VCP 4: Doing it the hard way

by on 03/01/10 at 6:18 pm

If you’re interested in trying to pass the VCP 4 without using the study guides, you can expect to have a much more difficult time. I work every day with VMware tools and I doubt that I would have passed the exam without having the advantage the test prep kits provide.

However, if you want to study the “official way” here’s a TASTE of what you’ll need to know:

Deploying a new VMware installation:

  • Identify minimum hardware requirements
  • ESX Hardware Reqs – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=13
  • ESXi Hardware Reqs – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf#page=13
  • Download, prepare and validate installation media
  • Download media – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=25
  • Determine appropriate ESX/ESXi configuration in a given situation
  • Obtain required information for environment: IP info, LUN info, boot information, service console memory, user accounts, ntp server IP, etc.
  • Verify hardware against the VMware Hardware Compatibility Guide: Server, hard drives, san, HBAs, nics, procs, etc. all on HCL
  • Perform a custom installation
  • Booting ESX installer – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=27
  • Graphical Install – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=39
  • Text Install – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=42
  • Scripted Install – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=45
  • Customize storage layout for given situations
  • Required Partitions – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=61
  • Optional Partitions – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=62
  • Configure ESXi from the direct console
  • Install ESXi – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf#page=22
  • Direct Console User Interface – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esxi_i_vc_setup_guide.pdf#page=26
  • Configure ESX/ESXi NTP
  • ESX NTP During Install – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=24
  • Configuration tab, Time Configuration, Properties
  • Manage ESX/ESXi licensing
  • Compare/Contrast VMware vSphere editions
  • Edition Comparison Chart – http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1010579
  • Manage license keys – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_vc_installation_guide.pdf#page=107

Upgrading an existing VMware installation:

  • Plan a VMware vSphere upgrade
  • Backup/Restore ESX/ESXi host configuration
  • Backup host configuration – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=71
  • Restore host configuration – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=83
  • Understand Virtual Machine backup options
  • VMotion, storage VMotion, vcb, converter, vdr, third party
  • Determine if existing hardware meets upgrade requirements
  • Hardware Requirements – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=27
  • Understand VMware ESX/ESXi upgrade scenarios
  • Host Upgrades – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=67
  • Release Upgrade Support – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=72
  • Perform upgrade to ESX 4.0
  • Upgrade VMware ESX/ESXi
  • About Host Updates – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=101
  • Update Manager Upgrade Baseline – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsp_vum_40_admin_guide.pdf#page=53
  • esxupdate/vihostupdate – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=104
  • ESX Upgrade – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=75
  • ESXi Upgrade – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=77
  • Upgrade virtual machine hardware
  • Virtual Hardware Upgrade – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=97
  • Upgrade VMware Tools
  • Tools Upgrade – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=86
  • Verify success of upgrade
  • Upgrade Logs – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=79
  • Understand upgrade roll back options
  • Roll Back an ESX Upgrade – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=82
  • Roll Back an ESXi Upgrade – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf#page=83

Understand VMware security:

  • Identify default security principles
  • Default Roles – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_admin_guide.pdf#page=214
  • General Security – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_server_config.pdf#page=179
  • ESXi Lockdown Mode – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esxi_server_config.pdf#page=168
  • Understand Service Console firewall operation
  • Service Console Security Level
  • COS Security – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_server_config.pdf#page=142
  • Firewall Security Level – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_server_config.pdf#page=180
  • Opening/Closing ports in the firewall using the vSphere Client
  • Configuration, Security Profile, Properties
  • Set up user/group accounts
  • Host Users/Groups – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_admin_guide.pdf#page=212
  • Understanding Users/Groups – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_server_config.pdf#page=167
  • Working With Users & Groups – http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_esx_server_config.pdf#page=170
  • Determine applications needed for accessing the service console in a given scenario: vSphere client, ssh client, vCenter, VCB/VDR, Update Manager, Converter, etc.

