VMware Certified Master Specialist – Cloud Native 2020 – Passed

So last week 17 September 2020, I passed the VMware Certified Master Specialist Cloud Native 2020 exam.

I can agree with some of my colleagues that have also passed this exam that it was not an easy test to pass since this was my second attempt.

For me the reason it was a bit hard is because I have a background within infrastructure, working with VMware products handling Software Defined Data Centers and NSX-T.
Understanding a whole new set of tools and ways working as a Developer/DevOps is challenging but a new and very exciting arena for me.

I believe that the future working with VMware products and also OpenSource Communities is the way to go. Not to get stuck with just Legacy OS:es and Applications not created as Cloud Native Apps. But a Mixture of Cloud Native apps and Legacy Applications and Backend Systems all with philosophy that; Lifecycle handling, Tooling, Automation and Orchestration is one of the key elements in surviving in this fast pace-moving Tech World we live in.

So to give som help to you reading this in how you can walk the walk and talk the talk in getting your own VMware Certified Master Specialist Cloud Native Badge below are my links I followed during this chapter that just has begun.

Prerequisites:

CKA/CKAD
First and foremost it is a requirement to pass one of the exams for CKA, Certified Kubernetes Administrator or CKAD Certified Kubernetes Application Developer. I went with CKA since that’s my background.

Read and get to know the full documentation of the Kubernetes.io site Kubernetes.io
Create an account at CNFC before taking the CKA/CKAD exam: https://www.cncf.io/certification/cka/

I took the course Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) with Practice Tests at Udemy
https://www.udemy.com/share/101WmEAEMaeFtWTHwH/

Preparations for the VMware Certified Master Specialist Cloud Native 2020 exam:
The site that explains all needed to pass the exam: VMware

Read up on the Studyguide and learn each of the links in the document listed. https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/certification/vmw-ms-cloud-native-2019.pdf

I read some blogs to prepare and followed their very good advise:
https://itq.eu/knowledge/vmware-cloud-native-master-specialist-exam/
https://johannstander.com/2020/02/26/vmware-cloud-native-master-specialist/

I also did som HOL at VMware that has some of the tools questioned in the test:
HOL Cloud Native Apps
HOL-2033-01-CNA

The test is not asking any questions regarding PKS Enterprise as it says in the description for the exam. So disregard that. I hope VMware will change this because it creates confusion.
The Certification get more into asking questions regarding Docker, Docker Build how to crate a file in the correct order etc.
A whole bunch of questions on OPA Open Policy Agent with Rego, Pod Security Policies, Conformance Tests with Sonobuy, Monitoring and writing exporters with Prometheus, Backup with Velero, and Log Forwarding with FluentBit.

I would also advise to create a Kubernetes cluster and test all of the mentioned apps, tools and functionality on your own to get to know how and what they do.

As a bonus go and learn Tanzu and about Kubernetes at the following sites:
https://www.modernapps.ninja/
https://kube.academy

Good Luck!