Linux Certification: CompTIA, LPI and Red Hat

Abstract: Want the total story on Linux certifications? I hold nearly all available Linux certifications, the CompTIA Linux+, LPI Certified Level 1 (LPIC-1) and Level 2 (LPIC-2) as well as the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE).

Date: 2003May25 (UPDATED 2004Apr06)

Contents

• Introduction
  
  • ``JustGet [This] One'' Linux Certification Articles
    
  • The Programs: Linux+, LPIC-1/2, RHCT/RHCE
    
  • Criteria and Categorization
    
• CompTIA
  
  • CompTIA Linux+
    
  • Personal Experience
    
  • Future
    
• Linux Professional Institute (LPI)
  
  • Three-Tier Approach: Levels 1, 2 and 3
    
  • LPICertified Level 1 (LPIC-1)
    
  • LPI Certified Level 2 (LPIC-2)
    
  • Personal Experience
    
  • Future
    
• Red Hat
  
  • Award-Winning Training and Lab-Based Certification
    
  • Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT)
    
  • Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
    
  • Personal Experience
    
  • Future
    

Introduction

Linux certification. The certification magazines and communities are buzzing with hype. There's not one article I have read that I have not walked away disgusted with at least in part. It is my hope that this article will cut through the hype as I have taken and obtained the available certifications from all three organizations discussedhere.

``Just Get [This] One'' Linux Certification Articles

I'm am really sick of the ``Just Get One'' or, worse yet, ``Just Get This One'' Linux certification articles out there. Not only do many even fail to even mention that Red Hat's exams are laboratory-based like the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE), but one even stated that you should only consider Red Hat because they are the ``standard.'' As much of a Red Hat proponent I am, swearing by their products for production networks (especially file servers), I would not blame any other Linux vendors for taking issue with that(and would defend their disagreement).

As such, in this article, I will detail how each certification program differs. Again, this viewpoint comes from the raw fact that I have taken every single exam (or its superior in the case of the RHCT) I will cover here, which is almost the entire spectrum (with exception of the somewhat ``fluctuating'' GNU/SAIR program). Furthermore, I will cover each organization and certification program's agenda, who they are catering to and why. But as you will quickly realize in the final analysis, Linux certifications are about as far away as you can get from the traditional vendor attitude of just wanting to ``push product.'' In fact, every Linux program is either from a non-profit organization or, in the case of Red Hat, prides itself on not being yet another ``fire and forget'' computer administered, high profit margin, ``certify as many product experts as we can''type of program.

The Programs: Linux+, LPIC-1/2, RHCT/RHCE

With exception of the GNU/SAIR program, which has gone through several hand changes over the last year and future is currently unknown (but still looks positive in the end), we will concentrate on the threeorganizations where I currently hold my Linux certifications:

• Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Linux+
  
• Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Certified Level 1 (LPIC-1) and Level 2 (LPIC-2)
  
• Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT) and Engineer (RHCE)
  

The first two organizations are non-profit and use a traditional, computer-administered, multiple choice/single answer format. The last organization is Red Hat, one of the largest commercial Linux endeavors, who has brought back a lost, but ``real world'' approach to testing (with its associated positives and negatives): hands-on, laboratory-based, peer-reviewed examination. Both options are virtually unheard of in other certification industries - either all non-profit organizations interested in certifying qualified individuals, or a for-profit vendor that focuses solely on extensive training as well as real-world lab-based testing to guarantee qualified individuals, not certified individuals in quantity.

Criteria and Categorization

I'm not here to debate which Linux certification is better or more applicable. I'm here to detail what each certification is all about. With that said, we should define how each certification can be
categorized.

• Experience: What level of experience is required/represented?
  
• Difficulty: What is the difficulty of passing the exam?
  
• Distribution: What Linux distribution¹(s) do the exam(s) focus on?
  
• Format: Is the exam computer-administered or peer-reviewed?
  
• Length: How many exams and how many hours each?
  
