VMware recertification

VMware just announced a new recertification policy for the VCP. A VCP certification expires 2 years after it is achieved. You can recertify by taking any VCP or VCAP exam.

Part of VMware’s justification for this change is “Recertification is widely recognized in the IT industry and beyond as an important element of continuing professional growth.” While I do agree with this statement in general, I don’t believe this decision makes much sense for several reasons:

  • Other vendors – Cisco and Microsoft as two examples – expire after 3 years, not 2 years. Two years is unnecessarily short. It’s also particularly onerous given the VMware course requirement for VCP certification. It’s hard enough to remain current with all of the vendors recertification policies at 3 years.

 

  • Other vendors – again, Cisco and Microsoft as examples – have no version number tied to their certifications. You are simply “MCSE” or “CCNA”. With VMware, you are “VCP3”, “VCP4”, or “VCP5”. The certifications naturally age themselves out. A VCP3 is essentially worthless at this point. The VCP4 is old, and the VCP5 is current. An expiration policy doesn’t need to be in place for this to remain true.

 

  • The timing of this implementation is not ideal. VMware likes to announce releases around VMworld, so we’re looking at August 2014 for 6.0.  Most VMware technologists will be interested in keeping certifications with the current major release, so demand for the VCP6 will be high. Will the certification department release 6 in time for everybody to test before expiration? It’s really a waste of my time and money to force me to recertify on 5 when 6 is right around the corner.

 

  • The expiration policy makes no sense in light of the policy on VCAPs and VCPs. Currently, any VCP makes you eligible to take a VCAP in any of the three tracks, and achieving the VCAP in a track automatically gives you a VCP in the same track. This is a significant timesaver for those of us who are heavily invested in VMware – skip the entry level exam and go straight to the advanced exam. VCAP exam development is obviously even slower than VCP exam development. I have doubts that the VCAPs will come out quickly enough to meet the March 2015 deadline.

 

  • Adam Eckerle commented in his blog post “I also think it is important to point out that I think it encourages individuals to not only keep their skills up to date but also to branch out. If your VCP-DCV is going to expire why not take a look at sitting the VCP-DT or Cloud, or IaaS exams?  If you don’t use the Horizon products or vCloud Suite as part of your job that can be difficult.”I agree that in some cases, this might encourage you to pursue a certification in a separate track. Before I had the desktop certifications, I might have considered accelerating exam preparation to prepare for this recertification date.  However, I already own 4 of 6 VCAPs. Even as a consultant I have no use for vCloud, there’s just not enough demand from our customers to build a practice area around it. There’s currently no business benefit in pursuing the Cloud track.

It’s VMware’s program and they can do as they please, but I hope they consider 3 years instead of 2 for recertification.

Christian Mohn’s blog has a fairly lively discussion going on, and Vladan Seget also has some thoughts and comments

1 comment

  1. Stephen Townsley

    Of course if you have an MCP then it becomes “legacy” when it gets old. You don’t have to re-certify if the technology you are using is not the latest. In fact many enterprises can take 2 or 3 years to upgrade.

    yes current certification should be rewarded. However I think a more nuanced response by vendors is required.

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