Curious if anyone on here has taken a VMware5 Academy coursework at their local junior college rather than a boot camp course? Just curious what they thought of it in terms of available lab equipment and instruction? I found a JC that offers it here in Dallas and was thinking about paying the money for it.
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VMware 5 Academy
- Thread starter Chimay
- Start date
I am taking a VMware vSphere 5 course at the local community college beginning in a couple of weeks. They are a VMware Academy. It is an online course so I am hoping it is good. The good thing so far is that it is only costing me $180 for the course plus the cost of a book. The price is right for sure.
Damn I wish it was 180 out here. Its 330 out here being its continuing education coursework. Overall that's still way cheaper than a bootcamp. I really don't mind the 4-6 weeks rather then 4-5 days being VCP will hopefully enable me to find a better job not satisfy my current job.
Appreciate the input from both of you.
Appreciate the input from both of you.
Yeah that's why I won't be passing it up. Just makes me sad being that class will be taking away from my ESXi server build budget for the home lab. At least we get a voucher for the test as well. Hope that helps bigtime like it did with my CCNA. $75 CCNA test was life saver after taking the academy courses.
Is it an official course? That way it could put you on the track to the VCP requirements. An exam voucher doesn't mean anything, you will still need Fast track or ICM if you want to actually get the title.
If you want to take an unofficial course to get your feet wet then I would save your money. Pick up
Mastering vSphere 5 - Scott Lowe
vSphere 5 Clustering - Duncan Epping and Frank Denneman
Mostafa Khalil will be releasing a storage deep dive book by the end of the year, keep your eyes peeled for that... He's extremely bright.
If you want to take an unofficial course to get your feet wet then I would save your money. Pick up
Mastering vSphere 5 - Scott Lowe
vSphere 5 Clustering - Duncan Epping and Frank Denneman
Mostafa Khalil will be releasing a storage deep dive book by the end of the year, keep your eyes peeled for that... He's extremely bright.
The course I am taking is an official ICM course. The community college is a VMware Academy. The OP also says that his local junior college is a VMware Academy as well. More info on the VMware Academy here.
Just make sure that the course the VMware Academies offer is no more than 12 hours of combined instruction and labs per week. VMware has been cracking down on schools which offer the course as a 1-2 week course as that is in violation of the agreement they have with VMware since schools aren't supposed to compete with professional training.
Some schools are currently enrolled in a test program where they actually use the VMware remote labs, most schools though will run the course on their own hardware.
No matter where you take the course, the course is designed such that you work some of the chapters in pairs which can be a pain so it's always good to have your own mini-lab set up to monkey around with after class.
You will NOT be able to pass the exam if all you know is what they have taught you in the course.
The exams tend to be biased toward questions about Enterprise features so if you have no hands on experience you will need additional time/resources to study those. Sure, there is some guy somewhere who passed on the first try with zero experience. Maybe he got a bunch of easy questions, maybe he guessed right, who knows, but on average you won't be able to pass because not everything that's on the exam is covered by the ICM course.
Some schools are currently enrolled in a test program where they actually use the VMware remote labs, most schools though will run the course on their own hardware.
No matter where you take the course, the course is designed such that you work some of the chapters in pairs which can be a pain so it's always good to have your own mini-lab set up to monkey around with after class.
You will NOT be able to pass the exam if all you know is what they have taught you in the course.
The exams tend to be biased toward questions about Enterprise features so if you have no hands on experience you will need additional time/resources to study those. Sure, there is some guy somewhere who passed on the first try with zero experience. Maybe he got a bunch of easy questions, maybe he guessed right, who knows, but on average you won't be able to pass because not everything that's on the exam is covered by the ICM course.
Indeed. Just follow what's in the blueprint and you can't really go wrong. Other than that, lab, lab, lab, and lab some more.
I just did a search for VMware Academy Community College <nearest major city> in google and found the one i was taking. Otherwise you can manually start looking at community college catalogs in their CIS sections. If you're in the Dallas area I can get you a link.
Here's a list of participating schools/colleges that offer VMWare training:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...HFCSVJWcUEzaGpPZ2pxd0taVXVJcnc&hl=en_US#gid=0
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...HFCSVJWcUEzaGpPZ2pxd0taVXVJcnc&hl=en_US#gid=0
I would register for this in a minute, if it were available at a school near me. Unfortunately, it is not.
