Introduction
Hello to all readers of the blog about IT Architecture and Training!
In the previous articles of the “VMware Training and Certification. Year 2025” series, we examined VMware platforms that form the foundation of modern infrastructure and cloud service delivery — from vSphere and Cloud Foundation to Cloud Director. These platforms provide stability, scalability, and operational consistency for virtualized and cloud environments.
In this article, we move into the domain of modern application platforms and focus on VMware Tanzu and Kubernetes — technologies designed to support containerized, cloud-native applications and DevOps-driven development models.
The VMware Tanzu learning domain includes training programs focused on Kubernetes fundamentals, cluster operations, application lifecycle management, platform engineering, and integration with existing VMware infrastructure. These programs are especially relevant for infrastructure architects, platform engineers, and operations teams responsible for bridging traditional virtualized environments with modern container platforms.
This article reviews the current VMware Authorized Training programs for Tanzu and Kubernetes, their learning objectives, and their alignment with real-world enterprise and hybrid cloud architectures.
VMware Tanzu
From an architectural perspective, VMware Tanzu provides a Kubernetes-based platform that is natively integrated with the VMware ecosystem. At its core is Tanzu Kubernetes Grid (TKG) — a VMware-supported, upstream-compliant Kubernetes distribution that enables consistent cluster deployment and lifecycle management across on-premises, private cloud, and public cloud environments.
Tanzu Kubernetes Grid runs directly on VMware vSphere, leveraging ESXi for compute virtualization, vSAN for persistent container storage, and NSX for container networking and security. When deployed as part of VMware Cloud Foundation, Tanzu becomes an integral layer of the Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC), benefiting from standardized architecture, automated lifecycle management, and unified operations.
This tight integration allows organizations to run Kubernetes workloads alongside traditional virtual machines, using common tools, shared infrastructure, and consistent operational models, while supporting modern DevOps practices and cloud-native application architectures.
The main current training programs for VMware Tanzu technologies are:
● VMware vSphere with Tanzu: Deploy, Configure, Manage [V8]
- Course code: VSTDCM8.
- Duration: 3 days.
- Level of difficulty: Professional.
- Target audience: vSphere administrators and platform operators who are responsible for deploying and managing workloads and services in vSphere with Tanzu .
- Prerequisites: Experience deploying and managing vSphere;
- Understanding of Kubernetes and the Kubernetes cluster architecture;
- Attending one of the following courses is recommended:
- VMware vSphere: Install, Configure, Manage;
- Kubernetes Fundamentals and Cluster Operations.
During this three-day course, you focus on deploying and managing VMware vSphere with VMware Tanzu in a VMware vSphere 8 environment. You learn how vSphere with Tanzu provides services to deploy and manage virtual machines, vSphere Pods, Supervisor Services, and VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid clusters. You will also gain experience with day 2 operations and life cycle management of a vSphere with Tanzu environment.
● Kubernetes Fundamentals and Cluster Operations
- Course code: KFCO.
- Duration: 4 days.
- Level of difficulty: Professional.
- Target audience: Anyone who is preparing to build and run Kubernetes clusters.
- Prerequisites: Linux concepts and command line proficiency;
- General networking proficiency.
This four-day course is the first step in learning about Containers and Kubernetes Fundamentals and Cluster Operations.
Through a series of lectures and lab exercises, the fundamental concepts of containers and Kubernetes are presented and put to practice by containerizing and deploying a two-tier application into Kubernetes.
● VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid: Install, Configure, Manage
- Course code: TKGICM25.
- Duration: 4 days.
- Level of difficulty: Professional.
- Target audience: Platform operators who are responsible for deploying and managing Tanzu Kubernetes Grid clusters.
- Prerequisites: Understanding of Kubernetes and the Kubernetes cluster architecture;
- Experience deploying and managing multiple Kubernetes clusters.
During this four-day course, you learn about installing VMware Tanzu Kubernetes Grid in a VMware vSphere environment and provisioning and managing Tanzu Kubernetes Grid clusters. The course covers how to install Tanzu Kubernetes Grid packages to provide services such as image registry, authentication, logging, ingress, multipod network interfaces, service discovery, image registry, and monitoring, in addition to day 2 operations such as backup, life cycle management, and application-specific tools. The concepts learned in this course are applicable for users who must install Tanzu Kubernetes Grid on supported clouds.
Brief Summary
In this article, we explored VMware Tanzu and Kubernetes as the foundation for modern, cloud-native application platforms within the VMware ecosystem. We reviewed how Tanzu enables organizations to deploy, operate, and scale Kubernetes clusters while integrating seamlessly with existing vSphere and VMware Cloud Foundation infrastructures. The overview of VMware Authorized Training programs demonstrated how Tanzu supports platform engineering, DevOps workflows, and the convergence of traditional virtualized workloads with container-based applications.
In the next article of the “VMware Training and Certification. Year 2025” series, we will shift our focus to Cloud Management and Automation, with particular emphasis on VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle. We will examine training programs dedicated to infrastructure automation, lifecycle management, monitoring, and operational governance, highlighting how VMware Aria enables consistent, automated operations across on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
Follow the news until the meeting is on air in a few days.
Sincerely, AIRRA.
