Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
I am proud to announce that I recently passed the VMware Certified Professional – VMware Cloud Foundation Administrator (VCP-VCF Administrator) exam (2V0-11.24)! You may be familiar with the VCP for Data Center Virtualization (VCP-DCV) certification, which is still available, but will likely be discontinued in the near future in favor of the VCP-VCF Administrator and another related offering, VMware Certified Professional – vSphere Foundation Administrator (VCP-VVF Administrator).
The VCP-VCF and VCP-VVF certifications are relatively new but have gained significant attention on social media platforms such as LinkedIn and X. New challenges are welcome but also give us pause as we assess the objectives, format, and expectations. In this article, I will share my experience and tips for preparing for and taking the exam.
I would be remiss if I did not share this offer from Pearson VUE:
“We’re celebrating Cyber Monday all December long! Finish the year confidently when you take advantage of our FREE exam retake promotion. Beginning Monday, December 2, simply schedule, purchase, and take an exam from a participating program by December 31, 2024. If you don’t pass, you can get a second chance to show off your skills — for FREE!”
I love deals like this, because the exam costs $250 USD to take, regardless of outcome. That’s a lot of money, especially if you do not receive a passing score. When I saw this deal in my inbox, I knew I had to capitalize on the opportunity, as these do not appear often. I do not allow advertising on my blog, nor do I receive any incentives for promotion of any kind. If you feel that you may be ready to take the exam before the end of the year but want the added comfort of knowing you won’t be $250 short if you don’t pass, then this offer may be ideal for you. See the link below for more information.
https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/test-takers/free-retake.html
How to Prepare
Though not mandatory, I highly recommend taking the official VMware by Broadcom training, which is available in a self-paced format through the Broadcom Learning Portal. If your organization has VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) entitlement, you can access this content courtesy of your VCF subscription. Alternatively, you can purchase the Enterprise Learning Subscription (ELS) for additional resources, including exam vouchers and dedicated lab content.
Is the training course enough to pass the exam? Possibly, but the exam (like many others) is designed to test practical experience, not just memorization. With that in mind, hands-on experience cannot be understated. After reviewing the exam objectives, assess your familiarity with each technology. VMware Cloud Foundation is a comprehensive solution that goes beyond vSphere and vCenter. You must understand other integral components like vSAN, NSX, Tanzu, and the VCF Suite (formerly Aria Suite).
In my case, I recognized that I wasn’t as familiar with vSAN and Tanzu, so I focused on these areas by revisiting the training material and completing free Hands-On Labs (HOL). The labs, especially for vSAN, are excellent and give you exposure to the technologies without the need for any personal lab equipment. There is no limit to the number of Hands-On Labs you can take or re-take!
Exam Format
The exam follows the official Exam Guide closely. You should expect 70 questions, which include single-choice, double-choice, triple-choice, and “drag-and-drop” or “ordering” questions. There were no simulation questions, in my experience.
I found the 135-minute time limit to be generous. I completed the exam in about 50 minutes, giving me plenty of time to review my answers with less pressure.
I took the exam using Pearson VUE’s OnVUE remote proctoring platform. I’ll cover my experience with OnVUE below.
Exam Topics
Refer to the Exam Guide for specific testing objectives. This is an Administrator-level exam, so you should have a solid understanding of lifecycle management, troubleshooting, and installation/deployment tasks (design knowledge is not mandatory). You should also understand how the VCF Suite integrates with the infrastructure and the benefits.
VMware Cloud Foundation is composed of several components, which is what makes it a “solution”. That said, you should be familiar with the core components such as vSAN, NSX, and SDDC Manager. These are fundamental to VCF deployment, and you cannot deploy VCF without them.
Training and Prerequisites
VMware by Broadcom offers a course titled “VMware Cloud Foundation: Deploy, Configure, Manage [V5.2]”, available on-demand for customers with valid VCF entitlement. Although training is not required for the certification, it is encouraged to help you familiarize yourself with the exam material.
Remote Proctoring
Unfortunately, I do not have a testing center nearby, so I opted for the OnVUE remote proctoring option. OnVUE “locks down” your system while the proctor monitors your activities remotely. Here are some key takeaways from my OnVUE experience:
- During check-in, you will take photos of your ID, yourself, and your testing environment. Make sure your environment is well-lit, quiet, and free from distractions. All monitors, except the one for the exam, should be turned off and covered. All doors and windows must be closed and windows covered.
- I used my iPhone 15 Pro to take photos of my testing environment but had trouble with the “capture” button not appearing on the web page. Switching to my iPad resolved the issue, I suspect due to the screen being larger. Make sure you have a backup device or a long enough USB cable for your webcam to capture the required angles.
- If you provide a cell phone number during check-in, remember to enable “silent” mode or turn it off once the exam begins. The exam platform makes it very obvious when this is expected.
- Once the exam policies are in effect, avoid using your phone, speaking, or looking at materials off-screen. This includes reading the questions verbally to yourself.
- Once check-in materials are provided, you will enter a queue for a Proctor to begin your session. Depending on if they have any questions, your Proctor may or may not speak to you. If they do not have any questions, your exam may simply launch.
- During the exam, use the virtual notepad or whiteboard for notes, if desired. Don’t write anything down on paper or speak aloud.
- Don’t hesitate to mark questions for review. Answer every question first, then revisit those you feel unsure about later. This will help you manage your time effectively. I shamelessly marked about 30 questions for review and made a second pass at the end to ensure I was happy with my answers.
- Once you finish the exam, you will immediately see your results (pass/fail). You can print your score report, but you won’t be able to save it as a PDF due to the limited menu options. The score report will be available online within 1-2 days.
Wrapping-Up
The exam was fair overall, though I did encounter questions that seemed to go beyond the typical VCF implementation. Naturally, VMware by Broadcom wants you to fully adopt the solution and implement as many of the features and components as possible. The reality is, not every customer (possibly not even “most” customers) will have a use case for every feature or component. Regardless, Broadcom expects certified Administrators to maintain familiarity with these areas.
Some of the questions used “odd” or “awkward” terminology, some of which I disagreed with. This is common in certification exams and is designed to test your understanding of concepts, rather than just definitions. Be sure to read the questions carefully and multiple times if necessary to understand the point of the question.
The Exam Guide is a good reflection of the content you need to know. I would not say you need to be an expert in every area, but you should be able to navigate the VCF solution and perform common tasks, especially within an Administrator’s purview.
Feel free to leave any questions in the comments below! While I can’t share exact details of the exam, I am happy to provide guidance where possible. Good luck on your exam!