Last week I finally got around to scheduling my VCP5 exam. I gave myself ten days to study hard and get fully prepared. The first five days, I dabbled around in the usual sites and began memorizing the configuration maximums. I didn’t push myself too hard and I ended up studying like crazy in the 2-3 days prior to yesterday. I read a few VCP5 test experiences and got a better understanding of how the 5 exam had been changed compared to the old VCP4 exam. I also studied the configuration maximums and took many prep tests. A few hours before the test, I had exhausted myself of cramming. I went in confident and came out with a passing grade with 30 minutes to spare.

I suggest the following before taking the test:

1. Don’t worry about the configuration maximums very much. – My question bank had very little to do with them
2. Study up on vDS implementations.
3. Get your thinking cap on as there are many real-world troubleshooting examples.
4. Don’t over think the answers, they are not trying to trick you!
5. Go over the new vSphere 5 features and upgrade paths.

My recommended VCP5 study resources can be found here.