A Complete Guide: How to Become Certified in CompTIA Cloud+ CVO-002

CompTIA Cloud+ is the latest exam to help you validate your knowledge about cloud computing. CompTIA is known for their vendor-neutral approach to certifications and has continued that trend with Cloud+.

Business leaders have recognized the promising return on investment (ROI) of cloud computing and IT leaders have realized at the benefits of total cost of ownership (TCO) for technology rollouts. These two factors have helped propel cloud computing to the forefront of the IT field—it ranks as the top worldwide tech interest area according to the Global Knowledge 2018 IT Skills and Salary Report.

Businesses need to have skilled, certified administrators to run cloud environments and that demand will only continue to grow. IT decision-makers are struggling to find qualified cloud talent. According to our report, the cloud skills shortage is due to the fact that more than one or two skills are needed to grow the cloud.

CompTIA Cloud+ is a vendor-neutral, performance-based certification covering technologies that help build and support a cloud infrastructure. The certification helps identify skillsets that create cloud technologies, network, compute, and storage. The knowledge gained from CompTIA Cloud+ training is also needed to identify skill expertise in data center jobs.

Ideal candidates for this exam include those in the following job roles:

• System administrator – responsible for computer systems
• Network administrator – responsible for connectivity of systems
• System engineer – responsible for building and deploying systems
• Network engineer – responsible for creating and deploying connectivity
• Cloud developers – an ever-changing role but with attention to programmability of cloud functions
• Cloud specialist – works with the specifics of a cloud function
• Project manager (cloud) – manages different aspect of cloud scheduling
• Cloud engineer – builder of cloud/data centers
• Manager (data center SANs) – fibre channel manager with storage area network
• Business analyst (cloud computing) – role with analytics

In general, the value of IT certifications are at an all-time high. According to our IT Skills and Salary Report, 95% of IT decision-makers believe certification provides added value to the organization. Individual benefits are abundant as well—certified IT professionals in North America earn 22% more than their non-certified peers.

Specifically, the CompTIA Cloud+ certification helps to reinforce knowledge in cloud technologies that employers are currently looking to obtain. Some of the more key areas of the credential highlight the following abilities:

• Configuration and deployment workload requirements.
• Proper cloud management skills.
• Appropriate automation and orchestration techniques.
• Implementing required levels of security.
• Troubleshooting capacity, automation, connectivity and security.

Test format: 90 performance-based and multiple-choice questions

Duration: 90 minutes

Passing Score: 750 (on a scale of 100-900)

Cost: $302 USD

To take a CompTIA Cloud+ exam, you must first purchase a voucher from CompTIA. The exam code is CV0-002. Once you purchase a voucher, you will schedule your exam at a Pearson VUE testing center. The testing centers require two forms of ID at check-in, as well as a photograph to be included with your exam results.

The exam is computer-based and is proctored on-site with video surveillance recording. No outside materials, such as paper or writing utensils, are allowed, but you are given dry-erase board to write on. Most training centers will provide you with a locker to store your mobile phone, keys, wallet and other personal belongings while you are testing.

Instructor-led training

Global Knowledge, a CompTIA Authorized Platinum Partner, provides a comprehensive CompTIA Cloud+ training course that is a prerequisite to the certification. Global Knowledge’s instructors are not just trainers, but also engineers and architects with many years of experience.

When you take CompTIA Cloud+ CVO-002, you will learn:

• Planning and deployment of a successful cloud system, how to view cloud deployment models and their network interactions, and how to evaluate computer resources required for successful cloud implementation.
• How to test an environment before cloud deployment and how to migrate and integrate cloud services.
• Security controls and about cryptography and its uses.
• Data security and how to use security automation tools and techniques.
• Cloud updates and patching, about cloud backup, and how to schedule and perform cloud maintenance.
• Disaster planning and recovery.
• Cloud resource provisioning and how to run performance analyses.
• How to allocate compute resources and monitor resource usage.
• The troubleshooting process, about deployment and capacity troubleshooting, and how to troubleshoot automation issues.
• How to troubleshoot network issues and about security troubleshooting.