Requiring a $4000 course makes VCP hard to obtain unless your employer is willing to foot the bill (mine is not).
Anybody know if any of these schools offer this in an online program that can be done remotely?
Looks like UCSC Extension Silicon Valley ($1100) and Caldwell Community College ($1500) may be options. Not cheap, but a hell of a lot cheaper than the 5 day course, and probably more useful.
I'd like to hear any feedback from anyone that's done one of these courses online. Useful? Or just a way to meet the course requirement to earn VCP?
/edit: after further research, I'm ready to sign up at one of the two above schools, but trying to find out if there are any cheaper options. CCC has the next available class, but UCSC is cheaper and may have a better lab setup, depending on how outdated the info I've read is.
/edit2: Just registered for the CCCTI class. Thanks [H], you just cost me 1500 bucks! Seriously though, thanks, I had no idea vmware academy existed. Those of you getting this for a couple hundred dollars at a local school are getting a massive deal and you shouldn't think twice about signing up.
My quick research suggested these are the major differences (please correct me if you know otherwise):
UCSC: $400 cheaper. Has pre-recorded lecture material from potentially monotonous lecturer. Course spaced out over full college semester. Is go-at-your-own pace with exception of midterm and final exams at set dates (thus you can't finish early).
CCCTI: $400 more. Has live lectures four times a week where you can interact with the instructor.
Requiring a $4000 course makes VCP hard to obtain unless your employer is willing to foot the bill (mine is not).
Anybody know if any of these schools offer this in an online program that can be done remotely?
Looks like UCSC Extension Silicon Valley ($1100) and Caldwell Community College ($1500) may be options. Not cheap, but a hell of a lot cheaper than the 5 day course, and probably more useful.
I'd like to hear any feedback from anyone that's done one of these courses online. Useful? Or just a way to meet the course requirement to earn VCP?
/edit: after further research, I'm ready to sign up at one of the two above schools, but trying to find out if there are any cheaper options. CCC has the next available class, but UCSC is cheaper and may have a better lab setup, depending on how outdated the info I've read is.
/edit2: Just registered for the CCCTI class. Thanks [H], you just cost me 1500 bucks! Seriously though, thanks, I had no idea vmware academy existed. Those of you getting this for a couple hundred dollars at a local school are getting a massive deal and you shouldn't think twice about signing up.
My quick research suggested these are the major differences (please correct me if you know otherwise):
UCSC: $400 cheaper. Has pre-recorded lecture material from potentially monotonous lecturer. Course spaced out over full college semester. Is go-at-your-own pace with exception of midterm and final exams at set dates (thus you can't finish early).
CCCTI: $400 more. Has live lectures four times a week where you can interact with the instructor.
Last edited:
BlueLineSwinger
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2011
- Messages
- 1,543
I just started the UCSC extension program, too soon really to get a true impression. It is all online, including the labs. I believe it'll be useful, as I don't (yet) have my own ESXi lab setup. The instructor is a bit monotone, and does seem to simply go over slides and info derived from the course textbook while adding a bit of additional info.
UCSC does knock off 10% if you register early (2 weeks, IIRC). It also goes with an exam voucher/discount worth ~$150.
UCSC does knock off 10% if you register early (2 weeks, IIRC). It also goes with an exam voucher/discount worth ~$150.
Check out this school. I'm taking the class this summer but the professor said they'll offer this as an online only course as well in the fall. I'm not sure on out of state pricing as I'm a resident. $330 if you're a resident of Texas. I was planning to go full online but the summer version was canceled so I opted to drive in to class. The professor said Fall's online option usually fills fast and never gets canceled. If anything call the number on the page and a rep picked up in two rings. They can probably give you out of state costs on the phone.
http://www.northlakecollege.edu/con...-and-workforce-development/Pages/default.aspx
edit: Well looks like you already signed up. Read your edits late.
Check out this school. I'm taking the class this summer but the professor said they'll offer this as an online only course as well in the fall. I'm not sure on out of state pricing as I'm a resident. $330 if you're a resident of Texas. I was planning to go full online but the summer version was canceled so I opted to drive in to class. The professor said Fall's online option usually fills fast and never gets canceled. If anything call the number on the page and a rep picked up in two rings. They can probably give you out of state costs on the phone.
http://www.northlakecollege.edu/con...-and-workforce-development/Pages/default.aspx
edit: Well looks like you already signed up. Read your edits late.
