The Cloud path is one of the new certifications paths from VMware announced during the last VMworld US. I’m not sure that it will remain an independent (from the -DCV) path also in the future, considering that VMware now is pushing on the vCloud Suite rather than only the single vSphere or vCloud Director part. But this is just a my guess. Actually the Datacenter Virtualization (vSphere) and the Cloud (vCloud Director and related products) are two separated certifications paths.
VCP Level
This is the first level of this path and there are two different exams to gain the VCP-Cloud certification:
- VCP-IaaS (for those that are already VCP5-DV) and (actually) based on vCloud Directory 1.5
- VCP-Cloud (released on 15/02/2013) and based on the vCloud Suite 5.1
Suggested courses to help you prepare:
- vCloud Director: Install, Configure, Manage
- vCenter Chargeback Fundamentals
- vCloud Director Instructional Videos
For more information about the IaaS exam see also: my experience on VCP5-Iaas exam.
Seems (by looking at the VCP-Cloud Exam Blueprint) that the VCP-Cloud exam cover both vSphere AND vCloud and is really longer compared to the VCP-IaaS exam. But if you are weak on vCloud and really strong on vSphere, maybe, could be easy pass this exam rather than the IaaS one (if all questions have same weight on the fine score).
VCAP Level
This second level has different exams:
- VCAP-CID already available
For more information see also the VCAP-Cloud Infrastructure Design Exam Experience (Tom Fojta) - VCAP-CIA was in beta until the 1st March
For more information see also the VCAP-CIA Beta Experience (Kenny Garreau) - VCAP-? on Cloud Governance – Not yet deployed
VCDX Level
For VCDX level actually only few information are available. For new candidates the VCDX-Cloud seems quite simple as the VCDX-DV and probably will be based on the vCloud Suite 5.1 (not clear if also application on vCloud 1.5 could be accepted).
Less clear now the cross-path for existing VCDX-DV canditates: actually seems that with the VCAP-CID, VCAP-CIA and a Cloud based application (approved) existing VCDX-DV could become VCDX-Cloud. But it’s not confirmed yet. Let’s wait official information.