A home lab is one of the most valuable resources for any engineer, offering a safe space to experiment, troubleshoot, and master new technologies at your own pace. VMware by Broadcom has long supported this spirit of hands-on learning, and now, with VMUG Advantage, the program includes access to the VMware Avi Load Balancer License. This new benefit allows Advantage members who pass the Broadcom Education – VCP-VCF Administrator certification exam to receive free personal-use Avi licenses for up to three years *—no prior Avi experience required. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your skills, this is a great opportunity to explore enterprise-grade load balancing and application security right in your own home lab.
Once you’re armed with the VMUG Advantage license, you can get hands-on with functionalities like local and global server load balancing (GSLB), web application firewall (WAF), Kubernetes ingress and other application delivery services in your home lab. The license is good for 12 Avi Service Units, in addition to VCF licenses. More than enough to build out your home lab scenario.
*Upon completing the certification exam, VMUG Advantage members receive a one-year license. For the second and third years, they must complete a brief refresher VCF-VCP exam each year to earn additional one-year licenses, totaling three one-year licenses.
Step 1: To learn more about becoming a VMUG Advantage member, get started at https://www.vmug.com/membership/vmug-advantage-membership/
Step 2: Sign up for and pass the VCF-VCP exam. VMware Certification
Step 3: Armed with your VCF and Avi licenses, it’s time to fire up the lab. Check out these links to learn and deploy it in your lab.
- Installation Guides
- vCenter Cloud Connector
- Create a Virtual Service (short)
- Create a Virtual Service (verbose)
- Lab Guide
Step 4: Join free, regularly scheduled live training workshops
Step 5: Now that you’re an expert, consider getting your VMware Certified Professional: VMware Avi Load Balancer certification to go with your VCF cert.
- VMware Certified Professional: Avi Load Balancing Administrator
- Avi Load Balancer for Operators Skills
if you’re up for more challenges
Now that you’re a load balancing expert with Avi, don’t forget to add Avi to your resume and ask for a pay raise! More seriously, advocate and deploy Avi in your enterprise workloads.
Check out a few more really cool stuff:
