During the last week of July 2014, I delivered the VMware NSX: Install, Configure, Manage [BETA] class in Austin, Texas. One of the students in class was a VCDX and two others were on the path to becoming a VCDX. James Bowling @vSential was attending the class and he asked me, “How come you haven’t attempted the VCDX?”. For me the answer has always been simple, “Time & Money”. Somehow he convinced me to attempt to become a VCDX and I wanted to share my experience.
This quick bLOG post focuses on my VCDX timeline and does not include the time required to prepare to pass the VMware Certified Professional (VCP) and VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) exams.
I wasn’t aware exactly how much effort was required to become a VCDX, however I knew that it was a significant investment in time. I was able to complete the process in about 10-weeks however, I wish I would have had more time. During preparation I was only getting a few hours of sleep and there were far too many all-nighters.
Here was my timeline:
| Date | Event |
| 24-Jul | Decide to become a VCDX |
| 24-Jul | Download the VCDX-DV Blueprint |
| 24-Jul | Reach out to John Arrasjid to secure a Mentor |
| 25-Jul | Use a recent VMware Implementation as the basis of the design, start scrubbing the document. |
| 26-Jul | Download the VMware SET Documentation to identify missing design elements in existing document. |
| 31-Jul | Register for 1-day VCDX Bootcamp hosted by John Arrasjid |
| 3-Aug | Purchase and Read entire VMware Press VCDX Bootcamp Book |
| 3-Aug | Assigned Mentor Eiad Al-Aqqad |
| 8-Aug | At Midnight Submit Application and all corresponding documentation |
| 21-Aug | Phone Call with Mentor |
| 21-Aug | Receive notification from VMware Application is Administratively Complete |
| 23-Aug | Attend VCDX Bootcamp at VMworld |
| 24-Aug | VMworld Catch up with former students Jason Boche and Josh Coen solicit preparation feedback, common theme “Study Group & Defense Mocks” |
| 3-Sep | James Bowling Defense Mock WebEx |
| 8-Sep | Receive notification from VMware Design was Accepted |
| 11-Sep | Start the VCDX Success Study Group with 5 other candidates |
| 16-Sep | Frank Bueschel VCDX Troubleshooting Mock |
| 16-Sep | VCDX Study Group Meeting: Peer Design Review |
| 20-Sep | Peer review: Shannon Jackson – Storage Design |
| 20-Sep | VCDX Study Group Meeting: Mock Defense |
| 21-Sep | VCDX Study Group Meeting: Mock Defense |
| 22-Sep | VCDX Study Group Meeting: Mock Defense |
| 23-Sep | VCDX Study Group Meeting: Mock Defense |
| 24-Sep | VCDX Study Group Meeting: Peer Design Review |
| 26-Sep | Peer review: Jeffrey O’Brien – Presentation |
| 28-Sep | Peer review: Tim Wright – Security Requirements |
| 29-Sep | Peer review: Michael Albright – Backup Design |
| 30-Sep | Frank Bueschel VCDX Troubleshooting Mock |
| 2-Oct | Phone Call with Mentor |
| 3-Oct | Peer review: Emad Younis – Compute Design |
| 5-Oct | Arrive in Palo Alto, CA 3-days early to focus on Defense Preparation |
| 5-Oct | Nutanix Sponsored VCDX Study Group Mock with Derek Seaman |
| 6-Oct | Peer review: Tony Bourke – Network Design |
| 6-Oct | Peer review: Dana Trimble, Jason Powell – Security Requirements |
| 6-Oct | Peer review: Jason Shiplett – Presentation |
| 6-Oct | Peer review: Derek Seaman – Presentation |
| 7-Oct | Peer review: Sarah Holden – Business Requirements |
| 7-Oct | Peer review: David Leonard – Business Requirements |
| 8-Oct | Defense |
| 15-Oct | Receive Results (Success!) |
Does this mean you can become a VCDX in 10-weeks? No. It simply illustrates the amount of time it took me to get ready to defend. What the timeline doesn’t tell you….. I became a VCP2 on May 20, 2006 and since then I have attended 686.75 hours of VMware Training (not a typo). I have also been a Microsoft Certified Trainer, EMC Instructor, VCE Instructor, Cisco Certified Systems Instructor, and a Senior Consultant over the last 16 years.
