Hello all,
I'm considering exactly what the title says. I've spent the better part of the past month reading/watching about the topic. I mainly researched the VMware product line (really, an ecosystem), along with Certification paths. I'm leaning towards the main DCV dish, with a side of CMA as needs come by. I am now building some sort of 'plan' for myself, contemplating the next 2-5 years or so with a VCP6-DCV goal in mind. There are a number of questions I need to ask to the actual pros, though. (highlighted in bold for anyone wishing to skip the following wall of text)
First of all, I'm heavily questionning my background. I wish it were enough to dive deep into vSphere right now, but is it? I mean, beyond VCA... I like to think "I can do this, I'm good admin material, I know it", but would an employer see it through the same lens? Probably not. My question is, would you hire ─ at the bottom of the IT/VMware ladder of course ─ this individual? Here's a quick, honest-to-god profile (please skip if you wish as none of this italic part speaks of VMware).
Do these things matter? Do they help me, along with these certifications, or is my professional IT inexperience, at 32, the end of that road?
From what I've read, I'm fairly confident that with the right self-traning, hands on, I have a shot at VCA6-DCV. Practical questions:
Now, let's assume I pass my VCA6. Then what? How do I go from there to VCPx?
Sorry for such a long post but I wanted to hear back from the community with enough understanding of my situation. Please be frank and don't hold back, I need to hear the truth about my chances at this, and the sooner I realize how to proceed, the better. Currently, I'm beginning to train on ESXi and vCenter Server (awesome products, btw!) Any help in reaching my VCP endgame will be greatly appreciated, so thank you in advance for any light you might shed on my path.
PS: I apologize for any english mistake, it's not my mother tongue.
Welcome to the Community - I think it is going to take some effort on your part. I do not think anyone would hire you to work on their VMware environment with your level - your best bet would be to find a job supporting a company IT infrastructure - you probably will have to start at the desktop but let them know that you are interested in supporting servers and VMware - if they are small enough you might be able to show them cost savings by setting up an ESXi server and show how it can save the cost of buying new machines = as you gain the experience in enterprise infrastructure you than should be able to shift over to a company that is using VMware who might be willing to pay for your VCP training and the exam.
The other option which more expensive you pay for the required VCP training and get your VCP which might get you hired by a company using VMware or at a minimum get hired by a VMware Partner that is providing consultative services to VMware customers.
Good Luck!
Welcome to the Community - I think it is going to take some effort on your part. I do not think anyone would hire you to work on their VMware environment with your level - your best bet would be to find a job supporting a company IT infrastructure - you probably will have to start at the desktop but let them know that you are interested in supporting servers and VMware - if they are small enough you might be able to show them cost savings by setting up an ESXi server and show how it can save the cost of buying new machines = as you gain the experience in enterprise infrastructure you than should be able to shift over to a company that is using VMware who might be willing to pay for your VCP training and the exam.
The other option which more expensive you pay for the required VCP training and get your VCP which might get you hired by a company using VMware or at a minimum get hired by a VMware Partner that is providing consultative services to VMware customers.
Good Luck!
Thank you very much for your answer.
I think I do hear you. Assuming I can clear that first step you suggest (get a job supporting a company IT infrastructure, probably at the desktop), then I need to ramp up towards servers and eventually, it's somehow up to me to either help bring VMware to that company, or join another one where VMware is already present. And, as usual in business, ROI/TOC is the sinews of war. I suppose VMware, as a global IT leader, is somehow built on that premise. All of this makes a lot of sense to me. I think it will help me when making future choices. Very practical ideas are already popping up in my head.
I think, for now, I'll focus on
Then see from there. Regardless of my job, I can probably keep on self-training towards VCP ─ it never hurts to learn, and ultimately it may help me make the best out of a required class training.
Just a follow-up question, specifically about VMware and security. I'm digging this way because, thinking of your suggestions, here's one aspect of IT in particular that seems a very good bet to me. Here's the context in France (and several european countries):
I think VMware delivers very good solutions to this issue.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that virtualization brings a layer of abstraction that makes it inherently superior, from a security perspective, to physical equivalents. And I think it's obvious the end-user experience, should it be different, is better virtualized than not. Therefore ─ you see where I'm going with this: if I had to show a company how VMware is interesting, not only for saving costs or ease of management/deployment, but above all in terms of security, what would be the main selling points, specifically? Also when training myself, which products, which specific designs or implementations or features, in the vast VMware ecosystem, are key to security if I want to bring that to my company? I'd like to have my eyes on that from the beginning. Basically knowing what to say when, one fine day, a manager/recruiter asks me: "how would using VMware be better for our security?" or "how will sponsoring you for VCP-DCV help us in this regard"? (again, rather from a small or medium-sized business perspective)
I'm thinking SSO, vShield and vSECR from the top of my head, but I confess the whole set of VMware server products and features is still a bit overwhelming to me. Obviously I'll do the bulk of research myself, I just need a few pointers.
Thanks again for the inspiration and support!