Last night Sydney VMUG hosted a VCDX Workshop, with Travis Wood presenting. This is the first workshop that I have attended and thought that I would share some thoughts on my impressions.
Travis holds two VCDX certifications for Data Center Virtualization and Desktop and is a VCDX panelist. Being a VCDX panelist means that Travis reviews design submissions and sits on the examinor panel, grading defences.
What is the VCDX Certification
VCDX is VMwares top level certification and validates a mastery of VMware technologies and design methodologies.
Achieving a VCDX certification involves completing a number of extensive processes. Candidates must submit a design and then be selected to defend their design to a panel and work through design scenarios.
Full details for the VCDX certifcation can be found here.
Workshop Overview
The format was very well organized and structured. Topics were clear and concise and delivery was excellent.
Travis presented interactively and held the rooms attention throughout the duration. Questions raised were promptly answered with clear and concise explanations. Many real world examples were used.
What a VCDX Workshop is
The VCDX workshop is a presentation based on the VCDX process and preperation.
You will learn from an expereienced VCDX, the steps to certfiy as a VCDX. Coverage will be more in depth then the VMware site with the addition of real world experience. Topics such as; time management, fictional vs real designs and even how to talk.
A lot of documentation is required for submittion, a workshop helps you understand the best way to organise your documents and teach you the common pitfalls.
What a VCDX Workshop is not
A workshop is not a design training session. Topics such as design methods, topologies and discovery are not part of the coverage. If these areas are something that you would like to work on, a community study group might be a good option.
Who the VCDX Workshop is for
The target for a VCDX workshop are people who are looking to submit a design within the next 12 months.
If you’;re at the point and feel that you have a design suitable for submittion, then attending a workshop can help you understand what is expected what can be a fault.
