VCP5 exam topics in relation to vSphere 5 courses
The VMware Certified Professional (VCP)
certification is recognised worldwide as the key foundation-level
technical certification in virtualisation. Individuals wishing to
achieve VCP status have always had to meet two measured
requirements:
- Attend and participate in an official
training course
- Pass the exam with the required passing
score
Those wishing to gain the current VCP on
vSphere 5 (VCP5) have a choice of attending one of a number of
vSphere courses depending on their experience and previous
training/certification history. These are the learning paths
recommended to Global Knowledge customers:
Whilst course attendance is compulsory,
none of the training courses shown above are designed to fully
prepare an individual for the VCP5 exam. VMware expect all
individuals to gain additional hands-on experience with vSphere,
and it is normally advised to study from the official vSphere
documentation from the VMware website.
VMware publish an exam blueprint which
details the topics tested on - a link to the latest blueprint can
be found at http://www.vmware.com/go/vcp -
VMware update the blueprint document from time to time, so it is
highly recommended to download the latest version as well as the
current vSphere documentation.
vSphere: Install, Configure,
Manage / vSphere: Automation Fast Track
The vSphere: Install Configure
Manage course does include much lecture and lab material
that helps to prepare individuals for the VCP5 exam, however there
are still numerous objectives and topics that can be tested on in
the exam that are not covered in the course. Some of the key exam
objectives that are not covered as part of the course are:
- vSphere license editions
- Upgrading ESX/ESXi
- Install ESX/ESXi on SAN storage
- iSCSI software multi-pathing
- Configure vSphere Client and vCenter
Server settings
- Perform basic troubleshooting for ESX/ESXi
hosts, VMware FT and third-party clusters
- Verify vSphere network management
settings
- Verify the service console network
functionality
Note that this is not an exhaustive list,
once an individual has completed the course it is recommended that
they download the latest blueprint document and compare the topics
listed in the document against the skills and knowledge they have
gained during the course.
The vSphere: Automation Fast
Track course is a combination of the vSphere: Install,
Configure, Manage and vSphere: Automation with PowerCLI courses,
but as the VCP4 exam does not contain items that relate
specifically to PowerCLI, the vSphere: Automation Fast Track course
is equal preparation for the VCP4 exam as the standard vSphere:
Install, Configure, Manage course.
vSphere: What’s New / vSphere: Troubleshooting / vSphere:
Advanced Fast Track
The vSphere: What’s New
course is designed so that individuals with VCP4-level skills can
update their knowledge to vSphere 5, and also learn how to perform
an upgrade - there is some relationship between the course content
and VCP5 exam objectives, but there are many objectives in the exam
that are beyond the scope of this course.
VMware allow vSphere:
Troubleshooting to qualify for VCP4 certification for
those who have extensive real-world experience with vSphere but
still need to attend a training course. The course is aimed at
those with VCP4-level skills already, and the content is closer
aligned to the VCAP4-DCA certification rather than VCP4. The same
can be said of the vSphere: Advanced Fast Track,
as it combines the vSphere: Troubleshooting and vSphere: Manage for
Performance courses.