Introduction

Welcome to the VCA-DCV: VMware Certified Associate-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere Study Guide for exam VCAD510. The purpose of this book is to help you prepare for the VCA-DCV exam by becoming familiar with the challenges that businesses face and the tools and technologies that are provided by VMware to help meet those challenges. Even though the book is primarily designed to help with the VCA-DCV, we hope it will also help administrators better understand some of the tools they could be using to make their lives easier as well as gain better insight into the tools that they are using.

We (the authors, Dane Charlton and Robert Schmidt) have extensive backgrounds in information technology and specialize in managing and maintaining large virtual environments. Together we have over 45 years of technology experience that we hope to share in this book.

The book contains all of the information you need to pass the VCA-DCV exam. It also includes notes and warnings to help reduce issues you may be experiencing in your own environment. By studying for and passing this exam, you will gain insight that will make you more valuable in your current position and more likely to get recognized and promoted.

In the remainder of this section, we will present some of the facts about the exam, give some commonsense tips for taking the exam, and review the process for registering.

Exam Facts

Here are some facts for the VCA-DCV: VMware Certified Associate-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere Exam, VCAD510:

• The VCA-DCV exam is administered by Pearson VUE but is taken from home over the Internet.
• There are 50 multiple-choice questions.
• The passing score is 300 out of 500.
• There is a time limit of 75 minutes for the exam.
• There is a short survey before the exam begins (taking the survey does not use any of the available 75 minutes).
• If you do not pass the exam, you can retake it as many times as you want; no waiting period is required.

Tips for Taking the VCA-DCV Exam

Here are some general tips for improving the odds on your certification exam:

• Read each question carefully. Although the test is not written to be confusing, at times the obvious choice is not the correct choice.
• Make sure you answer each question. Any unanswered questions are considered wrong, so you are better off making an educated guess than leaving a question unanswered.
• If you are unsure of the correct answer for a question, use a process of elimination to remove any obviously incorrect answers first. Once you have eliminated the obviously incorrect answers, take an educated guess from the remaining answers.
• If you are unsure about a question, select the answer you think is most likely to be correct, mark it for review, and come back to it at a later time.
• Get a good night's sleep the night before the exam. This will help you be more alert and think more clearly during the exam.
• Before scheduling the exam, review the Exam Blueprint to make sure you understand each of the objectives and review any you are unsure of:

https://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=41162&ui=www_cert

Exam Registration

You must take the following steps to register for the VCA-DCV exam:

1. Using a browser, navigate to the VCA-DCV web page:
   https://mylearn.vmware.com/mgrReg/plan.cfm?plan=41162&ui=www_cert
2. Click the Request Exam Authorization option. If you do not have a mylearn account, you will be prompted to create one.
3. Once your authorization for the exam is confirmed, you will be presented with your first name, last name, and candidate ID.
4. Go to the Pearson VUE website (www.pearsonvue.com). Select the For Test Takers option and then input VMware as your program.
5. Select VCA-DCV and enter your first name, last name, and candidate ID.
6. Once you have registered for the exam, keep an eye out for an email with a link to the exam. You will have three days from registering to follow this link and take the exam.

VMware requires certification candidates to accept the terms of a nondisclosure agreement before taking certification exams.

Who Should Read This Book?

This book is intended for individuals who want to earn their VCA-DCV: VMware Certified Associate-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere certification. It would also be useful for any VMware administrators who would like to have an introduction to VMware technologies that they may not use on a day-to-day basis in their current positions.

What's Inside?

Here is a glance at what's in each chapter:

Chapter 1: Intro to Virtualization Introduces some of the basic concepts of VMware virtualization.

Chapter 2: VMware Solutions Shows the types of challenges that businesses face and some of the VMware tools that can help them meet these challenges.

Chapter 3: vSphere Core Components Introduces core technologies that the VMware virtualization suite comprises.

Chapter 4: Storage in a VMware Environment Introduces you to the types of storage that exist in a virtual environment and the tools for managing this storage.

Chapter 5: Networking in a VMware Environment Covers the types of networking technologies that are used in virtual environments and how to use VMware tools to manage them.

Chapter 6: Business Challenges Meet VMware Solutions Presents real-world scenarios of issues that businesses face and discusses the VMware technologies and products that can be used to mitigate these challenges.

What's Included with the Book

This book includes many helpful items intended to prepare you for the VCA-DCV: VMware Certified Associate-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere certification.

Assessment Test The Assessment Test at the conclusion of the book's introduction can be used to quickly evaluate where you are with VMware virtualization products. This test should be taken prior to beginning your work in this book, and it should help you identify areas in which you are either strong or weak. Note that these questions are purposely more simple than the types of questions you may see on the exams.

Objective Map and Opening List of Objectives At the start of this book is a detailed exam objective map showing you where each of the exam objectives is covered in this book. In addition, each chapter opens with a list of the exam objectives it covers. Use these to see exactly where each of the exam topics is covered.

Exam Essentials The end of each chapter provides a brief overview of the concepts covered in the chapter. We recommend reading through these sections carefully to check your recollection of each topic and returning to any sections of the chapter you're not confident about having mastered.

Chapter Review Questions Each chapter includes review questions. The material for these questions is pulled directly from information that was provided in the chapter. These questions are based on the exam objectives, and they are similar in difficulty to items you might receive on the VMware VCA-DCV exam.

Interactive Online Learning Environment and Test Bank

The interactive online learning environment that accompanies VCA-DCV: VMware Certified Associate-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere Study Guide for exam VCAD510 provides a test bank with study tools to help you prepare for the certification exam and increase your chances of passing it the first time! The test bank includes the following:

Sample Tests All of the questions in this book are provided: the Assessment Test, which you'll find at the end of this introduction, and the Chapter Tests that include the Review Questions at the end of each chapter. In addition, there are two Practice Exams. Use these questions to test your knowledge of the Study Guide material. The online test bank runs on multiple devices.

Flashcards Questions are provided in digital flashcard format (a question followed by a single correct answer). You can use the flashcards to reinforce your learning and provide last-minute test prep before the exam.

Other Study Tools A glossary of key terms from this book is available as a fully searchable PDF.

Go to http://sybextestbanks.wiley.com to register and gain access to this interactive online learning environment and test bank with study tools.

How to Use This Book

If you want a solid foundation for preparing for VCA-DCV exam VCAD510, then look no further. We've spent a lot of time putting together this book with the sole intention of helping you to pass the exam!

This book is loaded with valuable information. You'll get the most out of your study time if you follow this approach:

1. Take the assessment test immediately following this introduction. (The answers are at the end of the test, but no peeking!) It's OK if you don't know any of the answers-that's what this book is for. Carefully read over the explanations for any question you get wrong, and make note of the chapters where that material is covered.
2. Study each chapter carefully, making sure you fully understand the information and the exam objectives listed at the beginning of each one. Again, pay extra-close attention to any chapter that includes material covered in questions...