VCP-CMA 7 – Section 4 – Configure and Manage the vRealize Automation Catalog

​Read:

  1. ​vRealize Automation Documentation:
  • Page and sub—pages: Managing the Catalog here (30 mins)
  • Page and sub—pages: Working with Approval Policies –here (20 mins)
  • Page and sub—pages: Reclaim Resources – here (10 mins)

​Watch:

  1. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide  – 10 (9 mins)
  2. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide – 11 (15 mins)

Do:

  1. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete these labs:
    • HOL-1921-01-CMP: Module 1 – Using the Catalog (Exam section 4.3); Module 3 – Manage the   Catalog (Exam section 4.1); Module 4 – Approval Policies (Exam section 4.2)
  2. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about Installing and Configuring vRA this week

Return: VCP-CMA 7 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-CMA 7 – Section 5 – Configure and Administer Fabric Groups and Endpoints (Coming soon) …

VCP-CMA 7 – Section 3 – Install and Configure vRealize Automation and Related Components

​Read:

​Watch:

  1. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide  – 03 (10 mins) – Jad El-Zein
  2. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide – 04 (6 mins) – Jad El-Zein
  3. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide – 05 (40 mins) – Jad El-Zein

Do:

  1. Install vRealize Automation in your own lab OR
  2. Walkthrough the installation here
  3. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about Installing and Configuring vRA this week

Return: VCP-CMA 7 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-CMA 7 – Section 4 – Configure and Manage the vRealize Automation Catalog (Coming soon) …

VCP-CMA 7 – Section 2 – Configure and Manage Tenants and Business Groups

​Read:

  1. ​Resources: Elevate your Geek: Jump to “Start reading here”  (2 hours)

​Watch:

  1. Add a new Tenant (5 mins)
  2. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide  – 07 (11 mins) – Jad El-Zein
  3. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide – 08 (38 mins) – Jad El-Zein

Do:

  1. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete these labs:
  • HOL-1921-01 – Module 2 – (45 mins)
  • HOL-1921-03 – Module 5 – (45 mins)
  1. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about vRA Blueprints this week

Return: VCP-CMA 7 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-CMA 7 – Section 3 – Install and Configure vRealize Automation and Related Components

VCP-CMA 7- Section 1 – Create and Modify vRealize Automation Blueprints

​Read:

  1. ​Resources: Elevate your Geek: Jump to “Start reading here”  (2 hours)

​Watch:

  1. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide  – 09 (11 mins) – Jad El-Zein
  2. vRA Detailed Implementation Guide – 12.1 (16 mins) – Jad El-Zein

Do:

  1. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete these labs:
    • HOL-1921-01 – Module 3 – (30 mins)
    • HOL-1921-03 – Module 5 – (45 mins)
  2.  Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about vRA Blueprints this week

Return: VCP-CMA 7 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-CMA 7 – Section 2 – Configure and Manage Tenants and Business Groups 

VCP-CMA 7 – Day Zero – Before your Study Group – Kick-Off

Read

  1. VCP7-CMA Exam Blueprint (30 mins)

Watch:

  1. From VMworld 2018: How to Prepare for the VCP Certification (45 mins)
    • Search for session VIN1370BU – By John Davis, Product Architect , Rackspace AND Steven Baca, Senior Technical Instructor, VMware
    • Note: While focussed on VCP-DCV, general exam prep tips apply for any VCP exam

Do:

  1. Sign up for VMware Hands on Labs (HOL) Online (5 mins)
    • Note: this is a separate account from your MyVMware Account, Partner Central account and any other VMware accounts you may have
  2. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete this lab:
    • HOL-1921-01-CMP – vRealize Automation 7 – Getting Started (2 hours 30 mins)
  3. You can track your process using the VCP-CMA Study Tracker. This was inspired by Travis Wood who wrote the VCP-DT Study Tracker and Chris Porter who wrote the VCP-DCV Study Tracker.

Return: VCP7-CMA Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-CMA 7- Section 1 – Create and Modify vRealize Automation

VCP-CMA 7 Study Group Participant Guide

If you are considering joining or starting a VCP-MA 7 study group, visit the overview post Tech Exam Study Groups. It covers why study groups help with exam preparation, who can benefit from them, what happens in a study group and some tips for making the most of your valuable time.

Details of the VCP7-CMA 7 Exam can be found here. Once you pass the exam, you will receive the VCP-CMA 2019 certification.  The recommended 19xx Hands on Labs are on vRealize Automation 7.4.0 as of March 2019.

Where study groups fit in:

The study group structure outlined in the post Tech Exam Study Groups is designed to complement (not replace) the official Instructor Led Course and your own study. Figure 1. summarises the time commitment to prepare for the exam based on my own experience and working with others in study groups.

Study Group
Figure 1. Estimated investment in time and $ to achieve certification

If you are putting in the hours, make sure to get the most out of the study groups by participating fully and doing the pre-study.

Discussion Leader – Expectations

Your study group facilitator will ask you to be the discussion lead for at least one session. For the week that you are the lead:

  • Commit to completing the entire set of content for the week you are leading so that you can guide the discussion
  • Prepare to give a short (5 minute) overview of the topic – keep it short and casual. Whiteboarding works better than slides
  • Share 1 thing you learned first then go around the group and ask each person to share 1 thing

If the discussion gets off track it is your job for this topic to bring the conversation back.

