VMWare is coming to my company

I got the news today from my manager, we going to virtualization within the next 4 months. Sad to say, out of my department (manager and 5 techs), I'm the most familiar with it. Don't have any working experience, just the stuff I've seen online and watched some CBT video's. So I really know nothing technical when it comes to VMWare.
But I want to hit the ground running, and get ahead of it and maybe reduce the learning curve when it starts. I have a couple servers in my ccna lab at home. So my plan is to go through the CBT videos a couple times and get a good over view.
I don't know any good books off hand, any suggestions??
Also any suggestions in general for a noob learning VMWare.
Thanks for your time and your thoughts!
But I want to hit the ground running, and get ahead of it and maybe reduce the learning curve when it starts. I have a couple servers in my ccna lab at home. So my plan is to go through the CBT videos a couple times and get a good over view.
I don't know any good books off hand, any suggestions??
Also any suggestions in general for a noob learning VMWare.
Thanks for your time and your thoughts!
Comments
Get a Pluralsight subscription - great VMware videos compared to CBT Nuggets which are just OK and there is more of them for less money too...
Play around with it in your lab, there is tons of lab threads but it sounds like you've got that covered.
The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent. - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Certainly a great start ..
This for passing the exam - Amazon.com: VCP5-DCV VMware Certified Professional-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere 5.5 Study Guide: VCP-550 (9781118658444): Brian Atkinson: Books
This for EVERYTHING related to virtualization within the 5.5 release - http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-VMware-vSphere-Scott-Lowe/dp/1118661141/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406307939&sr=8-1&keywords=vmware&dpPl=1
Then
1. Obtain a copy of VMware Workstation 9 or 10
2. Install 1-2 ESXi 5.5 hosts
3. Install MS Servers
Think of the 2:00 a.m. test—if you were awakened in the
middle of the night because of a network problem and had to figure out the
traffic flows in your network while you were half asleep, could you do it?
It is incredibly easy to set stuff up in vSphere, you just need to read / watch directions on how to do it, and learning the troubleshooting is part of the experience of being in IT, and is not covered in any book you can buy
https://loopedback.com
For some looking to learn the system/product what should they read.
WGU MSISA
Start Date: 10/01/2014 | Complete Date: ASAP
All Courses: LOT2, LYT2 , UVC2, ORA1, VUT2, VLT2 , FNV2 , TFT2 , JIT2 , FMV2, FXT2 , LQT2
No one would let people with no networking knowledge to architect their production network. Virtualization should be treated the same way.
As for learning about vSphere, as others have mentioned, Mastering and what used to be TrainSignal is a good start.
"Simplify, then add lightness" -Colin Chapman
I should start labbing in two weeks, I'm a break and fix kind of learner. Needless to to say I'm pretty lucky and excited for this opportunity, can't wait to get started!
Something like this.
http://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/courses.cfm?ui=www_edu&a=det&id_course=215383
Personally I'd do it in a classroom because I like to ask lots of questions, but you can do them online as well.
I agree, Global Knowledge is a partner to VMWare, and we've used them before. I'll be working on management to send me to a training.
Either San Jose or Seattle, it will be nice to get off the reservation.
Exactly, I can tell you its not going to be my manager.
"Simplify, then add lightness" -Colin Chapman