• Objectives: URL to the objectives page for each exam
  
• Training: Available options for formal training as well as self-study
  
• Cost: The cost of the exam(s)
  

These are definitely not all of the characteristics to each program, nor do they represent each well. But they are a good indicator of the audience they are geared towards.

CompTIA

The Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) prides itself on being a non-profit industry association that gears its programs towards elementary-level experience and vendor-neutral technologies. With that said, I have found CompTIA to be somewhat aligned towards the traditional PC network operating system (NOS) vendors - i.e., Microsoft and Novell. But with the introduction of their Linux+ program in the fall of 2001, CompTIA made a nice break in this view. So Iwill welcome any move like this by CompTIA in the future.

http://www.comptia.org

CompTIA Linux+

The CompTIA Linux+ program, like most CompTIA certifications, are clearly geared towards the entry-level IT professional.

• Experience: 6 to 12 months, but easy to pass without any experience
  
• Difficulty: Little
  
• Distribution: RPM distributions, although largely general Linux CLI (command-line interface) knowledge
  
• Format: Computer-administered, straight-forward Q&A, you may mark questions and come back to them
  
• Length: One 90 minute exam (although most people may not even take 30 minutes)
  
• Objectives: http://www.comptia.org/certification/Linux/objectives.asp
  
• Training: Numerous official training programs and self-study books in print
  
• Cost: $199 for the single exam ($149 for corporate CompTIA member employees)
  

As with most CompTIA certifications, the reality is that you have pass the exam with no actual experience. The Linux+ is also like most CompTIA exams in the fact that the minimum passing score is set very low - somewhere in the 600s out of 900. Linux gurus with no study will most likely get over a 800 without any issue, and even those without any experience can study their way to a better than 700 score on the exam.

Personal Experience

The Linux+ was my first ever IT certification. I scored a 833 out of 900 and was disappointed that I did not score perfect or at least better (estimate I missed 3 questions). I only took it to secure employment as the employer had a client that required a Linux certification and it was the quickest way to obtain one. Before that time, I loathed IT certifications and refused to take any. So despite being a long-time Linux hacker, when told I had to hold a Linux certification to secure employment, I finally gave in to the whole world of IT certification(much to my own demise).

The Linux+ exam does not represent much beyond basic UNIX user-level knowledge combined with a few administrative details like how to use RPM and modify print queues. In a nutshell, unless your employer or other interested party gives much credit to CompTIA certifications, I don't know if this one is worth the bother. The two required LPIC-1 exams are the same total price as this one exam, and hold far more weight in my book. Others seem to agree as there are fewer Linux+ certified individuals (just over 1,000 according to a recent CertCities.COM article) than even the LPI program, which is not any older and requiresat least two exam to become certified.

Future

Normally CompTIA updates its more popular exams every 2 years or so. At this time the Linux+ is almost 2 years old, still sporting the 2001 Objectives and there seems to be no planned update for the program in sight. Given the lack of people taking this exam, this is not surprising. At the same time, the content in the exam is not very specific, and the majority of it could still be considered quite ``current''in yet another two years.

Ironically enough, despite its non-popularity so far, the Linux+ certification still ranks relatively high (top 20s) in many IT processionals' ``wish lists'' of certifications to obtain. Linux is still quite the buzzword and I can only assume many feel any Linux certification, such as the Linux+, is better than none and plan to eventually obtain it. It also tells me that these surveys compromise of few experienced Linuxadministrators.

Linux Professional Institute (LPI)

The non-profit Linux Professional Institute (LPI) formed independent of any distributions in 1998 and launched its first exams in 1999. The LPI Certification (LPIC) program(s) are vendor-neutral, but Linux-specific. As of August 2001, the number of LPIC individuals passed the number of RHCEs. As of 2003, over 2,000 LPI exams are being taken per month, resulting in a monetarily "self-sufficient" status for the LPI organization.

