VMware is a global leader in Cloud computing and virtualization technologies. It offers a wide range of digital solutions that powers services, apps, and experiences, which allow the enterprises to deliver the best customer service. Besides that, VMware has an extensive certification program that is designed to validate the critical skills of the professionals required for the integration and management of the technology driving desired business outcomes.

VMware Certification Program

The VMware certification program covers numerous technology areas and levels both for the early-career specialists and experts in the field. The certificates of this vendor align to specific job roles and validate one’s expertise across a particular solution domain. The available levels within this program are outlined below:

• VMware Certified Technical Associate (VCTA)

  This is an associate-level technical certification level that is designed for anyone who is new to the industry and wants to advance a career to fulfill the operational tasks typically delegated by the administrators of virtualized environments.

• VMware Certified Professional (VCP)

  This level is intended for the IT professionals who are responsible for the installation, configuration, management, and optimization of VMware solutions.

• VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP)

  This level includes the advanced-level certifications created for those specialists who design & build VMware solutions as well as manage & optimize them.

• VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX)

  The highest level of the VMware certification program is designed for the IT practitioners who are involved in the design, building, and management of VMware solutions & systems.

Moreover, the VMware certifications are differentiated according to a particular technology domain, including Data Center Virtualization, Cloud Management & Automation, Security, Digital Workspace, as well as Application Modernization. These tracks are described in detail below.

Data Center Virtualization Track

This path is intended to validate the skills of the candidates required for performing the design, installation, management, and support of vSphere environments. It includes the following certificates:

• VMware Certified Technical Associate – Data Center Virtualization 2021 (VCTA-DCV 2021) validates one’s general understanding of virtualization as well as vSphere concepts. The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate solid expertise in data center technology and fundamental troubleshooting concepts. They will also possess a working knowledge of fundamental networking concepts as well as Cloud resource management.
• VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization 2021 (VCP-DCV 2021) validates the applicants’ skills necessary for the implementation, management, and troubleshooting of a vSphere infrastructure with the use of best practices to provide a flexible and secure groundwork for business agility facilitating the transformation to Cloud computing.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Data Center Virtualization Deploy 2021 (VCAP-DCV Deploy 2021) is developed to help the specialists prove that they know how to perform the deployment and optimization of VMware vSphere infrastructures. It validates their knowledge and skills required for the utilization of best practices providing a reliable and scalable virtualization platform for an enterprise.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Data Center Virtualization Design 2021 (VCAP-DCV Design 2021) is created to validate your advanced knowledge of end-user computing environments & components as well as ability to recommend & design VMware solutions to satisfy specific requirements. This industry-recognized certificate proves that you have a good comprehension of data center virtualization design methodologies and principles.
• VMware Certified Design Expert – Data Center Virtualization 2021 (VCDX-DCV 2021) is intended to validate the skills of the professionals required for delivering true business value with the use of vSphere6.x and enabling the best performance, efficiency, and availability from infrastructure and applications.

Cloud Management & Automation Track

This path is developed to equip the learners with the knowledge and skills required to perform the design, installation, configuration, optimization, and support of vRealize as well as other Cloud solutions. The certificates available under this track are as follows:

• VMware Certified Professional – Cloud Management & Automation 2021 (VCP-CMA 2021) validates the ability of the specialists to execute the installation, configuration, and administration of a VMware vRealize environment through the automation of core processes within their Data Center in a repeatable, scalable way that leads to improved performance.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Cloud Management & Automation Deploy 2021 (VCAP-CMA Deploy 2021) validates the expertise of the applicants in the deployment and optimization of data center environments with the help of the tools provided by vRealize Automation.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Cloud Management & Automation Design 2021 (VCAP-CMA Design 2021) is designed to measure the ability of the individuals to design & integrate vRealize Automation solutions in the framework of large enterprise environments.
• VMware Certified Design Expert – Cloud Management & Automation 2021 (VCDX-CMA 2021) validates the students’ competency in the design, planning, and integration of world-class VMware vSphere as well as vCloud Management & Automation solutions. The certification also demonstrates that the applicants are capable of driving true business value using VMware Cloud Management platforms.

Security Track

This path is designed to evaluate the ability of the candidates to perform the configuration, management, and support of the security features related to core VMware products. There are two certifications within this track:

• VMware Certified Technical Associate – Security 2021 (VCTA-Security 2021) validates the candidates’ understanding of VMware security solutions as well as their ability to provide general support for the security features of VMware products, comprising Workspace ONE, NSX-T Data Center, and VMware Carbon Black Cloud.
• VMware Certified Professional – Security 2021 (VCP-Security 2021) proves the individuals’ expertise in VMware security solutions as well as their ability to perform the administration of the security features & functions of Workspace ONE, NSX-T Data Center, and VMware Carbon Black Cloud.