Other recommended courses

Along with the basics of cloud, a background in networking and security is highly recommended.

CompTIA Network+ Certification Prep (N10-007)

• Provides proof of your knowledge, skills, and ability to manage, maintain, troubleshoot, install, operate, and configure a basic network infrastructure in a vendor-neutral format.

Security+ Certification Prep Course

• Provides the basic knowledge needed to plan, implement, and maintain information security in a vendor-neutral format. This includes risk management, host and network security, authentication and access control systems, cryptography, and organizational security.

Real-world experience necessary

Many of CompTIA’s certification exams tend to be introductory. Cloud+ is different. It is recommended that you have two to three years of experience working in system administration before you take the exam.

Know the basics of AWS, Google Cloud and Azure

While CompTIA Cloud+ has dedicated itself to being vender neutral, certification candidates would benefit from a basic understanding of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GPC) and Microsoft Azure. Fortunately, there are free (or almost free) resources available.

• Amazon Web Services: At AWS is a 12-month trial
• Google Cloud Platform: At GPC is a 12-month trial that includes $300 of usage credits.
• Microsoft Azure: Not entirely free but valuable just the same. Azure has some great stuff to offer.

How do you know if you pass?

At the testing center, you will receive a pass or fail notification immediately after taking the exam. The testing center will issue you a paper copy as you sign out.

If you pass, you will receive a welcome kit with your certificate to frame and hang proudly on your wall.

What happens if you don’t pass the exam?

You may retake the CompTIA Cloud+ exam at any point—there is no waiting period after your first failed attempt. However, before a third attempt, or any subsequent attempt to pass the exam, students are required to wait at least 14 days from the date of their previous test.

CompTIA certifications are valid for three years. CompTIA has a number of options to keep your certification active.

• Complete a CompTIA CertMaster CE course: This self-paced, e-learning course builds on the skills you demonstrated when you originally passed the exam. Your certification will automatically renew upon completion of this course.
• Earn a higher-level CompTIA certification: Earning or renewing a higher-level CompTIA certification can renew lower-level CompTIA certifications.
• Earn a higher non-CompTIA IT certification: CompTIA allows you to renew your certificate if you obtain other specific industry certifications. See their preapproved list.
• Pass the latest version of the Cloud+ exam: Simply pass a newer version of your certification exam. This only applies if a newer version exists.

Congratulations! Hopefully, the knowledge you gained preparing for the CompTIA Cloud+ certification will improve your work or help you advance into a better position. The natural progression would be to explore vendor-specific cloud certifications to validate your knowledge in an area of vendor specialization. Certifications from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud (GCP) would be the next logical steps.

Once you pass the certification, to get maximum exposure, you’ll want to immediately load your certificate into your LinkedIn Profile (don’t forget to include your actual certificate number—LinkedIn refers to this as a “License Number”).

In the competitive world of certifications, the CompTIA advantage is that you earned a certification that is not tied to a specific vendor. It takes some time to gain the appropriate knowledge of Cloud+ content but the journey is worth the effort. You will get to explore the three pillars of the data center that make up the cloud—compute, network and storage—and that knowledge will only enhance your ability to administer cloud solutions.

About the author

William Burns

For the better part of 30 years, William Burns has been involved with IT in one facet or another. Having worked in IBM shops early in his career to spending the last 20 years working with Cisco Systems technologies, love of layer 2, 3 and 4 has always been his passion. The past five years have changed William’s focus to concentrate on SDN (Software-Defined Networking) with Cisco’s ACI and DNA, and VMware’s NSX. Along with that change of focus, automation has been introduced to his vocabulary. William lives in Scottsdale, Arizona and is a father to three young men who are his SLA.