Yuri Semenikhin, a Systems Engineer from Georgia, Tbilisi, has recently launched a virtualization blog by the name of vEra of the Virtual Revolution. Yuri published his VCDX certification attempt experience in his blog post VCDX “be or not to be”. not YET ! His writing is not in English, however, he offers an English translator on the right hand edge of his blog.
While some compare the VCDX to the Cisco CCIE certification, Yuri contrasts the two by saying the CCIE is a technical certification mapping closer to the VCAP4-DCA while the VCDX is an architect certification. I would agree the VCAP-DCA exam compares to the CCIE from a hands on lab approach and the VCAP-DCA was plenty difficult, but I don’t think the VCAP-DCA requires near the level of training, preparation, and expense (or investment, depending on your view) that the CCIE lab exam does. This is merely a difference in opinion and I’m not saying either is right or wrong.
The purpose of my blog post is to provide some exposure to Yuri and his blog. Yuri tells his story in great length and detail. I wish him the best of luck with his blog and his next VCDX attempt!
I agree with your thoughts Jason. While I haven’t taken the VCAP-DCA due to scheduling my thoughts are that it’s a technical exam, but nothing close to scope of the CCIE. Often I’ve heard people refer to the VCDX as “VMware’s CCIE” and I really disagree with that for a number of reasons. As you said, the CCIE is a technical certification and with a technical certification you are tested on pretty solid right and wrong answers. You are expected to complete the lab within a narrow range of acceptable solutions.
Contrast that with the VCDX where while there are some right and wrong answers the range of those is much wider and varies. You get a chance to explain and defend why you did something a certain way. CCIE candidates don’t get to do that and you better believe they wish they could! It really defines the difference between a technical cert and a design/architecture cert.
I see the VCDX as a sort of hybrid certification that is midway between engineering and architecture. 50% of the pre-requisites are engineering focused and the other 50% are architecture focused. Even the defense has a 15 minute exercise that really goes through your troubleshooting/engineering skillset.
The CCIE focuses primarily on engineering as such the tests and knowledge focus are entirely driven by a deep technical understanding of the material. Also to be fair, the material on a CCIE is more complex than virtualization with VMware. There is a lot more minutia to deal with.
That said, the VCDX is intended to be VMware’s CCIE but more by virtue of reputation and what it represents than the path to get there. The VCDX is the target every VCP wants to reach in much the same way every CCNA would like to become a CCIE.
This is informative. Often I�ve heard people refer to the VCDX as �VMware�s CCIE�. As you said, the CCIE is a technical certification and with a technical certification you are tested on pretty solid right and wrong answers. The VCDX is the target every VCP wants to reach in much the same way every CCNA would like to become a CCIE.