Tackling Linux Certifications: An Overview of Linux+, LPI and Red Hat

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Tackling Linux Certifications: An Overview of Linux+, LPI and Red Hat

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• Relates to: Linux+ | LPIC1- Linux Junior Level | LPIC2- Linux Intermediate Level | RHCE | RHCT

Linux is here to stay and will continue to challenge Microsoft on the server and desktop realm as well as UNIX and NetWare on the server realm. On the last point, see as evidence this article - Novell extends Linux ties ; this statement from Dave Kearns in a recent Network World Fusion article: "Going forward, 'NetWare' will, at least for the time being, refer to the bundle of services, utilities and applications Novell provides for networking. These currently run on the 'NetWare kernel' platform, and should all run on a Linux platform by early 2004 at the latest. Future services and versions of current services will run on the Linux kernel and may or may not be ported to NetWare;" and the upcoming Novell Certified Linux Engineer certification.

For those of you who have just started playing with Linux, as well as for those of you who are close to being experts, Linux certification makes sense. We will start with the vendor-neutral CompTIA Linux+ and LPI and move on to the most popular vendor-specific certification, Red Hat.

CompTIA Linux+

If you are just starting to explore Linux, CompTIA's Linux+ is a great entry point to Linux certification. This vendor-neutral, entry-level, one-exam certification turns two years old this fall. It is aimed at "technicians with six months experience installing, operating and maintaining Linux operating systems." This lifetime certification "validates technical competency and provides a broad awareness of Linux operating systems."

The major topics covered by the Linux+ exam, number XK0-001, are:

Planning the Implementation
Installation
Configuration
Administration
System Maintenance
Troubleshooting
Identify, Install, and Maintain System Hardware

In terms of prerequisites, there are none but CompTIA recommends you hold their A+ and Network+ certifications. Depending on your CompTIA membership status and location, you can take this 90 minute long, multiple choice exam from Pearson Vue or Thomson Prometric for between $93 USD to $225 USD. Moreover, this exam is offered in English, German, and Japanese. Note that you'll need to score at least 655 on a scale of 100 to 900 to pass this 94 question exam.

For more information, read the Linux+ FAQ. As well, check out our Linux+ CramSession.

You may want to stop with your Linux+ or move on to more advanced offerings from the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) or Red Hat.

LPI Junior and Intermediate Level Administration

The Linux Professional Institute plans to offer three levels of Linux certification. For now, the first two levels are available: LPIC1 - Junior Level Administration, which emerged in 2000 and LPIC2 - Intermediate Level Administration, which emerged a year later. The LPI certifications, like Linux+, are "vendor independent and distribution neutral", but are unlike the Linux+ in that they provide the potential for a more advanced Linux certification.

The LPIC1 has no specific prerequisite but LPI suggests that candidates should be comfortable with these tasks: work at the Linux command line; perform easy maintenance tasks: help out users, add users to a larger system, backup & restore, shutdown & reboot; and install and configure a workstation (including X) and connect it to a LAN, or a stand-alone PC via modem to the Internet. LPIC1 consists of two exams: 101 and 102. Each is form-based multiple choice, last 90 minutes and has around 63 questions. Each also is scored on a 200 to 800 range with a pass score of 490. The major topics covered are: