The VMware Hands on Labs (HOL for short) has been a tremendous tool for Customers, Partners, and even VMware Employees to learn, test, and try nearly every product VMware has produced. The HOL covers everything from Virtualization 101 for those who are just getting started all the way to testing a full Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure. There are also labs for emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). It’s all completely free and no prior experience required. You also don’t need to follow the script. These are real, live environments so you can use them to test an idea if you don’t have your own lab. There are so many possibilities with the HOL! Here’s a short video that explains:
To help you get started we’ve put together a quick list of labs focused on vSphere, the foundation of the Software Defined Data Center (SDDC). Before we get to the list, there are several different types of labs. First, there is the Standard lab which is the most common. These labs are generally 2-4 hours in length where you go at your own pace to work through a set of exercises that will teach you about a specific set of technologies. The next type of lab is the LightningLab. As the name suggests, these are typically 15 – 90 minutes and are a quicker way to hit the highlights of a product or solution. You can always start with a lightning lab and then move onto the standard lab for a more immersive experience.
The next two lab types are a bit different. We have the Challenge Lab which is mean to test your knowledge in a non-competitive setting. But, if you want to see how your skills measure up against vSphere Administrators from all over the globe, the Odyssey Labs might be for you. The Odyssey labs also test your skills but use automated scoring to measure success that can then be compared to others who also participate in those labs. There is a global leaderboard to show where you stack up. It’s a fun way to keep improving your skills while climbing the global leaderboard!
When you visit the HOL catalog, you’ll notice over 100 available labs. If you’re interested in vSphere then here are some recommendations of where to start:
The team is always working on new lab content and we’ll be sure to announce new labs as they come out. If you don’t see something that meets your needs, drop us a note on Facebook or Twitter.
