My climb to the VCDX
I decided to create this thread to hold my long and difficult journey to the VCDX, keep me honest with the time I’ll be pouring in and hopefully serve as a guide/motivator for the many bright minds here on TechExams. On something of this scale, it’s paramount to keep track of the progress.
Why’s it long and arduous? Because my design’s about 90-95% fictitious and having to put together, validate and type it out on a blank canvas will take significant time and monumental effort. Another factor is I haven’t been an architect (lead or otherwise) for an end-to-end design, sure I’ve been involved in a few but I’ve only designed parts of them and this is what makes it harder.
For the uninitiated, the VCDX is the top level of certification that VMware have to offer. This certification is not about VMware technologies alone, but also about storage, networking, servers and the applications that’ll run on them. A VCDX must be able to understand a customer’s requirements and translate them into a successful solution. Being a VCDX opens up consulting and architecture engagements that would otherwise never be there, gets you noticed and brings the cash in. I’m mostly after the cash
I have approval of my wife for this journey. Some may think – why do you need approval, and it’s a fair question. It’s because I’ll be locked away in the study thinking, whiteboarding and typing for next year or so and she’ll have to do many things on her own. I won’t become a hermit, that’s for sure though. I won’t forgo craft beer, football or the Cricket World Cup. Gotta keep a balance. She’s in this for me and I’m doing this for us.
So the plan is to:
- nut out the whole design and everything else within the next 6-8 months
- run it past some existing VCDX’s and some folks here on TE (you know who you are). Have the design ripped apart.
- edit the design based on what the above people say
- participate in as many mock defences as possible. Go to a VCDX bootcamp.
- defend in October 2015 or whenever there’s date available towards the end of 2015. I’d prefer to go to Singapore because it’s closer since I’ll be paying for this on my own (don’t care).
- defend again if I fail. I’m fully prepared to fail, but be assured I’m going to give it my very best shot.
Whatever it takes.
Why’s it long and arduous? Because my design’s about 90-95% fictitious and having to put together, validate and type it out on a blank canvas will take significant time and monumental effort. Another factor is I haven’t been an architect (lead or otherwise) for an end-to-end design, sure I’ve been involved in a few but I’ve only designed parts of them and this is what makes it harder.
For the uninitiated, the VCDX is the top level of certification that VMware have to offer. This certification is not about VMware technologies alone, but also about storage, networking, servers and the applications that’ll run on them. A VCDX must be able to understand a customer’s requirements and translate them into a successful solution. Being a VCDX opens up consulting and architecture engagements that would otherwise never be there, gets you noticed and brings the cash in. I’m mostly after the cash

I have approval of my wife for this journey. Some may think – why do you need approval, and it’s a fair question. It’s because I’ll be locked away in the study thinking, whiteboarding and typing for next year or so and she’ll have to do many things on her own. I won’t become a hermit, that’s for sure though. I won’t forgo craft beer, football or the Cricket World Cup. Gotta keep a balance. She’s in this for me and I’m doing this for us.
So the plan is to:
- nut out the whole design and everything else within the next 6-8 months
- run it past some existing VCDX’s and some folks here on TE (you know who you are). Have the design ripped apart.
- edit the design based on what the above people say
- participate in as many mock defences as possible. Go to a VCDX bootcamp.
- defend in October 2015 or whenever there’s date available towards the end of 2015. I’d prefer to go to Singapore because it’s closer since I’ll be paying for this on my own (don’t care).
- defend again if I fail. I’m fully prepared to fail, but be assured I’m going to give it my very best shot.
Whatever it takes.
0
Comments
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
1. The HA and DRS Technical Deepdive book
2. Watch all the DX vBrownbag videos (watched some already)
3. The Art of Infrastructure Design (when it's out)
4. Mostafa Khalil's Storage Implementation in vSphere 5.0
5. Parts of the vSphere Design book.
5. The tons of whitepapers I've bookmarked over the years.
6. The various storage architecture guides HP have about their EVA's and 3PAR arrays (I have HP gear in my design)
The aim of me going for the VCDX is to become a better architect along the way. It's about the journey, not the destination.
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
I'm sub'ing this thread so I can keep track
Obviously ....
