VMware VCAP Certification: Path, Preparation and How to Check Current Exam Details

Key takeaways

• The older VCAP exam codes and discount claims are outdated and have been removed.
• VCAP sits above VCP and tests advanced administration or design skills.
• Hands-on lab practice matters more than reading for the advanced level.
• Always confirm current exam names, versions, prices and prerequisites with the vendor.
• Choose the track by your job: administration, design or end-user computing.

Is the old VMware voucher offer still valid?

An earlier version of this page promoted a 50 percent discount and listed exam codes from the vSphere 6.5 period. That information is outdated: VMware restructured its certification programme, and exam names, versions, prices and prerequisites have changed since. The offer has been removed, and no price is stated here. Use VMware's current certification pages and your authorised exam provider to confirm what is available today.

What is VCAP?

VCAP stands for VMware Certified Advanced Professional. It is the advanced level above the VMware Certified Professional (VCP) certification. Historically, VCAP had two flavours for each track: an administrator exam, based on live lab tasks, and a design exam, based on architecture decisions. The details of the current programme may differ, so verify them with VMware.

Do you need VCP first?

In the older programme, a VCP in the same area was normally required before VCAP. Prerequisites can change, so check the current rules for the exam you want. Even if not required, VCP-level knowledge is the foundation for VCAP.

How do you prepare for an advanced VMware exam?

1. Download the current exam guide and use the objectives as a checklist.
2. Build a home or cloud lab with several hosts, shared storage, networking and a management server, using a supported lab or a vendor-provided lab environment.
3. Practise each objective until you can do it from memory, without notes, within a time limit.
4. For design exams, work through case studies: list requirements, constraints, assumptions and risks, then justify your choice.
5. Read the official documentation and release notes for the exact product version in the exam.
6. Take timed practice tasks, then review what took longest.

What should you check before booking any VMware exam?

Common mistakes

• Buying a voucher for a retired exam code.
• Relying on discount claims that cannot be verified.
• Studying from theory only for a lab-based exam.
• Skipping time practice.

Next steps

To build the virtualisation foundation, see the VMware training page. For other exams, read the Google Cloud exam preparation guide and the Oracle exam preparation guide.

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