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Reading Time: 6 minutesAs written in a previous post (VMware certification roadmap v6) there are already several v6 exams (and the VCP level is almost completed, although still with some beta exams for the DCV path). VCP level has also changed (Are you ready for new VMware’s certifications?) with a “foundations exam” common for all paths and then specific VCP exams.
The VCP6-DCV has different upgrade paths, but if you are already a VCP-DCV (not expired) the simple way is just took the VMware Certified Professional 6 – Data Center Virtualization Delta Beta Exam. Those beta exams (for the first time as public beta) run from 13 April 2015 and the period is much longer compared to previous beta… It’s not clear until when, but seems (according to the date that you can schedule on VUE site) that may be closed before the end of May 2015.
Last time that I’ve took my VCP-DCV exam was in July 2011 (My VMware VCP5 Beta Exam Experience) and I’ve never took the VCP55-DCV delta exam just because my expiration time was longer enough. Without the pressure to renew (I’ve recently extended the expiration with the VCIX-NV exam) I’ve just tried this exam, because there are no information (yet) on when the VCIX-DCV will be available and also because the discount it’s really interesting (this time more than the 50%).
Exam preparation
Honestly I’ve just tried the exam without any type of preparation, because I’ve got the time only to take the exam and also because if I fail I will go directly to the VCIX level (like done with the NV path). But the price was so low and I was curious to see how is the VCP6-DCV exam that I’ve took the exam.
As usual, the first source of information is the Exam Blueprint (but this time there isn’t a PDF version, just a simple online version (I hope that they will bring back also the offline version, or at least improve the online version. Note that actually there isn’t any official mock exam to make practice.
Read all the news about vSphere 6.0 could be a good starting point, but also build your lab and make practice. Expect questions on most of the new functions (strange but some there where completely missing), the new vCenter architecture, the vCSA and the upgrade paths. Don’t miss technologies like VSAN or vSphere Replication.
But this delta exam isn’t just a delta exam on 6.0… I’ve found half of the question that are still generic 5.x related question (some of them where also valid of the v3.x!)… so don’t expect ONLY question on vSphere 6.0 (or at least not only on what is new in vSphere 6.0).
Exam logistic
As usual you have to request the authorization before be able to schedule your exam. Exam price is 50$ (only 37€ with a un-usual currency conversion rate)… so really cheap.
But compare to the vSphere 5.5 delta exam this one must be schedule in a testing center. I hope that VMware is considering make all VCP exam also available online through a remote proctored exam (other vendors are already doing this), considering the numbers of exams and the expiration could be nice avoid to move in a testing center (make sense for the VCIX level, but not for VCA and VCP).
The exam is available only in English, with a duration of 75 minutes, and as usual, you will have an additional 30 minutes added to the exam time if you take the exam in a Country where English is not the primary language. This time extension is automatic, no additional action is required from the candidate. Duration, in my point of view is enought (probably also too much)
Exam questions
There are a total of 50 questions… so another big change from previous beta where the number of questions was more than 300. In my point of view too less, I think that one question per minutes could be the right ratio for a VCP exam.
Also they were not well distributed considering the blueprint objectives… nothing about some topics, a lot of troubleshooting and upgrade… too much on some features. And, as written, not really a delta exam, but almost a full exam with generic vSphere questions and some (less than half) specific on vSphere 6.0.
Some questions were also not clear at all and I suspect that there was also few errors (for example in some questions about resource pools)
Questions are all closed questions, but several are multi-choices (with two or, in few cases three answers!). Also note that sometime there isnt’t the best answer, you may choose which fit better. You can also work in the reverse mode… you can simple exclude some answers and then focus on the remaining. Also in some cases the answer of one question could be in the text of another one. Or some questions may be quite similar (and just ask the same thing). So be sure to read carefully all the questions and the answers.
The lenght of the questions (and the answers) is almost good and make really possible make one question per minute.
You can go forward and back or mark questions for the final review… so like in a full VCP exam.
Exam result
As every VMware beta exam you will not know the result, unless after several months. I’ve no idea when the result will be available, but I just hope that will be before the final exam goes live (one silly issue in VMware betas is that sometimes the beta results takes a long long time).
After the exam
At this point I have just to wait for the result and hope in a pass.
I’m curious to know if there will be some interesting stats about this first public beta exam (but I assume that lot of people will try it).
Also could be nice have (in the next months) a stat like this but only for the VCP6. Probably will never exist, but make sense that the distribution could be similar to this one
Other VCP6-DCV exam experience
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Andrea Mauro
Virtualization, Cloud and Storage Architect. Tech Field delegate. VMUG IT Co-Founder and board member. VMware VMTN Moderator and vExpert 2010-24. Dell TechCenter Rockstar 2014-15. Microsoft MVP 2014-16. Veeam Vanguard 2015-23. Nutanix NTC 2014-20. Several certifications including: VCDX-DCV, VCP-DCV/DT/Cloud, VCAP-DCA/DCD/CIA/CID/DTA/DTD, MCSA, MCSE, MCITP, CCA, NPP.
