Over that past few weeks I've been lucky enough to be going over a reviewers copy of Brian Atkinson's (blog/twitter) new book VMware Certified Professional on vSphere 5 Study Guide. During my VCP journey I have been through a lot, and I mean A LOT of study material (listed here) and let me say I wish I would have had this book during my studies.
First off, when you purchase this book you get way more than just a book. In addition to the 753 pages, yes, 753 pages of exam oriented material you get the following…
- Tear card to help you align exam objectives with page numbers in the book.
- Practice questions at the end of every chapter (key for evaluating and knowing where you stand in certain areas)
- ONLINE ACCESS – Wow, you get an assessment test, all the chapter questions from the book, flash cards and a searchable glossary!
Honestly, the name of this book could be a little lacking…sure it's a great Study Guide for the VCP 5 certification, but in my opinion it can be used for way more than that. As a day to day VMware Administration you can (and I have) use this book as a point of reference to flip through and learn how to perform certain tasks, functions, features, etc…
The book is jam packed full of information and real-world scenarios and it is organzied in such a way that aligns with the VCP 5 blueprint. Aside from just information, there are a ton of exercises or labs that you can go through in order to gain that hands on experience, as well, each chapter ends with a summary, a section outlining the exam essentials for that chapter, and a set of questions to help you assess what you have just read. This layout makes it very easy for you to be sure that you have accomplished everything that the blueprint requires and helps you prepare for almost anything the VCP 5 exam can throw at you.
Brian Atkinson, the author of this book has been a vExpert since 2009, and is very well known from within the community. In my opinion he has hit a homerun with this publication and I would recommend anyone looking to begin studying for the VCP to grab yourself a copy of VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 5 Study Guide. You won't regret it… You can check it out officially from the publisher here or also over on amazon. Also check out Brian's blog over on the VMware communities site. Good luck on your exam!
