHalo

Dave you are a monster. GL sir!

dave330i

Rescheduled the exam for this weekend. Honestly, I should be spending my time prepping for VCDX. Don't see a bright of a future for vCD.

QHalo

Care to elaborate why you think that? Just curious. Good luck on the exam btw.

dave330i

When you play with both vCAC & vCD, you realize vCAC is a much cleaner solution that meets most use cases. vCD really shines in a test/dev where you need duplicates of production environment or 4095 VLANs aren't enough. For production environment that needs self provisioning, vCAC on top of vSphere is all you need.

QHalo

I really haven't messed with either yet. Thanks for the quick distinction.

jibbajabba

I agree with Dave. I have implemented a few vCD solutions and a lot of customer went back to the classic cluster solution with permissions given to create VMs etc.

The problem is not just the product itself, which really is confusing in parts and far from "clean" - the problem is also bug related. Documentation is poor in place, clear copy / paste from 1.5 to 5.1 (not even bothered changing the version number), some blatant mistakes, where for example NFS to me mounted for a cell had different paths - as an example, one line said /home/clouddirector and one /home/vclouddirector (Not exactly that but you catch the drift), some API documentation just doesn't exist. Some commands have no documentation or there is documentation for commands which don't exist.

I used to work in a hosting company and for months we were in contact with VMware's dev team who took our comments on board, but essentially we gave up.

To be honest, though - that was mostly 1.0/1.5 but the damage was done. Given that VMware has a tendency to move bugs across versions, we haven't tried 5.1 fully yet (Can you remember a vSphere version since 3.x which didn't have ISCSI problems initially ?).

Since I worked in the hosting company, I also worked with it in a few financial companies - none of them used it in production, only for dev / test environments. In order to make proper use for it, especially in large environments, you need to use thing like Chargeback as well, as every company has some sort of billing, even just internally.

So that adds to the complexity and administrative overhead.

Please bear in mind - I do not try to flame VMware by any means - I just tell you my / our experience with it

dave330i

Passed it this morning with score of 313. Unlike DCD, CID doesn't have back button like Cisco exams. Not sure if it's a new policy by VMware of just for this exam. Overall I thought the exam was easier than the DCD considering I know vSphere much better than vCD.

Also, this was the first time I passed an exam at this particular test center in 4 tries.

Essendon

You really are a demon, you know Dave.

Congrats mate, I reckon you should do the CIA while you are at it. Then the DTD will complete the VCAP set.

EDIT: The "Back" button is gone in the DCD as well. I guess when you got to do 100 questions in the 4 hours or so, the time pressure is so great that arent going to be able to come back to the questions you flagged. What VMware say about this is there's a bug in the Visio-like tool that doesnt save your answers if the "Back" button is available. What a load of croc! If there's a bug, fix the freakin' bug! It's to make the exam harder, if you ask me.

dave330i

Thanks Essendon.
When I found out CIA is available, I actually thought of getting it, doing my VCDX defense on vCD to see if they give me both VCDX & VCDX-Cloud. Unfortunately that would mean 3 months to get a design done & prep for CIA. Pretty tight time frame. Also, I'd like to think I have VCDX level knowledge on vSphere, but I know I don't on vCD. Lastly, as I've stated before, I don't believe in vCD. It's nice, but not a killer app like vSphere.

The visio-bug explains why I failed DCD the 2nd time. I did notice 1 of my design disappearing.

meadIT

You won't get both versions of the VCDX. When you fill out the application, you have to select which one you are defending for. There are a few differences in the defense structures. Because the VCDX-Cloud and VCDX-Desktop will cover both base vSphere technologies plus either cloud or EUC, they extend the troubleshooting and design scenarios.

Once you have completed one VCDX (for most this will be VCDX-DCV), to get another flavor, you just have to pass the VCAP exams and then submit a design. No second defenses required.

Edit: Not sure if you could just resubmit a design used for VCDX-DCV that includes vCloud for the VCDX-Cloud, but I'm sure they will want their two different application fees.

dave330i

@meadIT,

Thanks for the info. You're fountain of knowledge as always.

dave330i

Booo.... VMware gave me the same cert # as my VCP #. I was hoping to get a low 2 digit number.

Essendon

O well, they'll definitely give you 3 digits for your VCDX! How's the prep coming along for the big one?

dave330i

Essendon wrote: »

O well, they'll definitely give you 3 digits for your VCDX! How's the prep coming along for the big one?

Dragging my feet. I have a rough idea on how to build the environment, but hate working on documentation. Also, I was planning on spending May & June working on it, so goofing off atm. Maybe I'll go retake the VCAP-DTD as a distraction (probably failed the Beta).

meadIT

A piece of unsolicited advice. I'd go ahead and start on the VCDX stuff. It will end up taking a lot more time that you expect. I'd estimate I spent around 250 hours, including 90 hours in the week before the submission deadline putting my stuff together.

dave330i

Got my physical certs today. It only took them 2 weeks. Pleasantly surprised.