VCAP4-DCA Datacenter Administration Exam

The DCA exam is the first exam from VMware to be based exclusively on live lab activities, and is designed to test
potential VCAP‐DCA candidates on their skills and abilities installing, configuring and administering large
and/or more complex virtualized environments.

The exam is going through an invitation-only private beta in mid-June, and registration for the final exam was supposed to open with Pearson Vue on July 12th, this date has been pushed back due to things learned during the beta period for the exam. The exam blueprint document was recently released and is available here.

The content of the exam is very broad and very thorough at the same time, it looks as though the labs will be challenging, and that the VCAP4-DCA certification will be a very significant step-up from the now foundation-level VCP4. Early reports from the beta version of the exam seem to confirm that - for more information read this post on my blog.

The exam covers the following objectives:

- Implement and Manage Storage
- Implement and Manage Networking
- Deploy DRS Clusters and Manage Performance
- Manage Business Continuity and Protect Data
- Perform Operational Maintenance
- Perform Advanced Troubleshooting
- Secure a vSphere Environment
- Perform Scripting and Automation
- Perform Advanced vSphere Installations and Configurations

Whilst VMware have not made it compulsory to attend any training courses to qualify for the VCAP4-DCA certification, the labs in the exam are similar to those done during the following official courses:

vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage and Manage Availability and Manage Scalability
vSphere: Fast Track
vSphere: Manage for Performance
vSphere: Troubleshooting
vSphere: Manage and Design for Security
vSphere: Automation with vSphere PowerCLI

Further information on all of these courses can be found on the Foundation and Advanced vSphere training pages.