Heavy, initial funding was provided by Caldera. Since then other vendors have become involved, largely the new UnitedLinux group. LPI has even announced a new UnitedLinux partnership with an additional certification for differentiating UnitedLinux certified individuals.**

**2004 UPDATE: Please, no demonization of LPI because of the initial Caldera-SCO connection. Caldera's initial funding of LPI not only predates Caldera-SCO's current Linux strategy, but even Caldera's purchase of SCO. The history of Caldera, Novell and SCO is very interesting. Even more interesting is some actual "fault" by IBM (which actually has 0 to do with Linux or SCO IP in Linux) in the current SCO v. IBM Ilitigation.
The current fate of UnitedLinux is unknown, but Novell's recent purchase of SuSE can only be a positive for LPI, being that Novell is recommending the LPIC-1 for those interested in its forthcoming, virtual-lab-based Novell Linux Engineer (CLE).

http://www.lpi.org

Three-Tier Approach: Levels 1, 2 and 3

From its beginning, LPI planned a three-tier certification approach that has also been mirrored by the GNU/SAIR program (not discussed in this article). Each tier comprises of two exams, both of which must be passed before the certificate is awarded for the level, andthe candidate can proceed to taking the next level of exams.

There are no electives in the first two levels, LPI Certified Level 1 (LPIC-1) and LPI Certified Level 2 (LPIC-2), as the two exams for each, 101-102 and 201-202, respectively, are fixed. The LPIC-1 title is considered the entry-level Linux system administrator certification, although it is more difficult than the CompTIA Linux+. The LPIC-2 is actually a formidable level beyond LPIC-1 as far as difficulty is concerned. LPIC-2 tests advanced Linux administration concepts, including advanced Linux networking details including inherent service security (which most vendors leave as an ``add-on'' certification,if at all!).

The third level, LPI Certified Level 3 (LPIC-3), has no mandatory exams and comprises completely of electives. A candidate need only pass two of a selection of four to five exams to obtain the LPIC-3 title. Since no LPIC-3 exams have surfaced, and only some LPIC-3 exams have been proposed, there is little to offer at this time about the LPIC-3 program other than speculation.**

**2004 UPDATE: LPI is currently developing the first two (2) LPIC-3 exams -- one on Security and another on Samba.

LPI Certified Level 1 (LPIC-1)

The first level in the LPI programs is the LPI Certified Level 1 (LPIC-1). It consists of two exams that are, despite most articles that state it represents the same knowledge as the Linux+, more difficult than the Linux+.

• Experience: 12-18 months, difficult but possible to pass without experience
  
• Difficulty: Easy but review recommended
  
• Distribution: New 2003 exams allow candidate to choose either RPM or Debian focus
  
• Format: Computer-administered with some single/short-answer, you may mark questions and come back to them
  
• Length: Two 60-75 minute exams - 101 and 102 General Linux
  
• Objectives: http://www.lpi.org/p-obj-101rel2.html, http://www.lpi.org/p-obj-102rel2.html
  (dated Objectives from Beta RC 2, new exams are now in ``release'')
  
• Training: Numerous official training partners and 101 and 102 books in print
  
• Cost: $100 for each exam
  

LPI recently christened their new 101 and 102 exams for 2003 after a 6 month beta. The new 101 and 102 exams now let the taker choose between a RPM² (Red Hat, UnitedLinux³, etc...) and Debian⁴ (including Xandros/LindowsOS, etc...) focused exam. This is important as even most Linux experts have typically supported only RPM or Debian-based distributions. They were also updated with more current information and services than their original 2000-2001 releases. Yes, this means that Daniel Robbins' popular 8-part (4 for each exam) tutorials on IBM's Developer-Works site is out of date and only covers about 60% of the new exams.

For those familiar with Linux, a good review of the objectives for each exam is all one should need to do. The LPI objectives not only list the concepts to study, but most of the specific files and commands that are covered for each concept. If you study those, and know them, you should do well. Again, that is assuming you are experienced with Linux. If you are not, simply knowing what commands do what will not pass you. You need to know the popular options and usages for each
- as well as when to use which commands and when not to. Because if you don't, the LPI exams, unlike the Linux+, will clearly exploit your unfamiliarity and you will not pass.

