Certification versus accreditation or awards

VCP, VCAP, VCIX, and VCDX certifications are the main certifications from VMware, but there are also some minor certifications, like the VCA (on digital business transformation).

Progress can be tracked (and shared) in different ways, such as through digital badges (http://www.pearsonvue.com/vmware/badging/).

Other than certification badges, there are also some specific badges, such as the following:

• Specialist badges: Such badges are built on VMware certifications and are issued to technical experts that understand select VMware technological architectures and feature sets, and can leverage best practices and advanced capabilities to optimize their VMware environments.
• Co-skilled badges: Such badges are awarded to individuals that successfully complete the requirements associated with the technology, solutions, or advanced/expert certifications of VMware and selected partners.

Both are outdated as of 2017, and there isn't a new version for 2018 as at the writing of this book.

Note that a specialist badge is not counted as a certification, and it's not a way to renew your VCP certification.

Finally, there is the VMware vExpert program, VMware's global evangelism and advocacy program. The program is designed to put VMware's marketing resources (such as promotion of your articles, exposure at global events, co-op advertising, traffic analysis, and early access to beta programs and VMware's roadmap) toward your advocacy efforts. The awards are for individuals, not companies, and they last for one year. Employees of both customers and partners can receive the awards.

For more information, visit the vExpert page at https://vexpert.vmware.com/.

In the last few years, this program has also been specialized for specific paths: VSAN, NSX, and Cloud.