Upgrade to VCAP6 or VCIX6 ?

VMware has just started to release a 3 part series around VCIX6 certification. I remembered initially there was talks about removing VCAP (VMware Certified Advanced Professional) certification and replacing it with something else where you had to pass both the lab and design exam before you actually earned a certification. Well it looks like VMware has done a U turn and decided to keep the tracks of VCAP but added the VCIX (VMware Certified Implementation Expert). To obtain the VCIX status you need to pass the design AND lab exam. 

As I am already VCAP5-DCA I was looking at options for obtaining either VCAP 6 or VCIX 6.  Based on VMware blog posts here are the following upgrade options :

• From VCAP5 Design to VCIX6 → Earn the VCAP6 Deployment certification by passing the VCAP6 Deployment Exam (lab).
• From VCAP5 Administration to VCIX6 → Earn the VCAP6 Design certification by passing the VCAP6 Design Exam.
• From VCAP5 Administration and VCAP5 Design (both) to VCIX6 → Earn either the VCAP6 Design or the VCAP6 Deployment certification
• From VCAP5 Administration to VCAP6 Deployment → Pass the VCAP6 Deployment Exam (lab)
• From VCAP5 Design to VCAP6 Design → Pass the VCAP6 Design Exam

I also did a quick diagram for reference -

So for people who want to stay technical then you just take the lab exam and obtain a VCAP6 deployment certification. Those who wish to stay as architectures/design can do the design exam and obtain a VCAP6 design certification. 

If you already have VCAP5-DCA AND VCAP5-DCD then you just need to do either the lab exam or design exam to be a VCIX6.

People with just VCAP5-DCA have to do VCAP6 design to obtain VCIX6. If you have a VCAP5-DCD then you need to do VCAP6 deployment to obtain VCIX.

Please note from VMware blog:

The VCIX6-NV certification will continue to be a little different for the foreseeable future (there is not a Design Exam component). There will only be a VCIX6 Deployment exam and a VCIX-NV certification can be earned by passing the related Exam. In our current framework the Design component for Network Virtualization is covered at the VCDX level. This will likely change in 2016.

For me I need think if I want VCAP6 deployment or VCIX6 certification over Christmas now ^_^.

VMware should be releasing the final part of the blog series which should have the blueprints for the exams.

Part 1 of 3

Part 2 of 3

Part 3 of 3