Category: VMware

VMware Product Design & Administration

How to Verify Someone is VCDX Certified

Last week, Broadcom deactivated the public VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) directory. It now points to a Broadcom digital property covering the VCDX program.

Previously, you were able to lookup the names and VCDX numbers for current VCDX certified individuals. You could also check for VCDX mentors and panelists and see who worked where. Not any more.

With the exit of VMware EUC to Omnissa, the VCDX program is now reduced to three tracks (DCV, CMA, and NV). However, past VCDX-DTM and VCDX-EUC certifications are still active in a VCDX holder’s certification profile with Broadcom.

So you are looking to hire or partner with someone that claims to be a VCDX. How do you validate this is true? Use the following options to verify their VCDX certification.

Option 1 – Ask them to send you the link to their Broadcom CertMetrics transcript.

Using my CertMetrics link as an example.

  1. Click on the Broadcom CertMetrics transcript link.
  2. Verify the person’s name is listed in the top left hand corner.
  3. Search for “Design Expert” and filter the list.
  4. Verify the person is a VMware Certified Design Expert for the tracks they claim and their certifications are current (look for 2023 and 2024).

Option 2 – Ask them to provide the links to their VCDX Credly badges.

Using my Credly badges as an example:

  1. To verify their tracks and VCDX number, select the Credly badge with the VCDX#.
  2. Then select the Credly badges for each VCDX version and track. Before 2019, no version number or a version number matching the track software was used (e.g VCDX-Cloud, VCDX 5, 6, or 7). In 2019, the VCDX version switched to the year the VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) Design exam was completed (e.g. VCDX 2019 – 2024).
  3. Select the “Verify” button for each Credly badge. Make sure the issued name matches the person you are trying to validate and each verification check box is ticked.

VMware End-User Computing Advanced Design 2024 Exam (3V0-61.24) Study Links

I took the VMware End-User Computing Advanced Design 2024 Exam recently.

It took me two tries to pass this exam. It was one of the most poorly constructed exams I have seen from VMware. I suspect with the Broadcom acquisition, this exam build was rushed. I did not see the usual polish and quality that VMware is known for. Examples include, substandard grammar, bad spelling, obtuse and confusing questions. If I was not motivated by upgrading my VCDX-EUC certification to 2024, I would not have bothered with the resit.

In addition, Objective 3.3 of the blueprint did not appear in any of the questions I saw. Frankly, that part of the blueprint did not make any sense to me.

Reserve some patience for the Broadcom/VMware/Omnissa link clicking extravaganza to find URLs that actually work. Obviously Omnissa is a newly spun-off company from Broadcom for the EUC portfolio, and there are many questions that need to be answered:

  • Will Omnissa continue with their version of the VCA/VCP/VCAP/VCIX/VCDX certification programs?
  • Will they create a new design expert program called OCDX?
  • What will happen to the current twenty VCDX-EUC certified individuals? Will those holders be invited into the Omnissa certification program?

With that being said, I am still a fan of the VMware/Omnissa EUC product suite, I think it delivers a ton of business value and I am sure these things will be resolved in the coming months.

These are the study links I used (all links worked at time of publishing):

VMware HCI Master Specialist Exam (5V0-21.21) Study Links

I took the VMware HCI Master Specialist Exam recently and these are the preparation resources I used:

VMware Cloud Management & Automation Advanced Design 2023 Exam (3V0-32.23) Study Links

I took the VMware Cloud Management & Automation Advanced Design 2023 Exam recently.

It was very weird studying for an exam that was released before the Broadcom acquisition, you have to trick yourself into thinking that VMware Cloud is still a real product that VMware is investing in and promoting as the preferred SaaS architecture over on-prem. If I was not motivated by getting my VCDX updated to VCDX-CMA 2024, I would not have bothered with this one.

I used 8.12 as the version for all of the VMware Aria documentation, this is because the Aria name change was in this version, and the exam was published around that time (including the Aria product name change in the exam blueprint).

The VMware Aria Cloud documentation was more of a challenge, the links below reflect the closest I could find.

These are the study links I used:

VMware NSX 4.X Advanced Design Exam (3V0-42.23) Study Links

I took the VMware NSX 4.X Advanced Design Exam recently and these are the study links I used:

VMware HCX Troubleshooting with Azure VMware Solution

I recently co-authored this Microsoft Tech Community Azure Migration & Modernization blog post which describes how to troubleshoot VMware HCX with the Azure VMware Solution.

This was driven by the Azure VMware Solution Product Group wanting our customers and partners to avoid the most common VMware HCX issues with Azure VMware Solution.

For more Microsoft goodness, you can access the Microsoft Technology Community site, which includes content for all learning levels, categories, industries and Microsoft products/solutions.

Azure VMware Solution Security Design Considerations

 

I recently authored this Microsoft Tech Community Azure Migration & Modernization blog post which breaks down the Security Design Considerations for the Azure VMware Solution.

This complements the blog posts that were published previously:

The intent is to complete the set with a final Manageability post in the coming months. This was driven by the Azure VMware Solution Product Group wanting our customers and partners to quickly and easily make design decisions for the Azure VMware Solution.

For more Microsoft goodness, you can access the Microsoft Technology Community site, which includes content for all learning levels, categories, industries and Microsoft products/solutions.