Certification Guides
List of completed Management and Technical certifications, some with guides or methods of passing.
Note: For the most up-to-date listing please go to my LinkedIn.
Clarke holds 23+ active certifications across security, cloud, project management, and infrastructure. Each guide below reflects personal experience — not just exam prep.
Microsoft Azure Certifications
Clarke currently recommends these Microsoft Azure certifications — solid entry points for cloud, AI, and security in enterprise and DoD environments.
Microsoft AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals Guide
✅ RecommendedThe entry point for all Azure certifications — establishes the vocabulary and framework everything else builds on.
Read the AZ-900 Guide →Microsoft AI-900 Azure AI Fundamentals Guide
✅ RecommendedEntry-level Azure AI certification — essential for understanding AI workloads in enterprise and DoD environments before anyone can advise on AI policy or procurement.
Read the AI-900 Guide →Microsoft SC-900 Security Fundamentals Guide
✅ RecommendedEntry point to the Microsoft SC security track — covers security, compliance, and identity (SCI) fundamentals. Especially useful for CISSP holders mapping to Azure.
Read the SC-900 Guide →SC-500: Cloud & AI Security Engineer
✅ RecommendedClarke’s overview of the full Microsoft SC security certification track — SC-900 through SC-100 — and how each cert maps to DoD and enterprise security roles.
Read the SC Series Guide →AZ-500: Azure Security Technologies
🔒 SecurityAssociate-level Azure security cert for security engineers implementing security controls, managing identity/access, and securing Azure workloads. Clarke holds this certification.
Read the AZ-500 Guide →Microsoft MS-900 Microsoft 365 Fundamentals Guide
✅ RecommendedClarke’s guide to the MS-900 — the entry point for the Microsoft 365 track covering productivity, collaboration, security, and compliance fundamentals.
Read the MS-900 Guide →Security & Management Certifications
DoD 8570 IAM III qualified certifications — CISSP, CISSP-ISSEP, PMP, and SAFe SPC.
CISSP Certification Passing Guide
I wrote a detailed guide on how I passed the CISSP on my first attempt.
Read the CISSP Guide →CISSP-ISSEP Certification Passing Guide
The ISSEP concentration — Systems Security Engineering Professional. Requires active CISSP. Earned November 2019.
Read the CISSP-ISSEP Guide →PMP Certification Passing Guide
PMI’s flagship project management credential. Study method, Rita Mulcahy resources, and test strategy. Earned December 2012.
Read the PMP Guide →SAFe SPC Certification Passing Guide
SAFe Program Consultant — the 4-day instructor-led path to leading enterprise Lean-Agile transformations. Earned October 2020.
Read the SAFe SPC Guide →CompTIA Certifications
Legacy path — see the CISSP guide for the recommended security track and the SAFe SPC guide for the recommended project management track.
CompTIA Security+ Passing Guide
⚠️ Legacy PathDoD 8570 IAT Level II baseline qualifier. Earned November 2008. See CISSP guide for the recommended security track.
Read the Security+ Guide →CompTIA Network+ Passing Guide
⚠️ Legacy PathDoD 8570 IAT Level I baseline qualifier. Earned October 2008. Solid networking foundation but superseded by CISSP for career leverage.
Read the Network+ Guide →CompTIA A+ Passing Guide
⚠️ Legacy PathDoD 8570 IAT Level I baseline qualifier. Earned August 2008. Hardware and OS fundamentals — a common career starting point.
Read the A+ Guide →CompTIA Project+ Passing Guide
⚠️ Legacy PathEntry-level project management credential. Earned January 2009. Clarke recommends SAFe SPC instead for enterprise and DoD environments.
Read the Project+ Guide →VMware Certifications
DoD 8570 Computing Environment certifications — VMware data center virtualization and cloud management credentials.
Clarke’s VMware track spans over a decade of private cloud and DCGS program work — starting before formal VMware certification existed and culminating in cloud management and application modernization. This era has given way to cloud-native architecture under the CNCF.
VMware VCP-AM Application Modernization Guide
VCP-AM covers Tanzu, Kubernetes, and container orchestration — VMware’s modern cloud-native platform. License: VMW-02637767W.
