VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN Study Guide: Everything You Need to Know 2025
Your complete roadmap to passing the 5V0-22.23 certification exam. This comprehensive study guide covers all 4 exam domains with detailed explanations, study tips, and practice resources.
Quick Start
Essential steps to begin your preparation
Review Exam Objectives
View all domains →Take Assessment Quiz
Free practice test →Follow Study Plan
8-week roadmap →Full Practice Exams
Start practicing →Exam Domains & Objectives
Master these 4 domains to pass the 5V0-22.23 exam
vSAN Architecture and Components
vSAN Configuration and Deployment
vSAN Management and Operations
vSAN Troubleshooting and Optimization
8-Week Study Plan
Follow this structured plan to prepare for your VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN exam
Foundation
Understand core concepts and exam objectives
Focus Areas:
- vSAN Architecture and Components
- vSAN Configuration and Deployment
Deep Dive
Master advanced topics and practical applications
Focus Areas:
- vSAN Management and Operations
- vSAN Troubleshooting and Optimization
Practice & Review
Take practice exams and review weak areas
Focus Areas:
Final Prep
Full practice exams and last-minute review
Focus Areas:
- Full-length practice tests
- Review all domains
Curated Study Resources
AI-curated resources with real links to help you prepare for the VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN exam
Complete Study Guide for VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN (5V0-22.23)
The VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN certification validates your expertise in implementing, managing, and troubleshooting VMware vSAN hyper-converged infrastructure. This professional-level certification demonstrates your ability to architect, deploy, and optimize vSAN storage solutions in enterprise environments. It is highly valued for professionals working with software-defined storage and VMware virtualization infrastructures.
Who Should Take This Exam
- VMware administrators managing vSAN environments
- Storage administrators transitioning to software-defined storage
- Infrastructure architects designing hyper-converged solutions
- IT professionals working with VMware vSphere environments
- Cloud infrastructure engineers
Prerequisites
- Solid understanding of VMware vSphere 7.x or 8.x
- Experience with VMware ESXi administration
- Knowledge of storage concepts (RAID, storage protocols, disk types)
- Familiarity with networking fundamentals
- Hands-on experience with vCenter Server
- Understanding of high availability and fault tolerance concepts
Official Resources
VMware Certification Overview
Official VMware certification homepage with exam registration and requirements
View ResourceVMware vSAN Documentation
Comprehensive official documentation for vSAN architecture, deployment, and management
View ResourcevSAN Design and Sizing Guide
Official design guidelines and best practices for vSAN deployments
View ResourceVMware vSAN Technical Resources
Central hub for vSAN technical documentation, guides, and whitepapers
View ResourceVMware Hands-on Labs
Free hands-on lab environments to practice vSAN configuration and management
View ResourceVMware Learning Zone
Official learning portal with training paths and certification information
View ResourceRecommended Courses
Recommended Books
VMware vSAN Deployment and Management Guide
by VMware Press
Comprehensive guide covering vSAN architecture, deployment strategies, and operational best practices for hyper-converged infrastructure
View on AmazonMastering VMware vSAN
by Various Authors
Advanced topics in vSAN including troubleshooting, performance tuning, and real-world implementation scenarios
View on AmazonPractice & Hands-On Resources
VMware Hands-on Labs - vSAN
Free, browser-based lab environments with pre-configured vSAN scenarios for hands-on practice without hardware requirements
View ResourceVMware vSAN ReadyNode Sizer
Tool for designing and sizing vSAN clusters, helpful for understanding capacity planning and architecture decisions
View ResourceVMware Test Drive
Free trial environments where you can explore vSAN features and configurations in a guided environment
View ResourcevSAN Observer Fling
Free tool from VMware for deep performance analysis and troubleshooting of vSAN clusters
View ResourceVMware Learning Zone Practice Tests
Official practice questions and exam simulators to test your knowledge before the actual exam
View ResourceCommunity & Forums
VMware Technology Network (VMTN) Community
Official VMware forums with dedicated vSAN sections for technical discussions, troubleshooting help, and best practices
Join Communityr/vmware Subreddit
Active Reddit community discussing VMware products including vSAN, with study tips, exam experiences, and technical discussions
Join Communityr/vsan Subreddit
Dedicated subreddit for vSAN-specific discussions, troubleshooting, and community support
Join CommunityVMware vSphere & vSAN Blog
Official VMware blog with technical articles, announcements, and deep-dive posts on vSAN features and updates
Join CommunityYellow Bricks Blog
Popular independent blog by VMware experts covering vSAN architecture, troubleshooting, and real-world implementations
Join CommunityVirtuallyGhetto Blog
Technical blog by William Lam covering advanced vSAN topics, automation, and unique use cases
