I have been working with NSX everyday for the last year or so and decided it was time to get the VCAP-NV (3V0-643 exam) out of the way, unfortunately I decided to put myself under a load of time pressure as I booked the exam for about 3 weeks after I started to study… hence the multiple blog posts every night!

I have already sat and passed the VCAP-DCA so had a reasonable idea what the format of this exam might be like i.e. too many questions and not enough time ? The exam system is based on the familiar VMware Hands on Lab interface which is a huge improvement over the last setup in my opinion. There are a couple of tips that are called out at the start of the exam which are well worth doing (setting the manual to float, changing the screen resolution, maximising the screen real estate as much as possible etc.) as the exam kit, at least in the exam centre I was, is still a single tiny monitor! Not what I am used to!

As for the exam itself I found that the time pressure in this exam was twice as tight as the VCAP-DCA, I felt like I knew how to do everything the exam was asking but I simply did not have enough time to go through the process. I fully completed the first 18 questions and completed anything I knew I could do quickly in the remaining 6 question. I think I could have answered the remaining questions completely if I had an extra hour… so not much right :p

The blueprint is absolutely the bible for the exam, everything you will be asked about is in the blueprint.

So… onto the result… after the exam I decided a walk and pint of beer was required. The exam is a few hours long so really wanted to decompress and stretch my legs so walked 15/20 minutes to a bar and grabbed a pint. Within 2 pints of beer (approx. 45 minutes) I got the email I was dreading. Opened the emailed and read the “Passed” result.

I’ve put all of my NSX and SDN posts together in one place so hopefully things are a bit easier to find: here