VCAP5-DCA Official Cert Guide : VMware Certified Advanced Professional 5- Data Center Administration

The VCAP5-DCA Official Cert Guide  presents you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. “Do I Know This Already?” quizzes open each chapter and allow you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter-ending “Review Tasks” help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly.

  • Master VMware VCAP5-DCA exam topics

  • Assess your knowledge with chapter-opening quizzes and review tasks

  • Review key concepts with exam preparation tasks

  • Prepare and practice with realistic exam scenarios

The VCAP5-DCA Official Cert Guide focuses specifically on the objectives for the VMware Certified Advanced Professional 5–Data Center Administration. VMware Certified Instructors (VCI) Steve Baca and John A. Davis share preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics.

This Official Cert Guide comes with access to one set of original practice scenarios designed to prepare you for the experience of the real exam and get you comfortable executing the scenarios in order to complete them in the limited amount of time during the actual test. Content in the practice scenarios maps to the VCAP blueprint and is relevant to both the VDCA510 and VDCA550 exams.  All the scenarios are based on real-world experiences, where administration tasks that are covered by the exam, may need to be applied.

Well-regarded for its level of detail, assessment features, comprehensive design scenarios, and challenging review questions and exercises, this official study guide helps you master the concepts and techniques that will allow you to succeed on  the exam the first time.

The VCAP5-DCA Official Cert Guide is part of a recommended learning path from VMware that includes simulation and hands-on training from authorized VMware instructors and self-study products from VMware Press. To find out more about instructor-led training, e-learning, and hands-on instruction offered worldwide, please visit www.vmware.com/training.

The official study guide  helps you master many of  the topics on the VCAP5-DCA exam, including

  • Using administrator tools such as the vSphere Client, ESXCLI, vmkfstools, ESXTOP, vCLI, vMA, and PowerCLI.

  • Understanding the networking features that are available in vSphere, such as VLAN, PVLANS, and Netflow.

  • Managing vSphere features and technologies that can be used to provide solutions to various storage challenges.

  • Understanding performance tuning, optimization, and troubleshooting.

  • Carrying out a cluster configuration, troubleshoot, and management of a vSphere cluster.

  • Performing patch management and updating of ESXi hosts, virtual machine hardware, VMware Tools, and virtual appliances using VMware Update Manager.

  • Recognizing how logging works for both ESXi hosts and the vCenter Server.

  • Identifying the different methods to secure your vSphere environment.

  • Making sense of Auto Deploy and how its moving parts work.

Steven Baca , VCAP, VCI, VCP, and NCDA, has been in the computer industry for more than 20 years. Originally a computer programmer and a system administrator working on Unix and Windows systems, he migrated over to technical training and wrote a course for Sun Microsystems. He eventually transitioned to VMware about 8 years ago, doing technical training and consulting as well as teaching for Netapp. Currently he lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and does a number of engagements worldwide. He thoroughly enjoys teaching and writing and believes that the constant evolution of the computer industry requires continuously learning to stay ahead. Steve can be found on Twitter @scbaca1.

John A. Davis is a VMware Certified Instructor (VCI) and VMware Certified Professional (VCP). He has been teaching since 2004, when only a dozen or so VCIs existed in the United States. Throughout his tenure, he has taught VMware courses in many U.S. cities and abroad, including in Canada, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. John is a Senior Consulting Engineer at New Age Technologies and splits his time between teaching and consulting. He has most recently been engaged in VMware vCloud, VMware View, and Site Recovery Manager professional services. John has authored several white papers and also holds certifications for VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP) on VMware vSphere (VCAP5-DCA, VCAP5-DCD), VMware View (VCAP5-DTD), and VMware vCloud (VCAP5-CID). John is author of the vLoreBlog.com and can be found on Twitter @johnnyadavis.