Today was the VMware Authorized Consulting (VAC) Partner Day at the 2008 VMware Partner Exchange. I bumped into several long time virtualization colleagues including Peter Heigis from Lighthouse Computer Services.

There were some interesting tidbits learned in the afternoon discussions, highlighted below:

VCDX

VMWare has a new certification coming out called the "VMware Certified Design Expert ":http://mylearn1.vmware.com/portals/certification/ (VCDX). To reach VMware's the new upper echelon of technical professionals, one must do the following four items:

• Be a current VCP on VI3.
• Pass the VMware Enterprise Administration Exam, which includes live labs. This exam is not yet available and is in private beta status.
• Pass the VMware Design Exam, which containts simulations. This exam is not yet available and is in private beta status.
• Submit, present and defend a successful VMWare Infrastructure design and implementation plan.

The exams should be available for public beta at a VUE testing facility fairly soon. Details will be posted here as they become available.

VMware has a target number of 250 VCDX's by the end of 2008, which will make this certification extremely valuable if potential clients, employers and recruiters know about this certification and the rigorous process that goes into its achievement. As I hold a current VCP on VI3, I will be taking the exams within the first weeks of their availability. I'll post my thoughts once available.

VMware has a target number of 250 VCDX's by the end of 2008...

Free is Good

VMware will be giving away Capacity Planner licenses FREE to all VAC Partners of any level starting July 1, 2008. Microsoft has been giving their capacity planning tool, Microsoft Assessment & Planning away, but I've yet to hear of anyone using the MS tool for a client engagement.

A Capacity Planner for the Virtual Environment

VMware has an appliance called the Infrastructure Analyzer that will be released in June 2008. The concept is that the Infrastructure Analyzer will do for virtual machines what Capacity Planner has done for physical machines. The screen shot looked promising - collecting data from VI3 hosts and virtual machines and giving a health check of the environment.