I can’t believe i’m writing this post, I have achieved a second VCDX certification (or as it’s being referred to in the community a 2X 🙂 ). This time the design was for cloud (CMA) and it came just one year and some change after I became a VCDX DCV.
Just being a VCDX was a long time career aspiration of mine and I am so grateful I was able to work on the second one.
Short disclaimer – Since I am a VCDX panelist I am forbidden from mentoring candidates through their VCDX process or giving out advice on the design itself, this is so that I won’t give anyone an unfair advantage. I’ll keep this post about my personal experience towards achieving the double and keep the advice about the process.
For this round I again worked with my partner from the first design Mr. Agustin Malanco (@agmalanco) where we designed a vRealize automation (vRA) on top of the previous DCV design.
When we created the DCV design (which was factious just like this one) we intentionally designed it with cloud as the next phase in mind. This is actually a recommended approach being discussed through the VCDX workshops as well, if you can create the first one planning ahead for the second do it.
That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a lot of work, hell yeah it was!
We spent nights and weekends for about 4 months, working out the design decisions, figuring out our process and installing the system to validate it and create the install guide.
So, here are a few words of advice for anyone going for double :
- If possible, when you are designing the first VCDX, plan ahead and build the foundation for the second and perhaps even the third.
- In most cases when you are going for a second VCDX you only need to submit a design, there is no defense though there might be a phone interview that the reviewer will want some clarifications. That means your design will likely to be reviewed very carefully. Make sure your documentation is top notch. Remember, there is no second chance to defend it, after submission that’s it. note:
- If your first VCDX was for non-vSphere NSX design if you submit for either CMA/DCV/DT design as your second you will need to defend again.
- For top notch documentation refer to a previous VCDX article I wrote about the subject here.
- If this is a fictitious design or partially fictitious validate the design by installing it in the lab.
- This advice is true for the second VCDX as well as the first, if you can work in a team. It worked very well for me and Agustin.
That’s it, work hard and you will get that second serve, I might just go for a third at some point though it’s not going to be easy to maintain 3 VCDX’s as versions progress.
I want to thank Agustin Malanco again for putting up with me so intensively all these months of hard work, thanks Goose!!
For more advice on the VCDX journey refer to my VCDX series here.
Cheers,
Niran
Leave a Reply