VMware has joined a growing online certification trend with the addition of a new all-hours learning library. The cloud and virtualization colossus announced the launch of its Learning Zone learning library on Nov. 18. Certification candidates can access Learning Zone with a VMware course subscription.

With a subscription to Learning Zone, certification candidates receive a full year of unlimited 24/7 access to VMware video-based certification training. Subscribers are promised the ability to "learn what you need, when you need it." In the fast-paced and ever-changing IT realm, a site like Learning Zone can help learners manage their time by watching concise training videos whenever they're able to fit them in. The training lets candidates come away equipped with the right tools to succeed in IT.

Learning Zone is a cloud library with professional video instruction. With a subscription, candidates will automatically have access to any new videos added during their membership. Learning Zone videos include all and more of the following:

• Troubleshooting
• Tips and tricks
• Advanced walkthroughs
• New faster ways to do things

The videos are presented by certification trainers, industry professionals and expert teachers. The innovative format provided by Learning Zone makes it easy to receive training on the most up-to-date technology products. It also provides powerful search functionality to help users find answers to questions in an instant. Users are able to access Learning Zone from their mobile devices for on-the-go viewing.

In a recent GoCertify article titled "The advent of learning as a service", veteran certification insider Ed Tittel discusses the current trend among IT certification providers toward what Tittel calls "learning as a service." Some of the biggest players in the certification game, including HP and Microsoft Learning, have already gone the route of providing access to an all-hours online learning library or academy. Tittel thinks this approach is likely to grow in popularity and spread to other leading companies like Cisco and VMware. He's right about at least one of those so far.

While these services aren't always free, they are becoming more and more available to those who are looking for a well rounded certification preparation program. VMware provides a number of different online products that will help you achieve your certification goals, including a number of free tutorials that you can access without a paid subscription.

VMware claims to offer the highest achieving and best-priced virtualization and private cloud platform in the industry. This credibility, along with easy 24-hour access to Learning Zone, should make a subscription purchase more than worth the money for any current or aspiring IT professional.