Know these tools:

  • VMware Hardware Compatibility Guide
  • VMware ESX/ESXi and vCenter Server Installation Guide
  • Configuration Maximums Guide
  • Product Documentation
  • VMware Virtualization Toolkit
  • vSphere Host Update Utility
  • vCenter Update Manager
  • vSphere Upgrade Guide
  • ESX 4 Patch Management Guide
  • Product Documentation
  • esxupdate
  • vSphere Client
  • ESX/ESXi Configuration Guides
  • Product Documentation

As you can see from this sampling, you need to know a ton of stuff to pass the VCP 4. And, here’s a word of warning: not all of the test questions are answered the way that it’s done in the real world. Some of the answers are just plain wrong. The test prep materials will let you spot those questions which you’d otherwise get wrong because you know better ;)

6 Responses to “VCP 4: Doing it the hard way”

  1. Pieter van den Berg

    Jan 20th, 2012

    This VCP4 exam is horsesh*t. I took it this morning for the second time and failed.

    I studied through the text books and also studied about 700 braindump questions and explanation but still failed.

    I’m not re-taking this exam, I’ve been managing a VM Environment for almost 3 years and I also think experience is worth more than some stupid certification that most companies dont even look at when you go for the interview.

    Good luck to everyone

    Reply to this comment

    • VCPHelp

      Feb 11th, 2012

      Hi Pieter,

      That’s why I gave-up trying to study the thousands of pages of docs from VMware and just chose to do the test-prep kit (linked on the right side of the page).

      Reply to this comment

  2. redstorm_

    May 24th, 2011

    I took the exam twice and failed both times and I was shocked. On the 2nd exam I felt very good about all of my answers YET failed anyway. I suspect because I do have nearly 3 years experience with this that I answered questions based on what I know to work versus what the test question should have been. Frankly, this test stinks and proves nothing. I wish it was more simulated to allow an experienced ESX admin to prove they can manage systems and the settings within. Don’t ask me about the default columns on this screen or that screen–who the hell cares!! I ended purchasing some test prep materials simply because attending the expensive class and readings EVERY SINGLE VMWARE guide following the the vcp road map — DID NOT WORK!!! I went through topic by topic, printed out every vmware guide and read everything twice to no avail. There is simply no way anyone can memorize that much information especially when the questions can be about ANYTHING within the environment including those benign or meaningless things real admins don’t use or have no need to remember. I also got some ESX console CLI questions when the vmware class instructor told us that none would be on it because vmware was migrating away from this console-based ESX. Buy the test preps….I think it is the ONLY way now-certified people obtained it….no way they memorized 10,000 pages of facts from guides…

    Reply to this comment

  3. VCP Help

    Feb 26th, 2011

    Thanks for the feedback DGR, and I’m glad it was useful to you.

    This list is already pretty lengthy and it makes me tired just looking at it again ;) I’d really advise that you check-out the test prep kits I link to in order to make your life easier (that’s what I used). The reason I have just a section of the material needed is because that’s where I lost interest in digging through huge PDFs and marketing-speak, and decided to just get certified with the exam prep kit.

    There are quite a few things on the VCP which are just plain wrong, so unless you know to choose the wrong, but correct, answer, you will have a much harder time passing without knowing about these. I have extensive VMware experience, and I smacked my head at some of the answers, but my goal was to get certified, so I answered them wrong (as per the test prep materials) and passed ;)

    Reply to this comment

    • redstorm_

      May 24th, 2011

      Good post…I agree, after taking this exam twice I now know there are incorrect answers…with vSphere 5 on the horizon I may just opt out of taking this cert…experience is worth a heck of a lot more…which test prep kit did you go with? Just curious. I tried a couple and found one had many incorrect answers. However, these could be the questions you mentioned that were completely wrong except on the exam…Thanks…congrats on passing….

      Reply to this comment

  4. DGR_NZ

    Feb 7th, 2011

    Hi,

    This is probably the most helpful post I have found on the internet, with regards to VCP. I am trying to work on my 4.1 exam. i have never taken VCP exam before.

    I find this post helpful, because you haev mentioned the page numbers for the objectives. There are tons and tons of documentation, and I find it impossible, what to learn and memorise, and what not to. I feel the study guide is too broad.

    By, any chance, do have a break down of the other topics, in the study guide, that you could post up?

    Cheers
    DGR

    Reply to this comment

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