VCP Journey, What a ride it has been?!

Posted on September 13, 2016 by wmichel

I have played with VMware vSphere for years and started back in the VCP 3.5 days, while developing and creating VMware solutions in 2008 at Sun.  Back in the day I was part of a team know as the “Solutions Factory Team” at Sun Microsystems.  We developed rapid solutions to help enable companies to get up running quickly.   One of the solutions I worked on was a VDI solution using VMware on backend and Sun Microsystems VDI broker using SunRay thin client hardware, this was before there was VMware Horizon VDI solution.  

Then in 2010 as a Principal Solutions Architect for Dell Services and as part of the Global Infrastructure Consulting group, I took my first Install, Configure and Manage Class for VCP 4.5.   Pilot time is key, you really need to spend time playing with vSphere and vCenter.  As an enterprise architect I really do not get hands on pilot time as a VMware administrator.

The next thing I knew the VCP 5.0 was out and I was no longer at Dell and my jobs never really provided VMware admin opportunities.  So to get some more pilot time I took the “What’s New for 5.1” class.  This helped and  unfortunately still no opportunities at work.

So now fast forward to 2013, I finally attended my first VMware Partner Exchange (PEX).  The best thing about PEX is the networking opportunities and the fabulous people you meet:

  • The VMware Communities
  • VMware Communities of Bloggers & Podcasters
  • vBrownBag & LATAM Crew
  • vExperts
  • VCDX members
  • DFW & Houston VMUG

All these communities are great!

Inspired by PEX experience and the new technology and 50% discount on VCP 5.5, I sat the test.  Of course I was a bit too optimistic  and failed on my first attempt because of not studying the new materials and not enough hands on time.

So what do you do after being inspired at PEX 2013?  Well first is your dream about the VCP, then you plan and prepare while getting hands on with a lab either at home or in the cloud.  Then you execute!

These are things I did to immerse myself as best I could while not having a direct role or job doing VMware administration:

  • Took ICM and Design Optimized Classes at Community College
  • Took various VMware Hands on Labs (FREE)
  • Started giving back to community and helping out with DFW VMUG over last 3 years
  • Participating  last 3 years in vBrownBags  and part of LATAM Crew with several talks
  • Last year had the privilege of being selected to the DFW VMUG leadership team!
  • This August attended my first VMworld 2016!
  • Then honored by VMware and selected as a vExpert 2016!
  • Attended VMware VCDX Workshop, the members and the program are outstanding and inspire you to dream, but the journey starts by getting the VCP.

Life is good, as a week before VMworld 2016, I learned I passed and so I happy to say my VCDX Journey has begun as I am now a VCP6- DCV!

Living the dream!  🙂

VMware communities are very powerful, all inspiring and awesome — These outstanding experts are more than happy to mentor, to help educate and share their real world experiences.  These VMware communities cross pollinate to show you the full stack of a Software Defined Data Center (Server/Network/Storage) from VMware and integration into the broader ecosystem of OpenStack, Containers, Multi-clouds, etc…

Also if you do not have a twitter account, you need to get one, it is very important so you can stay in contact with the various communities and keep abreast of technology direction and who is doing what.

Link-o-rama – Cool links – Training/Certs/Communities/Blogs

About wmichel

Cloud Architect, NetApp A-Team, vExpert, VMUG Leader, AWS-SAA, TOGAF, ITIL, CISSP, USMC, Mariachi, Gaucho-Texano & Dad A seasoned architect and technologist at heart that loves innovation and playing with cloud computing, data center virtualization, operating systems, and information security.
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