Linux Certification

[Shane_46]

Hi,
I'm new to the Linux world and have limited experience. I have been requested to train up and get certification. I know that this is no substitute for experience but would like to start on the best track possible.
I would like to know what the general feeling is towards certification. I know there are different Linux flavours as well as certifications, but would like to hear what other members think is the best option.

[Steven E. Protter]

I am not certified, because at my job we don't use it.

I've been running variolus flavors of red hat for years and have an entire web hosting business running on Red Hat right now. That's experience and it helps.

I think the act of studying for the test will make you a better administrator. You will learn new things, and if you have a box to play with, you'll want to try out certain lessons in real life.

The only way to go on this test is a combination of bookworm and experience.

I use one of the certification manuals as an admin guide and when I feel confident will take the test. The Red Hat test involves hands on. To have a chance you're going to need to run a box for a while.

SEP
HP-UX Certified Geek
Certified nut case

[Jerome Henry · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I'm rhce. Basically, in the Linux world, there are 2 well recognized certifications paths :

LPI ( http://www.lpi.org/ ), which is and .org, so is considered as neutral, and
Red Hat ( http://www.redhat.com/training/ ), which is a Linux vendor.

Frankly speacking, LPI and Red Hat make several certification levels, but Red Hat ones are considered as much higher level, as far as I hear here. Despite it's a vendor, it's said that when asking a RHCE, you know that you ask someone who knows the stuff, whatever it is. To get it requires on hand job that shows that you know how to, wherease LPI is more seen like some Redmond certs, where you sure know what and how, but not necesserely how to, and fast...

Hope it helps you to choose...

J

[Vitaly Karasik_1]

I suggest you to check http://rhce2b.com/ if you want to know more about RHCE

more links:

http://www.qod.us/RedHat-RHCE-exam.htm (they have question-of-the-day maillist)

http://www.cert21.com/default.php?action=begintest&testname=a82907158

http://www.unixreview.com/documents/s=1356/urm0109a/

http://certcities.com/editorial/exams/story.asp?EditorialsID=21 - good article with many comments



Regards,
Vitaly, RHCE

[Jerome Henry]

Oh yes, thanks Vitaly for pointing that.

If you need advices or tips on these certifications, how to train, what to read, and so on, just ask.

RHCE2B is a site designed by a RHCE, quite a good resource, even if it's hard to be up to date. Cert21 is very good for many certifications for its question of the day part. Nevertheless, the part on RHCE is not exactly the spirit of the certification quizz, which is anyway 1/4 of the whole stuff.

Redhat site has quite agood description of the exam, if you need datas on it or the LPI's, once again, just ask, but Vitaly's resources are indeed a good start.

J (working on mcse...)

[Brian Bergstrand]

I have my RHCE, and from taking the test I would say that you should have at least a year's worth of admin experience on some type of UNIX system.

As mentioned, the RHCE test is a mixture of book tests and real-world problem solving in front of a live system; both parts are timed. Unlike the Microsoft tests, Cisco, Redhat, and a few others require solving problems on an actual system so you can't pass the test just by memorizing a book. That's why MSCE's are considered a joke.

HTH.

[kenny chia]

From my observation, LPI seems to be evolving and the test standards are changing. RHCE test standards seem to be more stable.

If you have limited experience, I suggest that you start off with LPI to gain theoretical knowledge and when you have enough hands on, go for RHCE.

[Stephen Day]

So far noone has mentioned linux+. It's a computer based certification by compTIA ( I think. ) It is more basic than LPI's or RedHats offerings but may be a good starting point.

You may want to consider this before moving onto the others. Check out books on this exam on amazon or your local bookstore.



SD

[Stuart Browne]

Personally, I started learning linux with a book, an old 486, and being thrown into the deep end.

Two things saved me:

- a guy at work who know what was what.
- a nice wall to beat my head against.

When I went for my RHCE, I did the same thing. I got a nice book (a few revisions old, but good enough), and an old PC.

Moral: get your hands dirty. Break it, fix it. Break it again, fix it again.

Repeat until you don't have an idea where to start looking for most problems. It doesn't matter if you can't fix it yourself, just so long as you know where to start looking. Places like this are here to get the fine points down.

Find a pet project (web site, or something), and configure it. If you've got somethig you're going to be doing in the office, do that.

When you get stuck, ask. That's what we're here for.

As for Certifcations, it really does depend. If you are going to be using SUSE, then look through the documentation on the SUSE site. I seem to recall they reccomend a given cert for their boxes.

If you're going to be using Debian, same thing. I've not read through their site recently to know what the do/don't reccomend.

RedHat are nice enough to have their own certifications. They also have different coruse structures.

They have the slow course which covers all the basics, as well as an advance cause just to 'brush up' on points. Check http://www.redhat.com/training/skills_bundle.html for their details.

Anyway.. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy yourself!

[twang]

Hi,
I am not certified, but from responses from my friends(3 RHCE and another one completed LPI level2), it seems that RHCE (http://www.in.redhat.com/training/rhce/) is the widely known and it has the highest market share of RehHat Linux distribution.
My friend like it because it is quite difficult to achieve(the company's crafting of a high-level program that tests hands-on skills, making it difficult to achieve).
Therefore, most of my friends said that they want to try the RHCE.

But of course, as you said that 'no substitute for experience'!

good luck!