VMware cloud certifications: Everything you need to know right now
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With this comes the requirement to maintain a solid base of engineers that have the knowledge to both understand and implement these new cloud solutions. To get a better idea of how this is all shaping up, let's take a look at VMware's cloud certifications and how things have changed with recent cloud certification announcements.
VMware Certified Associate (VCA) Cloud Certifications
To start, there are two different VCA6 certifications available: VMA Cloud Management and Automation (VCA-CMA) and VMA Hybrid Cloud (VCA-HC). The VCA-CMA is focused on VMware's cloud solutions including NSX, vCloud Automation Center, vCenter Operations Manager, vCenter Hyperic, vFabric Suite, vCloud Connector, vCenter Site Recovery Manager and vCloud Hybrid Service. The VCA-HC is focused on VMware's vCloud Air public cloud offering. Here are the exam details:
| Exam Number | 1V0-603 |
| Cost | $120.00 |
| Available | April 2015 |
| Exam Duration | 75 Minutes |
| Question Count | 50 |
| Passing Score (100-500) | 300 |
| Exam Type | Online, Non-proctored |
| Recommended Training | VMware Cloud Fundamentals |
| Exam Number | 1V0-602 |
| Cost | $120.00 |
| Available | April 2015 |
| Exam Duration | 75 Minutes |
| Question Count | 50 |
| Passing Score (100-500) | 300 |
| Exam Type | Online, Non-proctored |
| Recommended Training | vCloud Air Fundamentals |
The VCA level of certification is focused on those who want to learn more about VMware's products. This is not intended to indicate a level of implementation proficiency and should not be compared against introductory level certifications from other major vendors.
VMware Certified Professional (VCP) Cloud Certifications
There are currently two ways to obtain VMware's VCP level of certification in cloud technologies (version 6). These include taking and passing the currently offered VCP6-Cloud exam and following the existing VCP-Cloud track, or by taking and passing the vSphere 6 Foundations Exam and VMware Certified Professional 6 – Cloud Management and Automation Exam following the VCP-CMA track (August 2015).
VCP6-Cloud (VCPC610)
The existing VCP6-Cloud exam is available and focuses on a number of different products that make up VMware's cloud solutions and features including: vCenter Server, VMware ESXi, VMware Networking (vSS, vDS), vSphere switch policies, vSphere storage, vCloud and vCenter vApps, VMware clusters, vCloud Automation center, vCloud suite, vCloud connector, NSX, and VXLAN, among other topics.
Candidates without an existing VCP credential must take one of VMware's approved cloud classes including: vCloud Automation Center: Install, Configure, Manage (v6.0) (can be taken in person or on-demand). Candidates that have an existing VCP are not required to take one of these courses, though it's still recommended. Here are the exam details:
| Exam Number | VCPC610 |
| Cost | $225.00 |
| Available | ~December 2014 |
| Exam Duration | 120 Minutes |
| Question Count | 120 |
| Passing Score (100-500) | 300 |
| Exam Type | Proctored by Pearson VUE |
| Recertify? | Yes, 2 years |
| Retake | 7 calendar days |
| Recommended Training | vCloud Automation Center: Install, Configure, Manage [V6.0] |
It is important to note that students who pass the VCP6-Cloud and gain the VCP6-Cloud credential will automatically become VCP6-CMAs.
VCP6-CMA
VMware announced an evolution of its cloud certification track with its Cloud Management and Automation track. This will complete a transition from the *-Cloud certifications to the *-CMA. The VCA6-CMA and VCP6-CMA already have anticipated release dates, while expert-level certifications will be introduced in the near future. This new track will add a number of acceptable prerequisite courses, as well as an additional foundation exam. It should be noted that many of the following courses have both classroom and on-demand options:
- Cloud Orchestration and Extensibility (v6.1)
- vRealize Business: Costing and Implementation (v8.0)
- vRealize Automation: Install, Configure, Manage (v6.x)
- Cloud Orchestration and Extensibility (v6.x)Cloud Automation: Design & Deploy (v6.0)
Once you successfully complete one of the approved prerequisite courses, you'll then need to pass the vSphere 6 Foundations Exam, which looks like this:
| Exam Number | 2V0-620 |
| Cost | $120.00 |
| Available | Est August 2015 (Authorization Available Now) |
| Exam Duration | TBD |
| Question Count | TBD |
| Passing Score (100-500) | TBD |
| Exam Type | Proctored by Pearson VUE |
| Recommended Training | vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage [V6] |
Once you take and pass the foundations course, you can take the VMware Certified Professional 6 – Cloud Management and Automation Exam, which looks like this:
| Exam Number | 2V0-631 |
| Cost | $225.00 |
| Available | TBD (August 2015?) |
| Exam Duration | 75 minutes |
| Question Count | TBD |
| Passing Score (100-500) | TBD |
| Exam Type | Proctored by Pearson VUE |
| Recommended Training | vRealize Automation: Install, Configure, Manage [V6.2] |
VMware Certified Implementation Expert (VCIX) & VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) Cloud Certifications
Detailed information about the new VMware cloud certifications: VCIX6-CMA and VCDX6-CMA has not yet been released, but be on the lookout for that soon. Currently, the only existing level of cloud certification higher than a VCP is the VMware Certified Design Expert – Cloud (VCDX-Cloud). Candidates for this are tasked with submitting a vCloud design with complete detail (submissions are typically a minimum of 100 pages). The next deadline to submit an application is August 25, 2015.
Takeaway
VMware is a popular cloud vendor, and it must maintain a high level of competence inside the engineering community. This means maintaining certifications that are able to properly indicate a level of proficiency, which can be used by engineers as a measure of what they need to know and understand to maintain their knowledge. With its latest updates to its cloud certifications, VMware is on track to keeping its high level of proficiency within the marketplace and helping engineers gain new skills along the way.
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