VMware vSAN Deploy and Manage 6.7 – Exam 2VB-601 Preparation Course

What You'll Learn

This course is designed to prepare students for deploying and managing VMware vSAN 6.7 environments effectively. The course content assumes that students have prior experience and skills related to VMware virtualization technologies. 

Specifically, before enrolling, students should be able to independently perform certain tasks such as utilizing the VMware vSphere Web Client and creating and managing VMware vCenter Server objects, including data centers, clusters, hosts, and virtual machines. These foundational skills are essential for fully engaging with the advanced vSAN content presented in this training.

Enrollment Prerequisites

To maximize the benefits of this course, students are required to meet one of the following prerequisites:

• Hands-on experience with storage administration, particularly involving block-level or file-based storage devices. This experience provides a fundamental understanding of storage systems and operations, which is necessary when working with software-defined storage solutions like vSAN.
  
  

• Completion of the VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage course for version 6.5, which covers core virtualization concepts and VMware infrastructure management skills that underpin the knowledge needed for this course.

Meeting one of these prerequisites ensures that participants have the technical background required to understand and apply the concepts and techniques taught throughout the course.

Course Description

The focus of this training is on deploying and managing VMware vSAN 6.7, a robust software-defined storage solution that forms a critical component of the VMware software-defined data center (SDDC) framework. VMware vSAN integrates with the VMware virtualization stack to deliver highly available, scalable, and performant storage capabilities optimized for virtual machines.

Students will delve deeply into the architecture and operational model of vSAN, gaining insight into how it aggregates direct-attached storage devices from multiple hosts into a distributed, shared datastore. The course includes hands-on lab exercises that reinforce theoretical knowledge with practical experience, enabling students to build, configure, and manage vSAN clusters effectively.

In addition to the core deployment and management tasks, the course covers advanced features such as encryption, fault domains, stretched clusters, and health monitoring tools, all crucial for maintaining resilient and secure storage environments.

Students will also learn how to apply virtual machine storage policies to optimize resource allocation and meet specific workload requirements. Through comprehensive lab activities, students gain real-world experience preparing for the VMware certification exam 2VB-601.

Detailed Learning Objectives

By the conclusion of the course, participants will have developed the ability to:

• Explain the fundamental architecture of VMware vSAN, including its components, operation, and how it integrates with VMware vSphere to deliver a seamless software-defined storage platform.
  
  

• Recognize the key features and benefits of vSAN and identify the most appropriate use cases where vSAN provides significant advantages over traditional storage solutions.
  
  

• Configure the necessary network components to enable efficient and reliable vSAN communication across the cluster, including virtual switches, VMkernel adapters, and multicast configurations.
  
  

• Build and configure a fully functional vSAN cluster, managing hosts and storage resources to provide a resilient and scalable storage platform.
  
  

• Deploy virtual machines on vSAN datastores, understanding how storage policies govern data placement, performance, and availability.
  
  

• Define and manage virtual machine storage policies to tailor storage capabilities according to workload requirements and business objectives.
  
  

• Execute routine management tasks on vSAN clusters, such as monitoring system health, managing capacity, troubleshooting issues, and performing maintenance operations.
  
  

• Outline and perform upgrade procedures from earlier vSAN versions to vSAN 6.6, ensuring continuity and minimizing disruption.
  
  

• Implement vSAN encryption to protect data at rest and meet organizational security mandates.
  
  

• Manage vSAN resynchronization tasks to ensure data integrity and availability during cluster changes or recovery processes.
  
  

• Create and administer nested fault domains to optimize fault tolerance in complex, large-scale vSAN environments.
  
  

• Use the vSAN health service dashboard and other monitoring tools to assess the health, performance, and compliance of vSAN clusters, enabling proactive management.
  
  

• Configure and operate stretched clusters to provide geographic redundancy and disaster recovery capabilities, and understand failover behavior in multi-site deployments.
  
  

• Understand the interoperability of vSAN with other VMware vSphere features, including High Availability (HA), Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), and other VMware products to build an integrated data center solution.
  
  

• Develop comprehensive plans and designs for vSAN clusters that align with organizational needs for scalability, performance, and fault tolerance.

Who Should Attend

This course is intended for storage administrators, virtualization administrators, and IT professionals responsible for designing, deploying, and managing virtualized storage infrastructures. Those who are interested in leveraging software-defined storage through VMware vSAN will find this course particularly beneficial. Whether you are responsible for an existing VMware environment or planning a new deployment, this course offers the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively implement and manage vSAN solutions.

Expanded Course Content and Overview

1. Introduction to VMware vSAN

Students begin by exploring the role of vSAN within the VMware ecosystem. Understanding how vSAN forms the foundation for software-defined storage in the SDDC is crucial. This includes a review of traditional storage challenges and how vSAN addresses them through integration with hypervisor capabilities and host-level storage resources.