Join CommunityStudy Tips
Hands-On Practice
- Build a nested vSAN lab using VMware Workstation or ESXi - this is critical for exam success
- Practice creating and deleting vSAN clusters multiple times to understand the complete lifecycle
- Experiment with different storage policies and observe how they affect object placement
- Break things intentionally in your lab to understand failure scenarios and recovery procedures
- Use VMware Hands-on Labs if you don't have hardware for a home lab
Focus on Storage Policies
- Understand RAID levels in vSAN context (RAID-1 mirroring, RAID-5/6 erasure coding)
- Practice calculating required capacity for different FTT (Failures to Tolerate) settings
- Know the minimum host requirements for each RAID configuration
- Understand the difference between FTT=1 with RAID-1 vs RAID-5
- Study storage policy compliance and how to troubleshoot non-compliant objects
Master the vSAN Health Service
- Memorize the major health check categories and what they indicate
- Understand which health checks are critical vs warning vs informational
- Practice identifying issues through the health service interface
- Know how to remediate common health check failures
- Study the relationship between health checks and actual cluster problems
Networking is Critical
- Understand VMkernel adapter requirements for vSAN traffic
- Know the recommended network bandwidth and latency requirements
- Study network isolation best practices for vSAN
- Understand multicast vs unicast communication modes
- Practice troubleshooting network connectivity issues in vSAN
Capacity Planning
- Learn to calculate usable capacity with different RAID configurations
- Understand slack space and why it's necessary
- Know the capacity thresholds that trigger rebalancing
- Practice using the vSAN sizing calculator
- Understand the impact of deduplication and compression on capacity
Exam-Specific Preparation
- The exam focuses heavily on practical scenarios - think like you're troubleshooting real issues
- Configuration and deployment (30%) is the largest section - allocate study time accordingly
- Understand the 'why' behind configurations, not just the 'how'
- Review VMware KB articles on common vSAN issues before the exam
- Practice identifying correct storage policy settings for given requirements
- Know the differences between vSAN ESA and OSA architectures
- Understand maintenance mode evacuation options: Full, Ensure Accessibility, No Data Migration
Documentation Review
- Read the vSAN Design Guide thoroughly - it contains architectural best practices
- Review release notes for the vSAN version covered in the exam
- Study the vSAN Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and compatibility requirements
- Bookmark and review key sections of the official vSAN documentation
- Read VMware best practices documents for vSAN deployments
Exam Day Tips
- 1The exam is 135 minutes with 70 questions - you have about 1 minute 55 seconds per question
- 2Read each question carefully and identify what's actually being asked before looking at answers
- 3Watch for scenario-based questions that require you to apply multiple concepts
- 4Flag difficult questions and return to them later - don't get stuck on any single question
- 5Eliminate obviously wrong answers first to improve your odds on difficult questions
- 6Pay attention to keywords like 'minimum', 'maximum', 'recommended', 'supported', 'best practice'
- 7Questions about troubleshooting often have multiple potentially correct answers - choose the best first step
- 8For capacity calculations, remember to account for RAID overhead and slack space
- 9The passing score is 300/500, which means you need approximately 60% correct
- 10Many questions test your ability to apply knowledge to real-world scenarios rather than memorization
- 11Review your flagged questions if you have time remaining
- 12Trust your preparation and don't second-guess too much on questions you've already answered
Study guide generated on January 7, 2026
Pro Study Tips
Expert advice to maximize your study effectiveness
Active Learning Strategies
- Hands-on practice: Apply concepts in real scenarios
- Teach others: Explain concepts to reinforce learning
- Take notes: Write summaries in your own words
Exam Day Preparation
- Get enough sleep: Rest well the night before
- Review key points: Go through your notes and cheat sheets
- Time management: Practice pacing with timed exams
Continue Your Preparation
More resources to help you succeed
Complete VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN Study Guide
This comprehensive study guide will help you prepare for the 5V0-22.23 certification exam offered by VMware. Whether you are a beginner or experienced professional, this guide covers everything you need to know to pass on your first attempt.
What You Will Learn
Our study guide covers all 4 exam domains in detail:
- vSAN Architecture and Components (25%)
- vSAN Configuration and Deployment (30%)
- vSAN Management and Operations (25%)
- vSAN Troubleshooting and Optimization (20%)
Recommended Timeline
Most candidates need 6-8 weeks of dedicated study to pass the VMware Certified Specialist - vSAN exam. We recommend studying 1-2 hours daily and taking practice exams weekly to track your progress.
Next Step: Start with our free practice test to assess your current knowledge level.