VCP5: Old Dog learns new tricks…
Monday, January 2nd, 2012Well, its the New Year, and time for this old dog to learn a few new tricks. I’m speaking of getting ready for my VCP 5 test. The clock is already ticking because my current VCP expires at the end of Feb. How to prepare?
As former VMware Certified Instructor I really value the importance of training. But it might come as surprise to hear that a man of immense my talents (and even great humility) needs training. But this time around I really think I will benefit for a couple of reasons. Firstly, for the last year or so I’ve been a “user” of vSphere5, but mainly from the position of it being a requirement to run SRM5 and View5. I’ve had my nose firmly in a book – not reading, but writing firstly my recently release SRM 5.0 book, but at the end of last year, I started work on a View5.0/ThinApp4.7 book with fellow vExpert, Barry Coombs. So for me at least vSphere5 has just sat there in the background – first as a beta, then a release candidate and then as GA.
That’s in marked contrast to nearly every other year that I’ve been involved with VMware Technologies. Previously, I would have been working with vSphere5 as part of the prep for actually teaching the new courses, or in the processes of writing (yet) another book on ESX5 and vCenter5. This time around I find my circumstances are very different. I haven’t spent days & days in front of the product that would normally have built-up my knowledge of ALL the changes, and ALL the new features to such a degree that I could just book the eggzam, and pass it on first go with virtually no prep before hand.
With that in mind I started to scope around for a place to do the course – that was both within commutable distance. I’m good twitter-friends with Scott Vessey who works for GlobalKnowledge.
He’s positioned himself very nicely as the go-to-guy for anything VMware Education or Certification related. For while I talked about doing the full “Install & Configure” course, but Scott rightly persuaded me that man of my experience would feel a bit bored by the content – and that I was better off attending the “What’s New” course. I’ve taught that course for Vi3/vSphere4 so I know what I will be getting. My plan is to use the course to get quickly up to speed on the new features. When I get back to my desk I will play around with these features in my lab(s). They’ll be a double-bonus there – firstly, if something goes pear-shapped on the eggzam front I will already have the course qualification I need for resit. Hopefully, it won’t come to that and I will pass first time. At least in this case I won’t need to pass the “instructor” score, now I’m mere student!
Anyway, I plan to blog about what I’ve learned on the course – and with luck it also might inspire me to write an article for TechTarget about those new features and what my take is on them. I will also keep you updated on the eggzam front itself – because I’m sure there are plenty of people like me who have left it to the last minute.
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