2. vSAN Architecture and Components

The course provides a detailed examination of the vSAN architecture, explaining components such as cache and capacity tiers, storage policies, fault domains, and the vSAN datastore. It covers how storage is distributed and protected across hosts to achieve high availability.

3. Networking for vSAN

Network configuration is critical for vSAN performance and reliability. Students learn how to set up VMkernel ports for vSAN traffic, configure physical and virtual networking components, and ensure multicast traffic is correctly managed.

4. Deploying and Configuring a vSAN Cluster

Participants gain hands-on experience building vSAN clusters, including adding hosts, configuring disk groups, and enabling vSAN features. They learn how to verify cluster status and ensure all components are functioning properly.

5. Virtual Machine Storage Policies

Understanding storage policies is central to leveraging vSAN’s capabilities. The course teaches how to create, modify, and apply policies that control factors like performance, availability, and capacity for virtual machine storage.

Course Delivery and Learning Methodology

This course is designed to provide a well-rounded, immersive, and practical learning experience for professionals aiming to master VMware vSAN 6.7 and pass the 2VB-601 certification exam. To achieve this, the course leverages a blended learning approach that combines theoretical instruction with hands-on, scenario-based practice.

At the core of the course delivery is instructor-led training. These sessions are conducted by experienced VMware-certified trainers who bring both deep technical knowledge and real-world field experience. Instructors guide learners through the various modules of the course, explaining complex concepts in a structured and accessible manner. They provide detailed breakdowns of the vSAN architecture, configuration steps, use cases, and troubleshooting methods. The lectures are interactive, allowing participants to ask questions, engage in discussions, and clarify their understanding of each topic in real time.

Interactive discussions play an important role in reinforcing key concepts. These discussions are facilitated throughout the course to encourage critical thinking and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Learners are invited to share their own use cases, challenges, and experiences with VMware technologies, creating a collaborative environment where everyone benefits from the group’s collective expertise. These sessions often involve analyzing real-world problems, discussing industry best practices, and comparing deployment strategies across different environments.

Complementing the instructor-led components are hands-on lab exercises, which form the practical backbone of the course. Each lab is carefully designed to simulate realistic data center scenarios that professionals might encounter in a production environment. Through these labs, learners get step-by-step guidance on how to configure and manage vSAN clusters, implement storage policies, monitor health and performance, and resolve common operational issues.

These labs help bridge the gap between theory and practice, allowing participants to build confidence as they apply their knowledge in a safe and controlled environment. By completing these tasks, learners can develop technical proficiency in a way that’s immediately applicable in real-world deployments.

In addition to lab-based exercises, the course includes a comprehensive exam preparation component. Throughout the course, students are introduced to questions that closely resemble those found in the actual VMware 2VB-601 exam. These practice questions cover a wide range of topics such as vSAN cluster deployment, troubleshooting, storage policies, encryption, health services, and advanced configuration features. Each question is followed by a detailed explanation to help students understand why a particular answer is correct and how to approach similar questions on the actual exam.

The goal of including these exam-like questions is not only to test learners' knowledge but to help them develop the mindset and test-taking strategies needed to succeed in the certification process. This approach reduces exam anxiety and improves performance by familiarizing participants with the structure, format, and level of difficulty they can expect.

The course also provides additional learning resources such as downloadable guides, configuration checklists, VMware documentation references, and exam blueprints. These materials can be used for self-study after class and serve as valuable references for day-to-day work in a VMware environment.

Overall, the course delivery and learning methodology are built around active participation, practical skill-building, and comprehensive exam readiness. Whether you are a storage administrator, a virtualization engineer, or an IT professional responsible for enterprise infrastructure, this course ensures you walk away not only with technical expertise in VMware vSAN but also the confidence and preparation to earn your certification and succeed in real-world deployments.

Course Benefits

This VMware vSAN Deploy and Manage 6.7 course offers a wide range of benefits, both immediate and long-term, for IT professionals aiming to specialize in software-defined storage or enhance their virtualization expertise. The curriculum is crafted not only to equip participants with hands-on technical knowledge but also to prepare them for certification and real-world operational demands.

One of the most significant advantages of the course is its career-impacting potential. VMware technologies are widely adopted across enterprises and data centers globally. As organizations continue shifting to hyper-converged infrastructure models, professionals skilled in VMware vSAN become increasingly valuable. Completing this course enables students to take on more advanced roles in IT operations, storage management, and virtualization architecture.

Another major benefit is comprehensive exam readiness. The course includes detailed preparation for the VMware 2VB-601 certification exam, which is a recognized credential in the industry. This certification can serve as a powerful validation of your skills and can improve your professional credibility, boost your resume, and open doors to new career opportunities.