Nah, but good luck man. I used to have a job where I had spare time to study. Now all I got are late nights and weekend, so I can easily see how a supportive other half is essential (got one too, even though she is pregnant, she just keeps the beer, I mean tea, flowing if / when I have to work on weekends.
Mr Webster is a regular in Singapore so I wouldn't be surprised if you got him, although, they're a few coming up through the ranks!
Anyway, Best of luck, I'll still drag you away for a beer when I'm next down your way!
Blog: [URL]https://readysetvirtual.wordpress.com [/URL]
I think out of anyone here on TE *at the moment*, there are probably 2 people that could do the DX and you are one of them. Go get it!!
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
BTW, how much support are you getting from your current boss/company? Might be tough to proceed without that...
Also, have you networked with any of the current VCDX's in your area? Just wondering, as one of my coworkers happens to be a VCDX and is based down there in Melbourne. Seems like your city has quite a few for some reason.
EMCCA, EMCCAe, EMCCE, VCIX-NV, Puppet Practitioner, ServiceNow
"Simplify, then add lightness" -Colin Chapman
Edit: I am pretty sure Jason Nash is making a NSX video set on pluralsight right now, that should be really good.
@kj0 – Cheers mate! Yeah I have reached out to Niran a few times already, he’s supportive of anyone going in with a fully fict. design and has given me a few tips. All adds up! Yeah I know Webster will be at Singapore for sure unless he gets dragged off somewhere else for his Nutanix forays around the world. It’s quite intimidating to be honest, but the thing that reassures me is the panel is there to try to give you a passing score. They want people to pass. As for a beer, ready for one at any time mate!
@Asif – Thanks mate! I think there are more than 2 (slinuxuser and QHalo can also do it, though I know they need to their respective VCAP’s first).
@Zentraedi – Thanks! As for support from the job, none. I’m a contractor so it’s not like they’ll be supporting me anyway. Makes it harder, no doubt, but not enough to put me off the track. I have one (used to be 2) current VCDX in a team I work closely with and there are 2 people in my team that are DX-calibre, one’s design was rejected for the defense in July. No lack of talent around me. Melbourne has a few DX’s probably because it’s Australia’s best city! Australia has 6-7 DX’s and 5 of them are here. I reckon you work for VCE?
@Dave – that’s the intention mate. I’m in it to learn.
@slinuxuser – Cheers mate! I highly recommend the Design (DCD) videos on VMworld’s YouTube channel and the BrownBag podcasts too. VMware gave all vExperts full access to VMworld’s videos the other day. Beyond awesome.
@Expect- Thanks!
Once again, thanks for the support guys. I wish I had you guys in my team at work, we’d all be DX’s in no time.
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
Working on: CCNA Datacenter (2nd exam), Renewing VMware certs...
:study: Current 2015 Goals: JNCIP-SEC JNCIS-ENT CCNA-Security
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
Working on: CCNA Datacenter (2nd exam), Renewing VMware certs...
Goes without saying I wish you the very best Ess, and the beer is on me when you finally get through it
Takeaway - Think you know something about VMware design? Talk to a VCDX and you'll realize you don't know enough.
Re-work..
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
Redoing my design idea. Another takeaway from my meeting with the VCDX yesterday - think of a simple design, one that ticks all the boxes the panel wants to see, lock it in and make no changes to the core design. Too easy to get carried away with a fully fictitious design. Apparently, Scott Lowe's design had 5 hosts and 50 VMs at 2 sites. Simple's the new complex.
I bought a new whiteboard yesterday. Stocked up on some markers, in it for the long haul.
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
I laughed at the whiteboard thing.. I bought one 2 weeks ago lol
My design is an actual design I made 2 years ago. Not too crazy, but covers everything from a-z. 12 servers on 2 sites... My biggest problem is filtering out what I did with them. Half of them were for the server farm, the other half was for VDI. The 2nd site was the DR site and I had SRM running to protect the environment. Since SRM and View are out of scope for the VCDX exam, I'm finding it hard to document my design while excluding those aspects...
Working on: CCNA Datacenter (2nd exam), Renewing VMware certs...
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
Working on: CCNA Datacenter (2nd exam), Renewing VMware certs...
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
Blog >> http://virtual10.com
Blog >> http://virtual10.com