VCP-MA 7 Study Group Resources:

1.The below study plan is not endorsed by VMware, but is collected from free resources found online. In particular, Jad El-Zein’s Detailed Implementation Guide video series.  The materials are linked throughout.

2.The Exam Blueprint and the reading materials listed within are the ultimate source of truth. It is recommended that you read the official documentation linked in the blueprint and refer to the study materials in this document to assist with your learning.

3.The official VMware practice exam is available here.

4. Nothing beats hands on experience! If you don’t have your own environment, use the Hands on Labs to practice the steps outlined in the study guides and in the videos in each module.

5. Study Group Tracker: You can track your process using the VCP-CMA Study Tracker. This was inspired by Travis Wood who wrote the VCP-DT Study Tracker and Chris Porter who wrote the VCP-DCV Study Tracker.

Day Zero – Before your Study Group Kick-Off

Section 1 – Create and Modify vRealize Automation Blueprints

​Section 2 – Configure and Manage Tenants and Business Groups

​Section 3 – Install and Configure vRealize Automation and Related Components

​Section 4 – Configure and Manage the vRealize Automation Catalog (Coming Soon)

​Section 5 – Configure and Administer Fabric Groups and Endpoints (Coming Soon)

​Section 6 – Extend a vRealize Automation Implementation (Coming Soon)

Additional Resources:

  1. Official Practice Exam
  2. vBrownbags Series VCP6 – CMA
  3. 3rd party courses online – make sure to check certguard

Protecting the Value of Your Certification

​Please don’t use Dumps:

You will agree to an NDA upon entering the Exam center: https://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=49281&ui=www_cert

 

VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 10 – Administer and Manage vSphere Virtual Machines

Read:

  1. Resources @uprightvynl.co.uk – Minimum read objective summaries by @vladan.fr (1 hr 30 mins) OR
  2. Study guide by Shane Williford: pp 74-80 (1 hr 30 mins)

Watch:

  1. VM Cloning and Templates (4 mins)
  2. vSphere Content Library – Create (3 mins) and Subscribe (4 mins)

Do:

  1. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete this lab:
  • HOL-1910-01-SDC (Module 1 – Cloning VMs, Templates and Tagging) (15 mins)
  • HOL-1911-03-SDC (Module 4 -Content library) (30 mins)
  • HOL-1911-05-SDC (Module 4 – Automating Virtual Machine Management) – (30mins)
  1. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about vSphere Virtual Machine Management this week

Return: VCP-DCV 6.5 Study Group Participant Guide

VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 9 – Configure and Administer vSphere and vCenter Availability Solutions

Read:

  1. Resources @uprightvynl.co.uk – Minimum read objective summaries by @vladan.fr (45 mins) OR
  2. Study guide by Shane Williford: pp 68-74 (45 mins)
  3. HOL 1811-01 Manual pp 23-28 (15 mins)

Watch:

  1. vSphere High Availability (4 mins), How vSphere HA Works (3 mins),
  2. vCenter Server High Availability (14 mins), vCenter Server HA – Advanced (4 mins)

Do:

  1. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete these labs:
  1. Practice Questions @TheSlog (12 questions)
  2. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about vSphere and vCenter High Availability this week

Return: VCP-DCV 6.5 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 10 – Administer and Manage vSphere Virtual Machines

VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 8 – Deploy and Customize ESXi Hosts

Read:

  1. Resources @uprightvynl.co.uk – Minimum read objective summaries by @vladan.fr (1 hour 30 mins) OR
  2. Study guide by Shane Williford: pp 63-67 (1 hour 30 mins)

Watch:

  1. Host Profiles 6.5 (3 mins), Autodeploy overview (7 mins), Autodeploy 6.5 (3 mins)

Do:

  1. In HOL, use the search function to find and complete these labs:
  • HOL-1911-05-SDC – (Power CLI – Modules 1-3) – (1 hour 15 mins)
  • HOL-1911-03-SDC – (Host Profiles and Auto Deploy – Module 5) – (30 mins)
  1. Practice Questions @TheSlog (12 questions)
  2. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about vSphere ESXi Hosts this week

Return: VCP-DCV 6.5 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 9 – Configure and Administer vSphere and vCenter Availability Solutions (Coming soon)

VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 7 – Troubleshoot a vSphere Deployment

Read:

  1. Resources @uprightvynl.co.uk – Minimum read objective summaries by @vladan.fr (1 hour 30 mins) OR
  2. Study guide by Shane Williford: pp 54-63 (45 mins)
  3. Become familiar with ESXCLI syntax: vSphere 6.5 Command Line Documentation
  4. Duncan Epping’s blog on the key ESXTOP metrics

Watch:

  1. Troubleshooting vSphere @VMworld 2017 (52 mins)

Do:

In HOL, use the search function to find and complete this lab:

  • HOL-1904-02-CHG – vSphere 6.7 – Challenge Lab
  • HOL-1904-01-SDC – VMware vSphere 6.7 – Performance Diagnostics and Benchmarking
  1. Practice Questions @TheSlog (4 questions)
  2. Prepare to explain 3 things you learned about Troubleshooting vSphere this week

Return: VCP-DCV 6.5 Study Group Participant Guide

Next: VCP-DCV 6.5 – Section 8 – Deploy and Customize ESXi Hosts