Read the VCP-AM Guide →VMware VCP6-CMA Cloud Management & Automation Guide
VCP6-CMA validates skills in vRealize Automation, vRealize Operations, and cloud management. Obtained May 2018.
Read the VCP6-CMA Guide →VMware VCP5-DCV Data Center Virtualization Guide
VCP5-DCV covers vSphere 5 — ESXi, vCenter, HA, DRS, and vMotion. Legacy credential. Obtained February 2012.
Read the VCP5-DCV Guide →VMware VCP4-DCV Data Center Virtualization Guide
VCP4-DCV — the original DCV credential, based on vSphere 4. Historical cert. Obtained November 2010.
Read the VCP4-DCV Guide →Legacy & Retired Certifications
Credentials that are retired or have limited current market value. Included for completeness and historical context.
Microsoft MCP Passing Guide
🗂 RetiredThe original Microsoft Certified Professional credential — a Windows XP era cert required for SAIC/DCGS hiring in 2009. Retired by Microsoft. Historical context only.
Read the MCP Guide →CIW Professional & Database Design Specialist Guide
🗂 LegacyFoundational web technology credential from 2009. Limited current market recognition. Clarke recommends Microsoft or CompTIA certs instead for market value today.
Read the CIW Professional Guide →Service Management Certifications
ITIL 4 Foundation Passing Guide
Entry-level IT service management credential — required on certain DoD and enterprise contracts. Covers the ITIL service value system, four dimensions model, and guiding principles.
Read the ITIL 4 Foundation Guide →Full Credentials Record
Complete listing of all certifications, credentials, and degrees held. For detailed study guides, see the cards above.
Industry Management Certifications (DFARS)
- Certified SAFe® 5/6 Program Consultant (SPC5)
(Obtained: 2020-Oct-18) (License: 00763322-3362)
A SAFe implementation professional responsible for training leaders and change agents to drive Lean-Agile transformation at enterprise scale. - Project Management Professional (PMP)
(Obtained: 2012-Dec-22) (License: 1563680)
PMI’s most important industry-recognized certification for project managers. - CompTIA Project+ (P+)
(Obtained: 2009-Jan-14) (License: COMP001007606759)
Industry Certifications (DoD 8570.1M / DoD NICE Framework IAM III, IAT III, & IASAE III Qualified)
DoD 8570 Baseline Security Certifications
- CISSP – Information Systems Security Engineering (CISSP-ISSEP)
(Obtained: 2019-Nov-6) (License: 393607) - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
(Obtained: 2018-Dec-05) (License: 393607) - CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist (CSIS)— includes S+ce, N+ce, & A+ce
(Obtained: 2013-Aug-27) (License: COMP001007606759) - CompTIA Security+ (S+ce) (Obtained: 2008-Nov-19)
- CompTIA Network+ (N+ce) (Obtained: 2008-Oct-08)
- CompTIA A+ (A+ce) (Obtained: 2008-Aug-15)
DoD 8570 Computing Environment Certifications
- VMware Certified Professional – Application Modernization 2021/2022 (VCP-AM) (License: VMW-02637767W)
- VMware Certified Professional 6 – Cloud Management and Automation (VCP6-CMA) (Obtained: 2018-May-15)
- Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) (Obtained: 2009-Mar-21)
- CIW Professional (Obtained: 2009-Apr-22) including CIW Database Design Specialist
Microsoft Azure Certifications
- Microsoft MS-900: Microsoft 365 Fundamentals
- Microsoft AZ-900: Azure Fundamentals
- Microsoft AI-900: Azure AI Fundamentals
- Microsoft SC-900: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals
- Microsoft SC-500: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate
Service Management
- ITIL 4 Foundation
Degrees and Graduate Certificates
- DBA (Focus: IT Management) — Penn State University (In Progress)
- GC-PM (Focus: Project Management) — University of Maryland (Completed 08/30/2012)
- MBA-ITM (Focus: IT Management) — Western Governors University (Completed 6/18/2010)
- BS-IT (Focus: Information Technology) — Western Governors University (Completed 07/16/2009)
- A.A.S. (Focus: Electronics Technology) — Cochise College (Awarded 12/2013)