Linux-Certifications
Linux Certification
If you want to have any idea about popularity of Linux Certifications, you can have a look at a recent report of CertCities which branded Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certification exam as ‘hottest certification’ among all IT certifications. There are no Linux certifications for developers and end users and all of the four available Linux certifications focus on system administrator role. All these certifications focus on various flavors or versions of Linux.
Description: The four available Linux certifications are:
- CompTIA: Linux +
- LPI: Linux Professional Institute Certified (LPIC)
- Novell: Certified Linux Professional/Engineer
- Red Hat: Red Hat Certified Technician/Engineer/Security Specialist/Architect
Linux + and LPIC certifications are vendor neutral i.e. these are not specific to any Linux flavor. The CLP/CLE certification programs offered by Novell have focus on the SUSE distribution of Linux. As the name of the certification suggests, Red Hat Certified Technician/Engineer/Security Specialist/Architect certification focuses on the Red Hat distribution of Linux and is offered by the vendor Red Hat.
Some description of each of these certifications is provided here:
1. CompTIA: Linux +: This certification is offered by CompTIA which is a non profit organization and widely respected in the IT industry for its vendor neutral certification programs. The skill level required for this certification is basic and is aimed at junior administrators of Linux. This can become a base for appearing for certifications offered by Oracle and Novell. Requirement: If you want to appear for this certification, you need to clear the two following exams:
You may or may not go for training for this exam, but it is recommended that you opt for a good professional training institute which can help you in clearing this all important certification. Plenty of sample material is available on website of CompTIA in order to have a look and form an idea about the same.
2. Linux Professional Institute offers Linux Professional Institute Certified (LPIC) program which focuses on three different levels of skills namely Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. All these certifications require different set of skills with respect to Linux administration. A candidate of any one of these certifications is required to pass two different exams to earn them.
Further, to appear for Intermediate and Advanced levels you need to pass the preceding certification. Once cleared, each one of these certifications holds good for 5 years after which you need to appear for recertification. Training material is available on the website of CBT nuggets and it can be checked out for various training options.
3. Novell: Certified Linux Professional/Engineer: Novell has offered few certifications which focus on the SUSE distribution. It offers three different levels of certifications including basic level, intermediate level and instructor level. These certifications include:
- Basic:
- Certified Linux Administrator (CLA)
- Certified Linux Desktop Administrator (CLDA)
- Novell Certified Administrator Enterprise Services (NCA ES)
- Intermediate:
- Certified Novell Engineer (CNE)
- Novell Certified Engineer Enterprise Services (NCE ES)
- Instructor:
- Certified Novell Instructor (CNI)
- Novell Academic Instructor (NAI)
4. Red Hat: Red Hat Certified Technician/Engineer/Security Specialist/Architect: Red Hat certifications are for those individuals who have experience in various aspects of Red Hat distribution. For ex. RHCT focuses on installation perspective while advanced system administrators can take up RHCE certification.
RHCA is the most widely acclaimed Red Hat certification. It is suitable for those individuals who have experience in installation of Linux systems in big organizations. In order to be eligible for appearing in this certification, you will need to clear RHCE certification first.
The training for all Linux certifications can be taken from experienced training institutes.
