- Topics Mentioned
- Certification(s):
- VMware Certifications
During VMware Partner Exchange (PEX) 2011 at the start of February, VMware announced an entirely new hierarchy of certifications that cover desktop virtualization. Personally, I am super-excited about these exams and I have already attempted a beta of one of the new exams. Before we get into the details let’s take a look at what desktop virtualization is and who these certifications are for.
What is Desktop Virtualization?
Simply put, desktop virtualization is taking end-user desktop PC’s and virtualizing them. Just like you have likely done a P2V (physical to virtual) with a server in the datacenter, with desktop virtualization you are essentially doing P2V on an end-user desktop. However, there is a completely different set of considerations when virtualizing desktops vs servers (but we won’t get into that right now because this article is about the new certification, not how the technology works).
Many times, application virtualization is used in conjunction with desktop virtualization. In fact, in VMware’s new line of Desktop certifications, application virtualization is a big part of the exam blueprint as VMware recommends that you use both desktop virtualization / VDI (based on View in the case of VMware) and application virtualization (ThinApp in VMware’s case) together to successfully virtualize end-user desktop machines.
VMware’s New Desktop Virtualization Certification Lineup
Similar to the pyramid of certifications that Cisco offers, VMware’s new desktop virtualization certifications could be diagrammed the same way with a base, middle, and cap layer. If we go from the top down, here is how the Desktop Virtualization Certifications stack up:
- VCAP-Desktop (VCAP-DT) - COMING SOON! – at the highest level, VMware will soon be offering a VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) with a desktop specialization (VMware already offers the VCAP-DCA and DCD for administration and design of vSphere). The VCAP-Desktop would require that you have a VCP-Desktop (below) and you would have to take a hands-on exam at a testing center where you will configure live VMware View and ThinApp servers. Likely, no VMware Education classes are required to take the VCAP-Desktop.
- VCP-Desktop (VCP4-DT) – COMING SOON! – at the mid-tier, VMware will soon be offering a VMware Certified Professional (VCP) with a desktop specialization (to complement the popular VCP which has already been achieved by 50,000+ IT Pros). It hasn’t been announced yet as to whether a VMware Education class will be required to obtain the VCP-Desktop or if just having a VCA (below) will be the prerequisite to take the VCP-Desktop exam.
- VCA-Desktop (VCA4-DT) – IN BETA – the entry-level exam, currently in beta, will be the starting point for the entire lineup of Desktop Virtualization certifications. According to VMware Education, the “exam is designed for Desktop System Administrators who seek to demonstrate their ability to manage, monitor and troubleshoot desktop deployments and VMware View components, as well as their knowledge of adjacent, complementary technologies to VMware solutions.” No VMware Education classes are required to take the exam, but VMware does recommend them.
While information about the VCP Desktop and VCAP Desktop certifications is still extremely limited (really just to the information above), there is already quite a bit of information available about the VCA-Desktop including a FAQ and the exam blueprint.
My VCA-Desktop Beta Exam Experience
As I said above, I attempted the new VCA-Desktop beta exam at VMware Partner Exchange 2011 in February. Even though I hadn’t prepared (the exam was just announced the previous day), if nothing else, I thought it would be a good chance to learn more about the exam for the discounted $75 price tag.
Of course I can’t tell you specifically what was on the 110 question beta exam other than it followed the VCA-DT blueprint, referenced above. Like you would expect, the exam focused on VMware View and ThinApp and how they would be used in the real-world. It was a multiple choice exam with no hands-on configuration tasks. Even for someone who has installed, configured, and administered View and ThinApp, I found the exam to be very challenging for an “entry level” exam. Still, this was the beta exam so we really can’t infer too much what the real exam will be like from the beta exam. I took the exam in a large conference room at the Disney Contemporary Hotel with many others taking VMware certification exams (not just this exam). This exam and all VMware exams (at least in the US) is administered by Pearson VUE.
If you aren’t already using View and ThinApp in your virtual infrastructure, you may want to checkout my VMware View and ThinApp video training course to get started preparing for the exam. Of course, I would recommend more than just that course to prepare as some hands-on experience administering View and ThinApp would help tremendously.
At the time of this writing, I just checked the VCA-DT website and I don’t see that the beta is available and neither is the “GA” exam. This is likely the period where they analyze the beta results and, based on those results, decide what will be on the real exam. Still, it could be any day that the real VCA-DT exam goes live.
Is 2011 the Year of Desktop Virtualization?
For a few years now, industry analysts have been predicting that every year up until now will be the “year of desktop virtualization”, when companies will adopt VDI en mass. While the adoption continues to grow, past years really haven’t shown a huge adoption as was predicted. However, things are changing.
Desktop Virtualization solutions have matured and are now “ready for prime time”. Many admins have completed their server virtualization projects and are now more ready to start desktop virtualization. And, as the new VMware Desktop certifications show, desktop virtualization education and certification is growing and that predicts the impending “year of desktop virtualization” is right around the corner… So, start preparing for your VMware Certified Associate – Desktop certification today!
Hi David,
That was great info on VMware Desktop solution. with VMware becoming so big. where is a good starting point for a beginner? should it be with ESXi? or with Desktop Virtualization?
Hi Demetrius,
Thanks for the comment and thanks for reading!
To get started in desktop virtualization, I recommend just getting started in virtualization with VMware vSphere and ESXi.
VMware View (desktop virtualization) is going to run on vSphere/ESXi as the platform for all the virtual desktops so understanding that it crucial.
Hope that helps!
Thank again,
David
Hi David,
yes that helped a lot. i have one last question. can Esx run onto of a DC? OR should it be on a member server?
Hi Demetrius,
Think of ESXi like an operating system, like Windows Server. ESXi has to be loaded onto the hardware directly.
Once ESXi is loaded you can create virtual machines inside of it such as a Windows Server that could be a domain controller or member server (or even Linux servers or Windows desktops).
Hope that helps!
-David