Scoring on the LPI exams is not linear like the CompTIA exam. Questions are weight from 1 to 8 points, based on difficulty evaluated both before as well as after the original 101 and 102 exam betas. These weights for different categories are listed on the LPI exam's Objective pages. LPI originally used a 45% rule for failing on its original 101 and 102 exams - it failed 45% of the beta testers and marked the passing score there with a 500 out of 800. The passing score onthe new 101 and 102 exams remains the same.

LPI Certified Level 2 (LPIC-2)

The second level in the LPI programs is the LPI Certified Level 2 (LPIC-2). It consists of two exams that should be considered serverand network administration level.

• Experience: 24-36 months, extremely difficult to pass without experience
  
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate, review required to answer more ``memorization''-type
  questions correctly
  
• Distribution: Both RPM and Debian based distributions
• Format: Computer-administered with some single/short-answer, you may mark questions and come back to them
  
• Length: Two 60-75 minute exams - 201 Advanced Linux and 202 Networking
  
• Objectives: http://www.lpi.org/p-obj-201.html, http://www.lpi.org/p-obj-202.html
  
• Training: Numerous official training partners although self-study 201 and 202 materials are lacking
  
• Cost: $100 for each exam
  

Whereas the LPI 101 and 102 exams focus more on command-line basics and elementary system administration, the 201 and 202 exams begin to exploit more detailed server and networking services. This includes knowing key services, their configuration files and common content, service commands and options and, most importantly, common issues. The last part is where inexperienced Linux system administrators will have the most difficulty, unless they study heavily. And even experience system administrators should ``brush up'' on the proper syntax
of lesser known commands - e.g., the exact syntax of modifying NetFilter rules with IPTables. Security concepts beyond just user accounts, passwords and file permissions are interwoven into many of the questions, and help define the ``best answer'' (unlike many vendor certification exams which, again, only offer security in the most basic forms or as an add-on exam).

Unlike the 101 and 102 exams, the 201 and 202 exams are still the original 2001 release. As such, you need to be familiar with both RPM and Debian distributions, although there is less of a package management focus in the 200-series than the 100-series. The questions and exams are still weighted just like the 100-series, and the 45% failure rate still defines where the 500 out of 800 weighted score is. But LPI then raises the passing grade a little above that, to 530 out of 800, so the passing rate is now 45% (and the failing rateis 55%).

Personal Experience

Unable to escape work to take the Red Hat exam out-of-state (see below), I finally decided to just take the LPI exams in mid-March. Prometric and LPI were running a special, 20% exam fees ($80/exam) so for $320 I could take the whole set. I did so over 4 contiguous mornings before going to work each day (5 days including Sunday when my Prometric testing center was closed), passing with scores of 700, 650, 650 and 600 on the 101 Beta RC2, 102 Beta RC2, 201 and 202 exams, respectively. I did not study anything but the objectives, pulling up a few man pages⁵ and looking at various documentation to make sure I knew the details of each section and command covered.

The 101 and 102 exams I took were the Beta RC2 versions. They included all questions on both RPM and Debian and not just the final subset for each. For the most part, I found the questions straight-forward with few tricks. But they required you to do know some specific situations that you can only get either from experience, or at least from hands-on training and/or word-of-mouth from other Linux sysadmins.

The 201 and 202 exams were not so nice. They instantly reminded me of Sun's ``memorization-style'' examination. As you may have heard me complain about computer-administered examination in the past, I feel there are three approaches. Simple/easy (CompTIA), memorization/hard (Sun, LPIC-2) and ambiguous/hard (Microsoft, CIW). LPI, like Sun,
tries to make its examinations ``harder'' by requiring memorization of lesser used command options and situations - often not very ``real-world'' and/or most people would reference a man page to check before attempting. LPI also managed to throw in some ambiguity at times too, although not to the level I've seen on a Microsoft or CIW exam.

