Microsoft debuts a new virtualization exam

With the release of Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 coming soon enough, the Microsoft Learning Group has started beta testing yet another virtualization exam, this one covering the new SCVMM management solution.

After announcing its first Hyper-V test – Exam 70-652 – Technical Specialist (TS) – Windows Server Virtualization, Configuring, Microsoft now announces the beta test for its upcoming SCVMM, 70-403: TS: System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008, Configuring.

The exam measures the candidate on the following items:

Installing SCVMM

• Install SCVMM server components – May include but is not limited to: Server prerequisites, database, Windows versions, enabling SAN migration, User Access Control (UAC) issues.

• Install administrator console – May include but is not limited to: Administrator console prerequisites, platform support, firewall settings, Workgroup requirements vs. Domain requirements, custom ports, managed hosts from admin console, enable reporting for admin console.

• Install self-service portal – May include but is not limited to: self-service portal prerequisites, IIS components, compatibility, custom ports, host headers.

• Install PRO tips – May include but is not limited to: Ops manager, management packs, Admin consoles, security.

Administering SCVMM

• Configure user roles – May include but is not limited to: delegate admin, setting permissions for specific host or host groups, using self-service portal to create test environment, add delegated administrator.

• Setup self service – May include but is not limited to: enabling user or group for self service, setting custom ports for self service, establishing quota, self-provisioning (templates).

• Maintain VMM library – May include but is not limited to: adding a library, adding additional library shares or servers, moving files to library share, mapping ISOs, types of library files.

• Configure hosts – May include but is not limited to: adding hosts, installing a local agent, adding VMware VC server, configuring a virtual network, creating filters in the console.

• Monitor jobs – May include but is not limited to: verifying specific jobs, recovering from job failure, change tracking, job filtering.

Maintaining and Monitoring VMs

• Configure VM hardware – May include but is not limited to: NIC configuration, configuring VM drive, configuring memory, configuring CPU.

• Manage virtual instance checkpoints and patches – May include but is not limited to: Checkpoints, creating a checkpoint of a VM, deploying patches.

• Monitoring and reporting VMs – May include but is not limited to: integrating Ops Manager, selecting potential virtualization targets, monitoring utilization.

Deploying and Migrating VMs

• Convert from physical or virtual platforms – May include but is not limited to: P2V, V2V.

• Move VMs between hosts – May include but is not limited to: migrating a SAN, migration options, intelligent placement.

• Deploy VMs – May include but is not limited to: deploy VM from VHD, deploy VM from template, create template from existing VM, provisioning new machines and applications, intelligent placement.

• Deploy a high-availability VM – May include but is not limited to: configuring host clustering, configuring guest clustering, configuring a VM for high availability, configuring library shares for high availability.

And as is usually the case with Microsoft beta exams, this beta exam is free of charge, and those who pass the beta exam can count it toward a qualifying certification.