VCP5-DT finally on transcript

Back in December 2011 I was invited to take the VCP5-DT Beta exam. That same year I had already received my VCA4-DT and the VCP4-DT certifications so I was a little examed out, but it being the first time I had the opportunity to sit for a beta I decided to go for it. I had already upgraded my View 4.5 lab to version 5, and had tinkered with it for a few months testing mobile devices through the Security server and VPN connections with and without two-factor authentication, so I had some good hands on time. Also, the exam blueprint showed that much of the subjects tested would be quite similar to those in the VCP4-DT exam, updated with the new and upgraded features of course.

Sitting for the beta exam was a different experience from the regular exams. If you have a VCP3 and upgraded to the VCP4 you know that the level of difficulty increased substantially between the two. If you then upgraded your VCP4 certification to the VCP5 (or sat the exam) then you know that the level of difficulty has increased even more. This is not a bad thing, quite the opposite in my opinion as the exam now reflects some more real world scenarios and includes testing some basic troubleshooting skills. The fact is however that - for me at least - taking the new exams is more tiring as it requires a greater degree of concentration to avoid careless mistakes.

The large number of questions made the exam grueling. Why the fact that I would be taking the entire battery of 210 questions in 225 minutes as opposed to the normal 85 questions in 90 minutes did not sink in I do not know. I knew this of course, but I did not realize how much that was. Half way through the exam I was tired, I was sore from sitting in the uncomfortable chair, and from posing for the person watching the video cameras outside the room behind us. Looking up at the top of the screen I saw that I was also only about half way through the battery of questions. I worked through it and eventually was rewarded with a piece of paper congratulating me for taking the exam. That was it. No score, no mention whether I passed or failed.

In January I received an e-mail thanking me for taking the exam and informing me that the results of the exam would be delayed.  Finally in the last week of February I received notice that I passed the VCP510-DT exam and that I would receive an official score report from Pearson VUE via regular mail. I was pleased to receive good results after the long wait, and a few weeks later I received my certificate. Checking the official transcript online however I was disappointed that my VMware Transcript did not reflect the new certification.  I had worked with the product for quite a while at that point (as part of my day job), I had studied for the exam, I sat through 210 questions, and I had waited for months at this point, so yes, I was hoping that my transcript would reflect the new cert. Today was finally the day, and my VCP-DT number is still 99. Now I wait for the new logo to be released.

It was a long wait but I appreciate that the VMware team that does this work likely has tons of work on their plate between the projects that they are working on and the flood of people who sat for the upgrade to VCP5 just before the deadline in February. That said tomorrow is another day, I go back to working IRL, and working towards the next step.

[amazon asin=1849681120&template=iframe image&chan=default]