VMware VCAP5-DCD Exam Registration Open!

For those of you wishing to take the VMware Certified Advanced Professional  - Datacenter Design (VCAP5-DCD) for vSphere 5.0, the wait is now over! Registration is live for the VCAP5-DCD exam. This is a tough exam....not your granny's VCP5 exam! You must currently hold a VCP5 certification, or be a VDAP4-DCD until August 17, 2012 during which time you don't have to achieve being a VCP5.

Note that during the registration process it may ask you for your "VMware ID". This is NOT your VCP number. I found my "VMware ID" by looking at a prior exam results on the Pearson Vue site and it is shown there as your "VCP ID" and starts with the letters VCP followed by six digits.

According to the VMware site:


VCAP5-DCD is designed for IT architects who design and integrate VMware solutions in multi-site, large enterprise, virtualized environments. Successful candidates possess a deep understanding of datacenter design principles and methodologies, as well as VMware core components and their relation to storage and networking. Successful candidates also have broad knowledge of applications and infrastructure services, and how they relate and integrate with the virtual infrastructure.
Achieving a VCAP5-DCD certification validates your ability to:

• Create a vSphere conceptual design.
• Create a vSphere logical design from an existing conceptual design.
• Create a vSphere physical design from an existing logical design.
• Create and execute an implementation plan.

Become a VCAP5-DCD

To achieve VCAP5-DCD status, you must complete two core validation components:

1. Be a VMware Certified Professional 5 (VCP5)
2. Pass the VCAP5-DCD exam

Note: Until August 17, 2012 if you are a current VCAP4-DCD you do not need to achieve VCP5 certification first; you only need to pass the VCAP5-DCD exam to obtain VCAP5-DCD status.