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Create a vSphere 6.0 VCP Lab with VMware Workstation (Udemy.com)

NOTE - I have created new version of this course for vSphere 6.7!! I strongly recommend that course vs. this one.

Created by: Rick Crisci

Last updated November 2024

Our take

Based on the ratings of 151 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in November 2024. No course pays to be reviewed.

This is a short, narrow course. Rick Crisci shows how to build a vSphere 6 home lab inside VMware Workstation 12 using the AutoLab tool. The result is a router, domain controller, virtual NAS, several ESXi hosts and vCenter, all on one PC. It runs 44 minutes across 13 lectures. The description itself says the newer vSphere 6.7 version is the better pick, and that files for this one may be hard to find. That matters more than anything else here.

Reviewers who got it working are happy. One calls it direct and to the point, and another says Crisci's clear way of speaking keeps the steps simple. One beginner with no VMware background said it gave a basic grounding to learn from. The complaints are practical, though. One says it moves too fast, and one found the build took five hours, not the two promised. Others hit dead links, missing login details for the hosts, and a documentation site that has gone quiet. One two-star reviewer felt it added little beyond the free AutoLab deployment guide.

Value is the real question. Students rate it 4.4 from 151 reviews, and the listing shows an update in November 2024, but the content still targets Workstation 12 and vSphere 6.0. One reviewer says that version can no longer be downloaded. If you can still get those installers, it is a quick way to see the whole build. Most people should start with Crisci's vSphere 6.7 home lab course instead, which he says also covers 6 and 6.5.

Best forPeople who need the exact vSphere 6.0 and Workstation 12 setup and want a short, guided AutoLab build.
Skip it ifYou want a current lab on vSphere 6.7 or later, or need more detail than the AutoLab docs give.

Pros

  • Short enough to finish in one sitting, 44 minutes over 13 lectures
  • Crisci's clear, easy-to-follow speaking style, per reviewers
  • Builds a router, domain controller, NAS, ESXi hosts and vCenter in one lab
  • Works for first-timers with no VMware background, reviewers say

Cons

  • Built for vSphere 6.0, which one reviewer says can no longer be downloaded
  • One student's build took about five hours, not the two promised
  • Leans on AutoLab docs, with dead links and some steps that move too fast
This course walked me through exactly what I needed to set up a home lab. I had no issues following and getting things to work.
Yvette Malizzi, a student

The beginner label fits, but it expects a PC, Workstation 12 install media and patience with AutoLab scripts.

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What you will learn

  • Create a vSphere 6 lab on a computer using VMware Workstation 12.
  • Use the AutoLab tool to create a complete test environment complete with domain controller, a virtual router, and a virtual storage device.

Course content

2 sections · 13 lectures · 44 min of video 1 article

  1. 1Course Introduction 1 free preview2 lectures · 1 min
  2. 2Creating your vSphere 6 Lab 4 free previews11 lectures · 42 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • This course is meant for anyone who wants to get hands on experience with vSphere 6 without investing in expensive hardware.
  • Anyone preparing for the VMware Certified Professional (VCP) or VMware Certified Associate (VCA) will benefit from building this home lab.

What you need before you start

  • You need a computer and the VMware Workstation 12 (or 12.5) installation media. You do not need license keys to complete the installation.

How it compares

Against the other 50 rated Udemy courses in VMware on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.4 out of 5higher than 10% of them
  • Reviews151#49 of 51 by number of reviews
  • Length0.7 hoursshorter than 100% of them
  • Last updatedNovember 2024more recently than 62% of them

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Course Description

NOTE - I have created a new version of this course for vSphere 6.7!! I strongly recommend that course vs. this one. You may have issues finding the files for this version.

Search Udemy for vSphere 6.7 Home Lab to find it. My new course can be used to create a Home Lab for vsphere 6, 6.5, or 6.7.


"This course walked me through exactly what I needed to set up a home lab. I had no issues following and getting things to work. This allows me to get started with learning!"  - Yvette

"Having never worked with VMware or VM's it gave me a very basic understanding of how to set up a lab so I could learn more. Nice job."  - John


This course will walk you through the process of creating a vSphere 6 lab on your home computer. You'll learn how to use VMware Workstation and will create multiple virtual machines.

When you are done you will have a completely functional vSphere 6 lab environment, complete with a router, domain controller, virtual NAS device, and multiple ESXi hosts. You will also have vCenter deployed and will be able to launch the vSphere Web Client and manage your environment.

The course is about 40 minutes in length, but if you are following along at home the process to completely build your Home Lab should take about two hours.

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Instructor Details

Rick Crisci

I am the owner of TrainerTests and have delivered thousands of hours of official live training to my students, and I love teaching people new skills.

I provide video training unlike any other organization. I believe in using high quality illustrations and animations to simplify complex concepts. In my courses you will get the technical depth that you need, with a focus on making sure that you completely understand the underlying concepts.

Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn, I always enjoy making new contacts with my students!

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Reviews

4.4

151 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By Glenn Reed on 3/15/2019

This course is good except for the fact that you can no longer get vsphere 6.0. You have to try to get it to work with vsphere 6.5 or 6.7 and some things have changed since this course was written. It would be great if it was updated for newer content and to use the Vcenter appliance instead of a windows Vcenter server

By BA-Tech SB-Jana on 2/4/2019

Hello everybody, First of all, this short nice course is really direct to the point. But I think it would be great to direct us the (Students) to which course material/s can one follow along after building this Lab. Thank you,

By Yvette Malizzi on 11/19/2018

This course walked me through exactly what I needed to set up a home lab. I had no issues following and getting things to work. This allows me to get started with learning!

By john D on 4/28/2018

Having never worked with VMware or VM's it gave me a very basic understanding of how to set up a lab so I could learn more. Nice job.

By Anonymized User on 4/5/2018

Realistically the instructor could have pointed me to the AutoLab documentation for free and I could have saved the $10. He must have stated 10 times "this is all documented in the Deployment document, and he really didn't add anything beyond that. Not to mention, the site which he is using for the documentation - labguides.com - is horribly outdated. There has been no activity on that site for three years. Additionally, when the instructor made a mistake on the video (just after the initial startup of the FreeNAS device, when preparing to populate the build share), you can hear him say to himself "Oh, reset" and then start that section over again. Would have been much more professional to actually cut that piece out rather than leaving it in. As mentioned above, the worst part is that the entire course (as well as the AutoLab content) is wildly outdated. Windows XP VMs, 2003 server, it looks to be a good 4-5 years behind the current curve, and is no longer being maintained. The course covers only the most basic, generic Lab setup; even my modest and more mainstream hardware configuration is beyond the abilities of AutoLab. All in all a waste of money.

By Bernard J. Gardier on 3/11/2018

Rick simplified the process. This training lab will definitely give you the components necessary to successfully pass the exam. I would like to see another training video on in installing update manager.

By Nanjundeswaran Raman on 1/1/2018

Has been very useful. I would greatly appreciate if a step-by-step instructions were made available for all the tasks executed through Autolabs and related scripts.

By Wes McLeod on 6/5/2017

Great course! First run with VMs, went very smooth. Had a few problems on my end but the documentation was detailed and I was able to troubleshoot my mistakes. Learned a lot!

By Jeffrey Donald Conner on 4/25/2017

Most things are explained, but not everything. What is the root login to Host1, Host2, and Host3? I am having some trouble finding that information.

By Miss Mitchell on 2/16/2017

I am as green as it gets and the at the rate he's going, I am able to keep up without him making me feel like I'm stupid. THANK YOU!!! And keep doing what you're doing...

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Overall Score : 88 / 100