To boost your IT career, you should learn virtualization technology. Virtualization is a highly sought-after skill in the industry, as many companies need experts who can create and manage virtual systems. Virtualization can help businesses save money, improve performance, and adjust to changing demands.
To prove your virtualization skills, you should get certified. Because virtualization certifications show that you have the knowledge and abilities to work with virtualization technologies. They also help you stand out from other candidates in the queue and increase your chances of getting more offers and higher pay.
In this article, we will discuss the best virtualization certifications and where you can find a high-paying job. Also, we will share if the virtualization certification is worth taking the time and money.
What are Virtualization Engineer certifications?
A virtualization engineer certification is an IT certification that shows how to use virtualization technology. Virtualization lets one physical server or device host many servers and applications, saving money on hardware and making things more efficient.
To get a virtualization engineer certification, individuals must learn how to plan, set up, manage, and protect virtualization solutions. This certification can also make individuals more appealing to employers by proving their skills in this area.
Moreover, virtualization engineer certifications can help individuals stand out in the IT job market by showing their unique abilities compared to non-certified peers. Ultimately, having a virtualization engineer certification can help individuals grow their careers and give them more chances to succeed.
Virtualization is everywhere
Virtualization products are offered by every major network and data center vendor. Some are VMware vSphere, NSX Data Center, Microsoft Hyper-V, Cisco Network Virtualization, Oracle VM, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops (formerly XenApp and XenDesktop), and Red Hat Virtualization. And there are more.
Many public cloud vendors also have their own virtualization engines - and they can run VMware and Hyper-V virtual workloads. Microsoft Azure’s hypervisor is based on Hyper-V (of course!), while Google and AWS use the open-source Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) for their hypervisors.
All these virtualization products, options, and technologies have made virtualization skills and certificates more valuable. And the best way to learn and prove your new skills is by getting virtualization certifications.
Here are the best Virtualization certifications to earn in 2023
VMware Certified Professional – Data Center
Data centers vary in size and design, from warehouse-sized facilities full of server racks to small closets with a few machines. However, most data centers have one thing in common: they run ESXi. ESXi is the leading virtualization software for business environments. It has a long history of reliability and performance, and it dominates the on-prem market over alternatives like Hyper-V.
The VMware Certified Professional – Data Center certifications demonstrate your ability to install, configure, and manage VMware vSphere, the leading virtualization platform in the market. You will learn how to create and administer virtual networks, storage, clusters, and resources and troubleshoot common issues. This certification requires you to clear two exams: one on the basics of vSphere and one on the virtualization of data centers.
Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate
Many businesses have adopted a hybrid model to take advantage of cloud resources and reduce their IT costs. They often choose Microsoft as their cloud partner since they can leverage their existing MS infrastructure on Azure. The Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (WSHAA) certification can help you master this transition.
Azure is based on virtualization. Everything on Azure, from AI services to virtual machines to networking, is virtualized. The Server Hybrid Admin Associate validates your ability to connect ESX or Hyper-V with Azure cloud services. The AZ-801 exam covers deploying AD to the cloud, authenticating on-prem applications against Azure, ensuring high availability and fail-over in hybrid scenarios, and more.
Citrix Certified Associate - Virtualization (CCA-V)
This certification validates your skills in deploying and managing Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, which are solutions that deliver virtual applications and desktops to any device. You will learn how to install, configure, and maintain Citrix components such as StoreFront, Cloud Connector, Delivery Controller, and more.
AWS Certified Sysops Administrator
AWS is the global leader in cloud services. Many start-ups and Fortune 500 companies use AWS for their cloud needs, either exclusively or with other vendors. Therefore, getting the AWS Certified Sysops Administrator certification is a smart move.
The AWS Certified Sysops Admin cert evaluates your ability to deploy and manage workloads on AWS in an automated way. AWS has more than 200 different products, which can have overlapping functions. Getting the Sysops Admin cert can help you choose the best products for your goals.
Cisco CCNP
Cisco is the dominant player in the networking industry, but it also offers server solutions. Cisco has many innovative products, such as blade servers and virtualized networks within server chassis. Cisco’s products often integrate networking and server technologies.
The CCNP will measure your skills in dual-stack architectures, advanced network security concepts, network automation, and more. The CCNP is one of the most sought-after certifications in 2022, according to CIO (com), and it will likely remain relevant for a long time, so it is worth pursuing.
Certified Cloud Security Professional
The Certified Cloud Security Professional certification is a vendor-neutral industry certification specializing in cloud security. It is similar to the CompTIA certifications but more challenging and advanced.
It is mainly for IT leaders, CIOs, CISOs, and senior cloud architects with practical experience. Despite the difficulty, getting the CCSP is rewarding as it can boost your salary and job security.
Oracle VM 3.0 for x86 Certified Implementation Specialist
This certification proves your expertise in implementing and managing Oracle VM, a server virtualization solution that supports Oracle and non-Oracle applications.
You will learn how to create and manage server pools, virtual machines, networks, storage, templates, and integrate Oracle VM with other Oracle products.
Red Hat Certified Specialist in Virtualization
A Red Hat Certified Specialist in Red Hat Virtualization has the skills, knowledge, and abilities to deploy and manage virtualization infrastructure, hosts, and guests using Red Hat® Virtualization.
This certification verifies your skills in using Red Hat Virtualization, an open-source virtualization platform that supports Linux and Windows workloads. You will learn how to install and configure Red Hat Virtualization Manager and Hosts, create and manage virtual machines and networks, perform backups and migrations, and monitor performance.
Job opportunities with Virtualization certifications
Earning virtualization certifications can open up many career opportunities if you have the right skills and experience. Some of the typical job roles that you can pursue are:
Virtualization administrator: A virtualization administrator is responsible for managing and maintaining the virtual infrastructure of an organization. They install, configure, and troubleshoot virtual machines, hosts, networks, and storage.
Virtualization engineer: A virtualization engineer is responsible for designing and implementing virtualization solutions for an organization. They analyze the business requirements and technical specifications and propose the best virtualization architecture and products.
Virtualization consultant: A virtualization consultant is responsible for providing expert advice and guidance on virtualization projects for an organization. They assess the current state of the IT infrastructure and identify the opportunities and challenges for virtualization.
Is it worth it to earn a Virtualization certification?
Cut down your IT expenses: Virtualization can help you lower the costs of hardware, maintenance, power, cooling, and space by consolidating multiple physical servers into fewer virtual ones.
Minimize downtime and improve resiliency in disaster recovery situations: Virtualization can help you enhance the availability and reliability of your IT systems by enabling faster backup, restore, and migration of virtual machines.
Boost efficiency and productivity: Virtualization can help you optimize the performance and utilization of your IT resources by allocating them dynamically according to the demand and priority of the workloads.
Gain flexibility and agility in your IT operations: Virtualization can help you achieve greater flexibility and agility in your IT operations by allowing you to run multiple operating systems and applications on the same hardware.
Reduce your environmental impact: Virtualization can help you reduce your environmental impact by lowering your energy consumption and carbon footprint.
The bottom line
For many years, virtualization has been a driving force of technological innovation. It has transformed how organizations handle and provision their IT resources, enhancing performance and adaptability. The VMware certification team has been striving to match these advancements, working with experts to offer state-of-the-art certification programs.
If you want to take any of the certifications mentioned above, CBT Proxy can help you pass the exam on your first attempt. To learn more about the exam and how to get started, click the chat button options right side of your screen. One of our guides will get in touch with you and assist you shortly.
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