Network Virtualization Track

This path is created to measure the skills of the learners in the design, implementation, management, and support of an NSX-T environment. The certificates that belong to this track are listed below:

• VMware Certified Technical Associate – Network Virtualization 2021 (VCTA-NV 2021)< validates that one is capable of utilizing cases & business needs for the VMware NSX platform, explaining NSX terminology, as well as executing the navigation of NSX graphical user interface(s). This certification also equips the students with the advanced-level knowledge of SDDC & Network Virtualization concepts, VMware NSX Architecture & NSX portfolio VMware, and Virtual Cloud Network vision.
• VMware Certified Professional – Network Virtualization 2021 (VCP-NV 2021) proves that the individuals possess the skills required for the transformation of the economics associated with network & security operations with their organization. The certificate also validates their proficiency in installing, configuring, and administering NSX virtual networking implementations, independently of underlying physical architecture.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Network Virtualization Deploy 2021 (VCAP-NV Deploy 2021) proves the knowledge and skills of the specialists required to perform the deployment and optimization of VMware NSX environments.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Network Virtualization Design 2021 (VCAP-NV Design 2021) measures the examinees’ skills in gathering customer information (comprising constraints, risks, requirements, and assumptions) as well as utilizing that information to propose a design for NSX-T Data Center solutions.
• VMware Certified Design Expert – Network Virtualization 2021 (VCDX-NV 2021) validates the vSphere & NSX 6.x skills of the professionals and proves that they are able to deliver true business value with the help of designing a VMware NSX-platform-based data center networking infrastructure that satisfies the customer constraints and objectives.

Digital Workspace Track

To earn the certification from this path, the applicants are required to demonstrate their skills in designing, configuring, deploying, managing, optimizing, as well as troubleshooting Workspace ONE & Horizon with View. This track includes the following options:

• VMware Certified Professional – Desktop & Mobility 2021 (VCP-DTM 2021) validates the candidates’ skills in executing in-depth configuration & management of VMware Horizon environments. It proves that they possess the required ability to securely deliver personalized virtual desktops, online services, and applications to end-users.
• VMware Certified Professional – Digital Workspace 2021 (VCP-DW 2021) proves that the successful applicants have the skills required for the configuration, deployment, management, maintenance, optimization, and primary troubleshooting of VMware Workspace ONE as well as related solutions. It also confirms that they are capable of determining and differentiating necessary supporting products & components.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Desktop & Mobility Deploy 2021 (VCAP-DTM Deploy 2021) validates the individuals’ expertise in deployment and optimizing VMware Horizon with the View environments.
• VMware Certified Advanced Professional – Desktop & Mobility Design 2021 (VCAP-DTM Design 2021) is designed to measure the skills of the test takers needed to perform the design and integration of the large-scale VMware Horizon environments.
• VMware Certified Design Expert – Desktop & Mobility 2021 (VCDX-DTM 2021) proves your competency in designing, implementing, documenting, and testing scalable and complex Desktop Virtualization and Mobile Computing environments that satisfy the specific customer’s business goals.

Application Modernization Track

The focus of this path is on the development, management, and migration of applications via the VMware Tanzu portfolio. There is only one certificate within this track.

• VMware Spring Professional 2021 is developed to measure the candidates’ understanding of core Spring & Spring Boot aspects, such as Data access &Transactions, Configuration, Spring Security, Component-scanning, REST, Actuator, AOP, Auto-configuration, Spring Boot Testing.

Preparation Options

The VMware website offers a host of training tools to help the candidates to prepare for a particular certification exam. Some of the preparation options that the learners can explore are as follows:

• Instructor-Led Training

  Each VMware certification exam is accompanied by the related training course led under the guidance of the top VMware instructors. Some certificates require a mandatory completion of the associated course, while for others the training is optional. The course provides an objective-by-objective review of the exam syllabus. The training is usually available both in the classroom and online.

• Community

  You can join a special blog to stay informed about the latest news and events related to the certification of your choice.

• VMware Press

  If you prefer a traditional textbook style of learning, you can take advantage of the VMware Press where you will find a host of useful books and study guides to help with your preparation.

• Hands-on Labs

  You can develop the practical skills required for success in your certification exam with the help of VMware hands-on labs. They will help you dive deep into the VMware products’ features & capabilities and acquire a comprehensive understanding of the practical aspects related to the test.

Career Opportunities and Salary Outlook

The main job roles that the candidates holding the VMware certification can take up are a System Administrator and a Systems Engineer. However, the certified professionals can also pursue careers of a Network Engineer, a Virtual Infrastructure Engineer, a Server Administrator, a Cloud Migration Engineer, a Virtualization Engineer, a DevOps Engineer, a Network Support Specialist, an Information Technology (IT) Manager, a Solutions Architect, and a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE), among many others. The salary outlook associated with the VMware certificates varies depending on their level. Thus, the average salary that the holder of VMware Certified Technical Associate can count on is $81,000 per year. The individuals with the VMware Certified Professional certification can earn an average of $95,174 per annum. The average remuneration for VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) amounts to $103,000 per year, while VMware Certified Design Expert (VCDX) can make around $156,000 per annum.

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