This is a request for advice.
I am a 65 year old IT veteran with 30+ years of experience supporting DoD IT contracts. Now after being laid off again, I find it very difficult to get hired. I assume this audience consists of seasoned IT professionals.
My IT experience was in siloed positions. Security reasons limited me to my field, preventing cross-training. Now I find myself competing with individuals whose experience is not siloed.
I have a server with two Xeon CPUs and 128GB of RAM. I am looking to install Nutanix and run a couple of Linux servers, some learning containers, and other automation projects.
I am taking the Nutanix Quickstart for Virtualization Professionals (NQVP) Online course to gain the experience needed to compete with everyone else. The course calls for an Active Directory server to use for authentication purposes and security. Now I don't have the money to run a licenced Microsoft Windows Server just for practicing this. Rebuilding it every 90 or 180 days due to temporary license expirations seems painful.
Any suggestions on my approach or advice on whether I am on the right path to success in this effort.