Nutanix is a leading cloud computing company that specializes in hyper-converged frameworks and cloud software. They also provide an enterprise cloud that allows companies to run applications at any scale. Generally speaking, Nutanix is a new entrant to the IT industry but still, the company has gained significant momentum in recent years. Thus, it offers training and certifications to professionals under the Nutanix University initiative. The latter aims to groom specialists into Nutanix solution experts by offering programs that help them develop their understanding and skills.

Overview of Nutanix Certifications

Nutanix certificates have currently become the hottest certification vendor in the industry. They validate an individual's expertise and acumen necessary to manage and implement Nutanix technology. Also, any Nutanix certificate is an indication of an individual's ability to deploy, handle, improve, and scale an enterprise cloud. In a nutshell, Nutanix designations are offered at various grades, which include Associate, Professional, Master, and Expert, are designed by industry experts, and are globally recognized. Plus, once certified, professionals are awarded digital badges which can be added to the resumes and shared on social media websites. In addition, accredited specialists are entitled to benefits such as discounts on Nutanix events and access to the Nutanix certification store. Knowing all these, the certifications offered at Nutanix University are the following:

• Nutanix Certified Associate;
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Multicloud Infrastructure;
• Nutanix Certified Professional - Data Services;
• Nutanix Certified Professional - End User Computing;
• Nutanix Certified Master - Multicloud Infrastructure;
• Nutanix Certified Expert - Multicloud Infrastructure;
• Nutanix Platform Expert.

Now, let’s delve into some of the most distinguished validations offered by this renowned company.

Nutanix Certified Professional - Multicloud Infrastructure Certificate

The Nutanix Certified Professional - Multicloud Infrastructure certification confirms an individual's ability to implement, manage, and resolve issues with Nutanix AOS in the Enterprise Cloud. As it’s clear from the name, this qualification falls under the professional certification category, and to procure it, specialists will have to possess the skills necessary to implement and manage Nutanix AOS blocks, clusters, and nodes. They will also need to be competent in using Prism Element to control, address, and solve problems with AHV hosts and VMs. Note that candidates who are interested in gaining the Nutanix Certified Professional - Multicloud Infrastructure certification must pass the NCP-MCI exam that consists of 75 multiple-choice questions. Plus, the entrants are expected to complete the whole testing procedure in 120 minutes. Lastly, such an exam costs 199 USD for each candidate and is available in several language options like Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and English.

Nutanix Certified Master - Multicloud Infrastructure Designation

The Nutanix Certified Master - Multicloud Infrastructure is a master-level certificate that validates an individual's knowledge and skills in carrying out advanced administrative tasks and improving both virtualized workloads as well as infrastructure components on an AOS implementation. This certificate, in particular, is designed for individuals that have about 1-2 years of experience working with AOS including deploying & managing an AOS environment and at best 6 months of related experience working with AHV. Pay attention that candidates are also expected to have some system administration experience to opt for such a certificate. Additionally, before sitting for the related certification exam candidates must be familiar with Prism Central to monitor, administer and troubleshoot multi-cluster deployments. Having complied with all these, candidates must pass the Nutanix Certified Master - Multicloud Infrastructure (NCM-MCI) test to obtain the certification. This exam consists of 90 items that candidates must attempt in 180 minutes. To add more, the questions in it are mainly multiple-choice, multiple-response, and drag & drop, and candidates must obtain a score of 3000 out of 6000 to clear the actual evaluation. Finally, the NCM-MCI certification exam costs 199 USD and is carried out in English, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese.

Nutanix Platform Expert Certification

The Nutanix Platform Expert endorsement verifies an individual's ability to use multiple hypervisors and vendor software stacks to define and deploy enterprise-class outcomes on the platform. What is more, this certification aims to produce technologists and architects that are capable of delivering solutions to add organizational value and support business objectives. That is why candidates undergo rigorous testing and training before being able to achieve such a designation. Besides, to be eligible for the Nutanix Platform Expert certification, candidates must have obtained the Nutanix Certified Professional - Multicloud Infrastructure and Nutanix Certified Master - Multicloud Infrastructure certifications. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended for candidates to have good knowledge of different vendor solution stacks through such certificates as the Cisco CCAr, Red Hat RHCA, VMware VCDX, and/or Microsoft MCM. Keep in mind that applicants that are planning to obtain this certification are required to undergo a two-step process, and unlike most other qualifications, they are not expected to sit for an exam. In particular, they’ll have to do the following:

Step 1: Application Process

• Candidate lodges an application for certification;
• The application is checked by Nutanix.

Step 2: Design Review Stage

• Solution design presentation and question & answer session before a panel;
• Hands-on exercise;
• Design exercise.

Luckily, candidates are not charged for the Nutanix Platform Expert designation during any stage of the application process, and the expert panel will judge the application based on conceptual design elements, physical design elements, and consultation skills.

Career Prospects

Nutanix has gained an excellent brand reputation in a short span of time because of its innovative practices and superior employee policies. The core values at Nutanix are Hungry, Humble, Honest with Heart so this organization is constantly searching for specialists that are passionate about IT and willing to learn. Also, it provides several benefits for its employees and numerous opportunities for growth. For this, such a vendor has been awarded the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work for 2020 award. Thus, certified professionals can work in a range of different job roles including a Software Developer, Cloud Architect, Test Engineer, Design Engineer, Cloud Engineer, DevOps Engineer, Enterprise Manager, Systems Engineer, and Reliability Engineer. As for the salaries, for example, a Software Developer can make as much as almost $73k per annum while a Cloud Architect is eligible for the annual income of $128k as stated by Payscale.

Future Pathway

Nutanix provides an environment for candidates that encourages continuous learning and development through Nutanix University. Therefore, professionals can broaden their knowledge and achieve career goals by participating in various courses and gaining relevant certifications. For sure, you had better commence your education by pursuing the associate-level certificate, which can be complemented by the professional- and master-tier validations. As you remember, expert-level certifications are the highest threshold offered by Nutanix, and reaching them requires a lot of experience, knowledge, skill, and effort.