Certification in VMware

The Certified Virtualized Datacenter eXpert™ 5 (CVDX™ 5) is the first, and only, 100% practical exam and certification available for VMware® vSphere™. Candidates who qualify for the CVDX™ 5 will have conclusively proven that they possess the real-world skills and knowledge required to successfully install, configure, and manage a VMware® vSphere™ 5 Cloud datacenter environment.

Up until now, certifications for VMware® vSphere™ have focused on memorization of facts and figures which candidates must regurgitate in the form of a multiple-choice and multi-select exam. These certifications serve as much to prove a candidates test-taking ability as any specific set or knowledge. Scarcity and expense of resources necessitates the use of multiple-choice certifications by most vendors.

The CVDX™ 5 is offered openly to any candidate who can complete the requirements and demonstrate the skills and techniques outlined in this document, regardless of prior attendance of any vendor's training classes.

The skill set demonstrated in the successful completion of the CVDX™ 5 will represent the basis for the construction and administration of any VMware® vSphere™ 5 Cloud computing environment. Each assigned task has been chosen for its representative nature and applicability to the overall relevance of VMware® vSphere™ 5 administration.

The CVDX™ 5 will place candidates into a true Cloud Computing environment, providing access to real servers, SAN Storage, and other resources through Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Candidates will have two full hours to complete the requirements outlined in this exam blueprint, using any legitimate means at their disposal. Because there are often several valid ways to fulfill a task with VMware® vSphere™, results count; methodology does not. For example:

Most candidates will spend the majority of the allotted time completing each of the exam requirements as a separate task and/or process. A candidate who is very proficient at scripting, however, might choose to spend the majority of the allotted time creating a script which will do most (or all) of the required tasks and/or processes in a very short period of time.

The CVDX™ 5 is a proctored practical examination. Proctors are there to provide access to IaaS resources and give each candidate a CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set which will mark the beginning of the two hour allotted time to complete the exam. To insure fairness, proctors may not extend a candidate's time beyond the two hour allotment. In the unlikely event of technical difficulties outside the candidate's control, proctors may place a candidate's time on hold or reschedule an entirely new exam session at no additional cost to the candidate. There is a 15 minute "bathroom break" built into each candidate's time which will not count against a candidate's two hour time allotment.

Because the CVDX™ 5 is designed to prove a candidate's knowledge and skills rather than memorization, it is an open-book exam. Candidates will be permitted to use the Internet (Google, vmware.com) and other reference materials during the exam, just like they would in a production environment. In fact, each candidate's CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set provides a set of links to official documentation and useful information which is commonly available on the Internet (so you do not need to prepare a cheat-sheet).

The CVDX™ 5 is an individual certification and must be taken by one person without assistance from other individuals. Talking, emails, texting and phone calls are not permitted during the exam. Candidates must not engage in any malicious activity during the exam and will restrict themselves to using only the IaaS resources defined on the candidates CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set. Use of network probes or external Compute resources is not permitted. Candidates who violate these terms will have their exam session terminated.

Overall, the CVDX™ 5 may sound like an easy exam, but it is not. Translating an instruction like: "Implement multiple storage paths" from directions into a real, functioning environment is precisely the type of skill which will be demonstrated. CVDX™ 5 certifications will be graded on a points basis, using only the functionality of the environment and the candidates ability to follow instructions as a basis for awarding points. As an example:

• If a candidate has implemented multiple storage paths successfully using the IaaS resources defined, he/she will get 15 points.
• If multiple storage paths do not work, there will be no points awarded.
• If the candidate has failed to use the resources provided in the CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set, but has implemented multiple storage paths, there will be no points awarded.

CVDX™ 5 certification exams will be graded and results delivered via email to candidates within 24 hours of completion of the exam. All certifications are pass/fail and there is no partial completion. The points achieved will be revealed only to the candidate, with successful candidates receiving the CVDX™ 5 Certification and supporting resources within 2 weeks of completion. Candidates who require a re-take may do so at any time, one week or more after their initial attempt. There is no maximum number of attempts, with one week required between each attempt. Any disputes regarding the grading of the exam will result in an automatic retake, at no cost to the candidate. Under no circumstances will the pass/fail determination of VMsources result in an adjustment of a candidates score.

Candidates will be given the IP address of a factory-default installation of VMware ESXi 5. There are no hidden traps, trick questions, or manufactured challenges. The exam is difficult enough on its own. As in any IT environment, the ability to follow instructions is as important as any other skill.

We have observed hundreds of performances for each of the assigned tasks, and given each task an average time for completion. There are no points for speed, only for successful completion of each assigned task. Every candidate will be made aware of the allotted time and be able to choose if they can complete the task, or just move on (with a subsequent loss of points). Some tasks are cumulative and critical, and those tasks are indicated in red on both the Exam Blueprint (this document) and the candidates CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set. Without completing those tasks, it is impossible to move forward. Other tasks are not critical to the completion of the CVDX™ 5 Exam and failure to complete these tasks will only affect a candidates overall score.

In all, we calculate that the qualified candidate should require 120 minutes to complete all of the assigned tasks successfully. There are 200 points to be awarded, with successful candidates achieving a passing score of 150 points. When you complete all of the assigned tasks, simply disconnect from the IaaS resources provided. Your proctor will not necessarily be the individual who scores your environment and determines if you have passed. The VMware vSphere environment you created is durable, and will be reviewed and scored by qualified individuals within 24 hours of completion.

During the exam, candidates may use all of the resources provided for them in the CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set. In addition, candidates may create Virtual Machines at will using DHCP assigned IP addresses (including, but not required, the vMA or other Virtual Machines). There are no points awarded for completing tasks which are not assigned, but in the completion of assigned tasks, candidates may choose to use resources which have not been provided as long as those resources use DHCP assigned IP addresses and are not malicious in any way. Candidates will use only IaaS resources as defined in the CVDX™ 5 Instruction Set which includes specific, assigned IP addresses and DHCP assigned IP addresses.

Candidates take full responsibility for all their actions during the execution CVDX™ 5 exam. If you choose to use resources which are not provided and, in any way, those resources become a hindrance to the simple completion of the assigned tasks, your CVDX™ 5 results and/or the cost of a re-take (if applicable) will be yours and yours alone.

After disconnection, your desktop and AD account will be locked to prevent changes to the environment you have created. Only qualified proctors will be able to unlock your environment for grading. For security, review, and in case of disputes, your entire CVDX™ 5 exam session will be recorded.

Luck has nothing to do with it; it's all skill!  We wish you success!

Download in PDF: Certified Virtualized Datacenter eXpert 5 (CVDX 5) Exam Blueprint

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CVDX is a trademark of VMsources Group Inc.