Currently, the two most prevalent certification organizations are CompTIA and Microsoft. Both organizations offer a wide variety of certifications for different specializations within the technology field, offering certified professionals a variety of career opportunities.
For IT professionals looking for the right certification to take, the choices can be overwhelming. When it comes to the IT subspecialty of virtualization, candidates are faced with several choices. In this article, we’re going to be comparing the three most popular certifications that involve virtualization:
Cloud+ from CompTIA,
MCSE and its Cloud-focused programs from Microsoft, and the
VMware Professional Certification from VMware.
Almost every IT professional is familiar with CompTIA. Designed to provide vendor-neutral
information technology certifications, CompTIA certifications focus more on hardware and core IT concepts than individual programs. The
Cloud+ certification focuses on the infrastructure that makes virtualization possible – setting up the servers and hardware required for an effective virtualization environment. While CompTIA Cloud+ does touch on software systems and utilizing them for managing virtual machines, datacenters and services; it does not cover the specifics of any one program in great detail, which can lead to knowledge gaps.
Being by far the largest software company in the world, it’s no surprise
that Microsoft offers a vast array of certifications, including several
which cover various aspects of virtualization. With the
Microsoft
Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) certification, professionals can
choose from various specialties focused on Microsoft products.
Certification specialties include
Server Infrastructure (which would be
comparable to VCP programs focused on ESXi); Desktop Infrastructure
(comparable to VCP-DT – Desktop Virtualization), focusing on network
architecture and incorporating some cloud components;
Private Cloud,
focusing on intranet cloud storage and services at the enterprise level;
and individual programs such as
SharePoint and
Lync managed out of a
virtual platform. While providing many options and subspecialties, no
one certification pathway provides the full set of knowledge needed to
become a virtualization expert. Microsoft’s programs cover a lot of
different aspects – making them great for those working with various
systems – but outside of Microsoft programs such as Windows Server, SQL
Server and SharePoint; there’s not a lot of specialization involved.
VMware Certification only focuses on virtualization and the
infrastructure and software needed to effectively run virtualization
environments on the VMware platform. Much like Microsoft, there are many
sub-specializations available for those seeking the
VMware Certified Professional certification such as
VCP-DV, focusing on datacenter
virtualization;
VCP-DT, which focuses on desktop virtualization and
delivery of services; and Certified Professional on vSphere 5, which
focuses on managing virtualization environments using the vSphere
hypervisor. Since these tests focus exclusively on the VMware platform,
they cover all aspects of using VMware and give knowledge on utilizing
specific programs such as vSphere 5 hypervisor, vApps, and how to
integrate programs such as Microsoft SQL Server 2005 into VMware
environments. Considering that VMware is the world’s leading
virtualization platform, this is typically the certification of choice
for those wanting to really drill down into the specialty of
virtualization.
At VMware Certification Marketplace, we aim to help every customer
achieve their career goals by earning
virtualization certification.
Visit our books selection not only for
VMware books, but materials which
cover all aspects of virtualization. If the VMware certification is
right for you, visit us for exam vouchers and everything you need to
earn your VMware Certified Professional designation.
