Perhaps you have also noticed as well that budget constraints are causing us to rethink how we get training on the latest technologies. It is not always possible to take a week off work to take a class each time a new OS version is released, and additional weeks to receive instruction on all the individual components. Now it is expected that we somehow become proficient in dozens of applications from a score of vendors and implement the latest technologies while continuing to support legacy systems and contribute to the IT community.

This spring VMware announced the GA release of vSphere. Hey, something new and exciting to learn! This will be great – I can take a class, spend my evenings getting familiar with the product, test it in the lab, and come up with a business case for it with my employer. However, scheduling a week for a systematic training class in the immediate future seems less likely than discovering the remains of Atlantis in my backyard.

To this end, I needed to rethink my training on the latest VMware offering. As my mind drifted back to my first real IT training (IPX/SPX was king of the workgroup at the time) it occured to me to try some self-paced training once again. Certainly things have changed since the days of 10 MB networks and hot new technologies like PointCast, and hopefully advances in training have kept up.

Enter TrainSignal. Having benefitted from David Davis’ insightful tech articles in the past, seeing his name as the instructor on the vSphere DVD-based program instantly gave me a positive feeling about heading down this distantly familiar route of ordering up a self-paced video training course.

Within the hour, my VMware vSphere Training was on its way. A few days later, a smallish-looking box arrived. Upon opening it, I was a bit surprised – the entire program was housed in a nice and tidy box with fold-out DVD holders. Compared to the size of my first IT training program (20+ VHS tapes, plastic bags full of floppy disks, plus several books measured more in pounds than pages), this seemed so… small. Could it really be enough?

Not to be put off, I popped the first disk in my PC and was presented with a clean-looking interface and instructions on how to copy various lessons to my iPod Touch. Hey, now this is what I was looking for! Being able to watch, listen and learn while burning calories on the elliptical machine and stationary bike at the gym during lunch is much more in line with the realities of my life (both in IT and personally) as compared to countless hours spent in the easy chair with a pink highlighter and a cup of tea.

Granted, VMware has not relaxed its requirement to take an official class to become VCP-certified, so I will still need to find the time to enroll in an official VMware class at some point in the near future. However, I believe that the TrainSignal program will certainly help with becoming more familiar with the intricacies of the product, as well as prepare me to get the most from the class when the time comes to take it. As I learn more about practical ways (the good, bad and ugly) to use vSphere in the enterprise, I look forward to sharing them with you on SearchVMware.com.

Yes, times have changed since the 90′s. Yet the lessons we have learned on how to get by with less and using our time to the fullest will always be valid, especially as we work to keep our skills and knowledge current with VMware’s continually changing products and technologies.

Cheers!

Mak King

I think some people are missing my point on why VMware should drop the requirement to take a class in order to take the VCP test, so let me explain.

My request was for VMware to drop this requirement as it discriminates against qualified people from taking the test unless they take VMware’s revenue-generating course. In my opinion, all that this class does is help those that are new to using VMware Infrastructure 3 get started with the product. The course may be good for that purpose, but taking a class does not necessarily mean a person is qualified to become a VMware Certified Professional.

If said 9 year old had rich parents, took the class and then took the test right after and passed it, would you want them working in your data center?

I don’t agree with those that argue that taking the class is vital to ensuring the integrity of the VCP. In my book, experience tops classroom learning; what you’ve done is more important than what you know.

I would prefer working with someone who has had years of experience working with VMware and was not a VCP rather then someone who has very limited experience and took a one week class and passed a test. Knowledge comes from experience, not vice-versa. Experienced veterans should not need to take a class to become certified. I’m all for having qualified professionals with VCP certifications, but there are other ways to do it rather than requiring that someone taking a class.

For those who are more then qualified to take the test: While $3,000 may not be a lot of money for some, it’s a waste of money if the person taking the class is not really going to gain anything from it. Also, in these times many companies are forced to cut their training budgets. Is it fair that someone who has worked hard and learned by methods other than a VCP class is excluded from becoming a VCP?

VMware: let me modify my request, drop the class requirement and make the test tough enough so only knowledgeable and experienced people can pass it. Doing this should help those that cannot afford to take your class and ensure that the integrity of the certification remains intact.

1. Please slow down a bit. Produce a quality bug-free product and not try to rush out new versions, features and functionality until they are ready. Stop with the experimental features and only put them in the finished product unless they are ready and you are going to fully support them. I know it’s almost impossible to produce 100% bug-free code, especially as your product code grows larger and larger in size, but please catch the major ones that can cause outages for your customers. If you can’t slow down, at least hire more QA personnel and do more public Betas so your customers can help you with this. You can’t afford another mishap like Microsoft is currently experiencing with their Zune music players.

2. On the release of VI4 (or vSphere as you now call it): This should be an exciting upgrade and further distance you from your competitors, but please don’t release it before it’s fully done, polished and tested. I can wait an extra month or two if necessary.

3. Please, no more product name changes. Enough is enough with the name changes! You’re just confusing your customers and complicating things. Instead, get your marketing department to do more to attract new customers, keep your current ones and fight all the HyperV vs. ESX misinformation that Microsoft releases. Also please leave ESX named ESX, I know your marketing department is probably itching to change it so something like vHypervisor but resist and leave it as ESX. (For those who don’t know ESX stands for Elastic Sky X which was the name used in the development of the original version.)

4. More competitive pricing. You have lots of competition now and the hypervisor is becoming commoditized. Giving away ESXi for free was a good start. Why not give ESX away for free also and sell all the advanced features as add-ons? You also have plenty of automation and management products that you can sell to complement it. Also, please reduce the price of Workstation. It’s too expensive for many. You’d probably sell a lot more if you reduced the price so it was close to the price of Fusion.

5. On VMworld presentations: Please go back to releasing these to non-attendees after the show ends as you did in previous years. Not everyone can afford to go to it and the information in the sessions would be valuable to both your current and potential customers. It’s to your benefit to educate your customers and provide as much information to them as possible. At the very least, allow people to purchase a subscription to the sessions so they can access them right away after the show ends.

6. Relax the VMware Certified Professional (VCP) certification requirements. I shouldn’t have to take a class to become a VCP, if I have the knowledge and experience to pass the VCP exam that should be enough. Many qualified people can’t afford to take a class just so they can take the test.

Well VMware, I hope 2009 is a very good year for you, I look forward to the release of vSphere and any other great things that you will deliver to us in the upcoming year.

Best,

A VMware aficionado