Thanks for the info. I started looking at that class after I registered last night and got worried that maybe I could've gotten it done for $1100 less. I couldn't find a definitive answer on their site about whether they had an online vsphere 5 ICM course happening soon. I saw one for 4.1. I don't want to wait until the fall though, so I feel better.
Thanks for the info. I started looking at that class after I registered last night and got worried that maybe I could've gotten it done for $1100 less. I couldn't find a definitive answer on their site about whether they had an online vsphere 5 ICM course happening soon. I saw one for 4.1. I don't want to wait until the fall though, so I feel better.
Yeah NP. I thought the same thing when i saw the catalog said 4.1. I emailed the professor and he said he's been teaching VMware5 for a couple sessions now and I guess their CE catalogs haven't been updated.
Sounds like the program you went with is top notch for online.
The class was good. I would take it again.
Now I need to prepare for the VCP exam.
I have the blue print. I will make notecards from the documents referenced in the blueprint.
What are you guys using to prepare for the exam ?
Is testprep and testking a good resource ?
regards
im_cne
Now I need to prepare for the VCP exam.
I have the blue print. I will make notecards from the documents referenced in the blueprint.
What are you guys using to prepare for the exam ?
Is testprep and testking a good resource ?
regards
im_cne
If he is putting in all this time and money he may as well dump it. The cert is just a piece of paper (not even that anymore), the real test is whether he will be able to do the work in the real world and the way the exam was passed has no bearing on that.Just go through the blueprint and lab and you'll be fine. Don't dump the exam....
Testking are brain dumps and I'm not sure about testprep but I'd venture the same. Just go through the blueprint and lab and you'll be fine. Don't dump the exam....
What's wrong with brain dumps? Relying on them exclusively is beyond foolish (especially trying to memorize particular question/answer combinations), but they can be especially useful for discovering they general types of "trick questions" you might be up against, and knowing which of your weakest areas you can best focus on to maximize your chance of success.
I put in my time and learned the material and passed as well as paid for it myself and was just fine. Practice questions are just fine and there are plenty of reputable places that offer them, however brain dumps are typically 'actual' questions from the exam. I'm not sure how either of you don't consider that cheating.
You realize that exam prep books like Kaplan and Barron's are largely made up of old questions from previous exams too, right? It's cheating if you cut out the middleman, but not cheating if you've paid Kaplan to license the questions? Prepping for exams by reading questions featured in previous exams is a legitimate test prep technique. I don't understand how you could equate a familiarity with the question types to cheating. You should prepare well for any exam using whatever tools work best for your method of study/learning. If that means looking over previous questions, great. If that means extra hands-on lab time, great. If that means one-on-one study with a VMWare Academy mentor, great.
I know a bunch of people that tried passing off dumps and failed miserably. I know others that haven't though, I will never understand it but oh well.
The material isn't that hard and it's all very valuable stuff to learn. No reason to cheat yourself out of learning. Plus if you ever wanted to take an uncheatable test like either of the VCAP's then you will at least have the confidence in your abilities.
The VMware education site and the Simon Long blog both have great mock questions so you can get a feel for the style of questions to be asked. From there just read the blueprint line by line.
When I go through the blueprint I'll make a word doc of all of the "skills and abilities" and answer them line by line to make sure there was nothing I looked over.
The material isn't that hard and it's all very valuable stuff to learn. No reason to cheat yourself out of learning. Plus if you ever wanted to take an uncheatable test like either of the VCAP's then you will at least have the confidence in your abilities.
The VMware education site and the Simon Long blog both have great mock questions so you can get a feel for the style of questions to be asked. From there just read the blueprint line by line.
When I go through the blueprint I'll make a word doc of all of the "skills and abilities" and answer them line by line to make sure there was nothing I looked over.
I find that hard to believe since the dump questions are an exact copy of the exam questions. I find it interesting that you know "a bunch of people" who failed. I have been working with virtualization for some time and I don't even know a bunch of people who went for the VCP yet alone failed it. Your post sounds like FUD to me.
If someone failed off the dumps then they didn't study the dumps, that's the only explanation because if you study (remember) the questions/answers the success is guaranteed.
Looks like I was right, you object to the dumps on principle and just tossed "a bunch of people" who failed in for dramatic effect.
The reality is that many, if not most, folks who work with VMware in the SMB segment will NEVER be exposed to some of the stuff asked on the exam because those questions are geared at huge Enterprise deployments. That's a fact.
