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What is VCDX?

VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) is the highest level of VMware certification. This elite group is comprised of design architects highly-skilled in VMware enterprise deployments and the program is designed for veteran professionals who want to validate and demonstrate their expertise in VMware virtual infrastructure. Other vendor do not have a similar certification level in virtualization field (Citrix has CCIA for Virtualization, but is not so challenge as the VCDX, and Microsoft actually still lack of a MCM certification on virtualization. There is also a recent post about the value of VCDX certification and it say that has gone down 22.2%, according to Foote Partners surveys (I can understand that the VCP certification may loose some of his value, but sound strange that also happen for VCDX). For more info see: VCP, VCDX losing value, survey says.

Type of VCDX?

The VCDX certifications are related to the major version of the virtualization product, so:

  • VCDX3 is for VI 3.x (this certiciation is still valid, because does not expire, but it’s closed, so no new VCDX3 can exist)
  • VCDX4 is for vSphere 4.x
  • VCDX5 is for vSphere 5 (actually there is no official news about this certification, and also about the upgrade path)

Who is VCDX?

To avoid “face” VCDX there is an official list of certified people, but this list is updated usually with a delay of some month and does not specify the type of VCDX  (but most are both VCDX3 and VCDX4):

FAQ

On the official web site there are already a lot of FAQabout the VCDX program. Here I add other:

  • How cost get the VCDX process? You have to consider the VCP cost (that can have the course cost), then each VCAP exam costs 400$ (plus the time to prepare them and the travel expenses, because not all VUE testing center can be used), then the application cost (fee of 300$ for submit it and several weeks to prepare it) and finally the defense cost (the fee is 900$, but also the time and more travel expense). For more info: http://www.vdicloud.nl/?p=542
  • How much time does it require? It depends, but usually around 6-10 months.
  • How old is a VCDX? See: https://vwade.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/average-vcdx-age-group/
  • If I do not pass at the defense? See: FAQ for Unsuccessful VCDX Candidates

More info

For the recent news related to VCDX program:
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