Participants also benefit from real-world applicability. Every module is carefully designed to mirror actual scenarios IT administrators face in the field. Whether it's configuring a stretched cluster for high availability or managing resynchronization after a failure, students gain the knowledge and experience to perform confidently in their daily roles. The use of realistic labs ensures students can translate what they’ve learned into immediate on-the-job performance.

Additionally, the course promotes problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Through interactive sessions and scenario-based questions, students learn how to think like a VMware administrator — analyzing issues, determining the best course of action, and applying best practices for efficiency and reliability.

Other key benefits  include:

• Access to seasoned instructors with real-world experience

• Opportunity to work through real-life case studies and deployment scenarios

• Deep understanding of vSAN’s integration with the broader VMware ecosystem

• Exposure to advanced vSAN features such as encryption, health services, and fault domains

• Post-training support resources and reference materials for long-term use

For organizations, training their teams with this course ensures that environments are managed efficiently, securely, and in line with VMware-recommended practices, which can lead to reduced downtime, better performance, and higher ROI on infrastructure investments.

Student Views and Testimonials

Feedback from past participants consistently highlights the practical value and effectiveness of this course. Many students appreciate the depth of instruction and the clarity with which complex concepts are explained. The combination of hands-on labs, instructor support, and exam-style questions helps learners not only understand the theory but also gain the skills to perform confidently in production environments.

Here’s what some of the students have said:

“This course was exactly what I needed to fully understand how vSAN works in a real-world scenario. The labs were detailed and very similar to what we face in the data center. I was able to apply what I learned immediately back on the job.”

 – David M., Virtualization Administrator

“The exam preparation materials were a huge help. The sample questions and detailed breakdowns gave me a solid feel for what to expect on the 2VB-601 exam. I passed on my first try.”

 – Anjali R., Systems Engineer

“I appreciated how the instructor took time to explain not just the 'how' but the 'why'. I walked away from this course with a better understanding of design principles and best practices.”

 – Carlos T., Infrastructure Consultant

“This is one of the best VMware courses I’ve attended. The balance between theory and practice was perfect. I now feel confident managing our vSAN environment and planning our next upgrade.”

 – Maria L., Senior IT Specialist

Many students also noted the value of the course for team-based learning. Several organizations enrolled multiple members of their IT staff to ensure consistency in vSAN deployment and administration practices, leading to better collaboration and fewer errors during implementation.

Summary:

The VMware vSAN Deploy and Manage 6.7 course is a comprehensive and in-depth training program designed to equip IT professionals, particularly storage and virtualization administrators, with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to effectively deploy, configure, administer, and optimize VMware vSAN environments. As businesses increasingly rely on software-defined storage solutions to improve efficiency and scalability, vSAN has emerged as a powerful and integral component of VMware’s Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) architecture. This course prepares learners to meet the demands of modern IT infrastructure by leveraging the full capabilities of vSAN 6.7.

Throughout the duration of the course, participants engage in both theoretical learning and hands-on lab exercises that simulate real-world scenarios. This blended approach ensures that students not only understand the core concepts of vSAN but also gain valuable experience in implementing and managing vSAN clusters in a practical environment. The curriculum covers a wide array of topics, starting with an overview of vSAN architecture and use cases, and advancing into deeper technical aspects such as storage policies, fault domains, stretched clusters, and vSAN health monitoring tools.

One of the key strengths of the VMware vSAN Deploy and Manage 6.7 course is its structured and methodical delivery. The course starts with foundational concepts, making it accessible to administrators who may be new to VMware’s hyper-converged infrastructure solution, and gradually builds up to more advanced topics suitable for experienced professionals. Among the critical components covered are the configuration of vSAN networking, managing vSAN storage capacity and performance, performing vSAN upgrades and maintenance, as well as troubleshooting common issues.

The course also emphasizes best practices for vSAN deployment, helping learners avoid common pitfalls and ensure optimal performance and reliability in their production environments. Through guided lab exercises, students practice tasks such as creating and applying storage policies, provisioning virtual machines on a vSAN datastore, and using VMware tools to monitor and troubleshoot the vSAN environment.

By the end of the course, students will not only be capable of confidently managing vSAN clusters in a live environment but will also be well-prepared to sit for the VMware 2VB-601 certification exam, which validates their expertise in vSAN deployment and administration. This certification is a valuable credential that can enhance a professional’s career prospects in the field of virtualization and cloud infrastructure.

In conclusion, the VMware vSAN Deploy and Manage 6.7 course is an essential learning path for IT professionals seeking to advance their knowledge of VMware’s hyper-converged infrastructure technology. It provides a balanced mix of theoretical understanding and practical application, making it a highly effective training solution. Whether the goal is to strengthen an organization’s storage capabilities, improve personal technical proficiency, or earn a recognized industry certification, this course lays the groundwork for achieving success with VMware vSAN.