Learning doesn't happen from reading books and looking through blueprints. Learning happens by doing and the cert is merely a function of whether you spend the $3k+ (unless you take an academy course) to get certified.
Why you bring the VCAP's into this discussion I don't know. They have zero to do with the VCP and the overwhelming majority of VCPs will never go for either of the VCAP.
If you object to dumps on principle or ethical grounds then just come out and say so, you are entitled to your opinion after all, but coming here spreading FUD about it is not appreciated.
first off: LOL @ learning doesn't happen from reading books.
Whoa, did I hit some sort of nerve? Obviously it doesn't really matter, but I know 3 people personally that have failed the VCP and I know they pretty much leaned on brain dumps as their sole study material. My previous employer sent 20 people to the ICM 4 class, and although only two of us were storage/virtualization guys for the enterprise everybody wanted to get that VCP title because of a $1500 bonus our employer would give us; however, dumps were the only way to try, traditional learning I guess was just too hard (or at least too time consuming, I'll give them that much)?
I remember them sitting on these sites where you could download the dumps (I forget the name of it) and it would have reviews of all of the different versions and you would see people furious that they're failing because only a small amount of the questions they memorized were on the actual exam.
On the contrary, I was on an engagement at a place in Alabama in December who didn't want to pay travel costs to send guys to the ICM course so they paid for an instructor to come down for a 10 seat class w/ vouchers. Needless to say, there were people studying braindumps at work and passing the test. And the "engineers" that I was working with had already passed theirs, given the very basic problems I was fixing I'm sure they were the pioneers in that work center.
I know EduOps cycles the question bank if the passing percentage gets too high. Common logic tells me that in December 2011 that they didn't care to make new VCP4 questions so all of the dumps were right on the money.
It does bother me a little bit to see the VCP devalued by cheating, but oh well.
I brought the VCAP into the conversation because they aren't compromised tests and if somebody wanted to move on to higher certifications then why not build confidence knowing they didn't cheat the VCP?
That's all, sorry if I somehow offended you?
The difference is that in order to get the VCAP you actually have to have practical experience. There is no way to pass it if you didn't actually work in the field and had hands on experience. The VCP is entirely different. People are eligible to take it after the ICM and as previously mentioned the ICM doesn't teach everything you need to know to pass the VCP.
I think the same goes for the VCP. I've taken the VCP4, VCP5 and VCA-DT and all of those hit on some questions that really tested your familiarity of the VI client/View Admin (such as; what options exist behind this menu, and what steps to accomplish task X). The DCD was the first exam that was actually more conceptual and less trivial IMO (definitely catered to somebody with a decent amount of experience, nearly impossible to study for)
I personally wouldn't want any valued certification on my resume if I wasn't competent in it though. I couldn't believe how much the calls jumped up once I put my first VCP on my resume. It wasn't like adding MCSE, to say the least.
I agree 100% that the ICM doesn't even get close to teaching everything needed to base. It's a good base to get started. With a little bit of self-paced learning and a decent lab setup then I would say anybody can do it. The new fast track is suppose to be pretty decent though, I don't know how much one can really retain in 5 days though.
hellfire88
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2004
- Messages
- 2,931
Sorry for reviving an old thread, but I have recently started to look into getting a VCP cert and what steps would be necessary to do so. I will likely be paying for everything out of pocket, so I would like to go through a "VMware IT Academy" approved training program to take the ICM 5.0 course to be eligible to take the VCP test. Would anyone happen to know if there are any Community Colleges in the NYC / Long Island Area that have official VMware approved ICM 5.0 courses? Or would the aforementioned CCC&TI Online Training ($1500) or UCSC-Extension Online Training ($1100 I think) be my best bet? If so, anyone gone through either the CCC&TI courses or UCSC courses recently and can provide a quick review on how informative it was?
The regular $3500 cost for those "boot camps" is a bit high for me...A local community college for <$1000 would be great.
Thanks in advance.
The regular $3500 cost for those "boot camps" is a bit high for me...A local community college for <$1000 would be great.
Thanks in advance.
I was also looking for vITA around NYC and Long Island and Suny Farmingdale offers it according to the list provided in the previous page of this thread. Please check Farmingdale and let us know. Thanks!
I'm not sure what the policy is about taking community college courses online if you're out of state but that might be your cheapest option. Have you checked the catalogs for the community colleges in NY area? Thats basically what I did when i found the school here in Dallas.