If you’re a Microsoft Certified Professional who’s interested in virtualization, you might think knowing Hyper-V is enough. I’d argue you’re wrong. If you can also learn VMware, do it!
There are thousands of applications that run every day on the VMware platform, including, for example, virtualized Windows Servers, SharePoint Servers and even Exchange Servers. If you are constantly working with Microsoft products and you are already certified as Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) or Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE), it will be good to test on other virtualization platforms and not only in your comfort zone with Hyper-V.
VMware has been in the market for a while, and it has taken the lead on virtualization globally. Important companies around the world use VMware solutions for their production environment. What if you apply to a new job opening where the virtualization platform is based on VMware? There is a big chance that you’ll encounter this scenario, and even if you are a master of Hyper-V, having the title of VMware Certified Professional (VCP), the base-level VMware cert, can give you extra points during the hiring process.
I believe that all of us who work in IT need to constantly be improving our skill set, learning new technologies and evaluating solutions. The labor market acknowledges the importance of certifications and there is a good amount of jobs that require them.
Now, from the technical point of view, if you are certified in both virtualization platforms it gives you a good background on the features and pros and cons of each, so you can make decisions about which is best for your company.
I believe that, while you may be an expert on one platform, gaining knowledge of the other one will extend your scope, which can lead you to become more open when considering solutions. The more you learn, the easier your job gets when it comes to making decisions that accommodate the business needs. I won’t tell you to learn or get certified on every single virtualization platform, but it makes a lot of sense to get certified at least on the ones that are at the top of the market.
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