Future

Neither LPI Certified Level 3 (LPIC-3) nor UnitedLinux exams have been released yet. LPI has certified over 10,000** people now, and maintains a low-overhead operation. Furthermore, most of the SCO money went towards starting the program, and operating costs are now lower since the certificationprogram is in full run.

**2004 Update: LPI actually has the most certified individuals of any program, although the number of LPIC-1 are two orders of magnitude more than LPIC-2. With its international focus (including lack of the word "engineer" which is often an unappropriate application under the definition by some locales), LPI has more certified individuals in Germany and Japan than the US.

The LPIC-3 track was supposed to be released within a year or two of the LPIC-1 and LPIC-2 programs, but not even one exam has surfaced yet and are still being developed. Again, unlike the first two levels, the LPIC-3 level is an elective level where candidates can choose their specialties by passing two out of a selection of four or five exams. Again, none of these exams have surfaced, and LPI has even changed a few of the planned LPIC-3 exams over the course of theirdevelopment.

The other development was the UnitedLinux partnership. UnitedLinux decided that it wanted to build off of the LPI programs, especially since its members had been crucial in its development. The way the program will work is that there will still be the LPIC-1 and LPIC-2 certifications as-is, but then there will be an UnitedLinux option for each level via a third, UnitedLinux-specific exam. So one can become UnitedLinux LPIC-1 and LPIC-2 certified by taking an additional exam at each level. With the primary LPI founder and funder, SCO, now out of the picture, it will be interested if this still goesthrough **.

**2004 Update: Even though UnitedLinux is now gone, SuSE has made good on continuing their development of a LPI-based exam. The Novell purchase is changing some things, but they seem dedicated to the LPI alignment.

Red Hat

Of all the Linux certification options, the only program from a for-profit vendor is Red Hat. Many IT and certification industry publications and organizations have incorrectly and quite poorly compared the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) program to the approach and model of the Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) program. Anyone who knows anything about how Red Hat's training operates knows it is theexact opposite of Microsoft's approach.

http://www.redhat.com/training/

Award-Winning Training and Lab-Based Certification

The biggest problem with Red Hat's program is perception; perception by individuals who know nothing of the program. Again, many articles or comments I've read about the RHCE program that compare it to the MCSE program compare it on a name, political or otherwise 100% non-technical
basis, largely because the individual who wrote the article or made the comment knows nothing of the RHCE program. Unlike the MCSE program which is about licensing training centers and materials, pushing out numerous certified individuals regardless of their experience (even caught red-handed ``auto-correcting'' answers early in the MCSE program just to certify as many as fast as they could) which, ultimately, pushes product, the RHCE program follows directly in the footsteps of the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE).

In a nutshell, Red Hat has won numerous praise and awards in studies for its quality of training and lab-based examination approach. Red Hat does not license its materials, partner with other training companies or otherwise allows anyone but their own employees or trainers to run its education centers and proctor its exams. Linux itself focuses on standards technology instead of vendor-specific products, so by merely using Linux, you are learning technology and not just vendor-instances of it. So even though Red Hat teaches how to use their distribution, from system to network and how to secure it by default, they are still training you do to the same with the underlying technology using Linuxin general (and not just a vendor's specific product).

Furthermore, when you take a Red Hat examination, you are placed in a lab with a Red Hat Certified Trainer (RHCX) and not some minimum wage clerk watch you via video camera or via a glass window. That same RHCX is also responsible for grading your examination both in-progress
(Troubleshooting Section) as well as later (after the Installation and Configuration section). Courses are scheduled weeks in advance, and you cannot simply schedule the examination at your local Prometric or Vue location. If Red Hat was really interested in just certifying people in quantity to push product, they sure would have opted for anything but on-site, non-commodity, hands-on training and, far more importantly, lab-based examination.

Red Hat's training is currently layered into four levels, with two of the four levels currently offering a certification exam:

• RH100-series: General UNIX/Linux training
  
  • Audience: No UNIX/Linux experience, although other OS/network administrative experience highly recommended
    
• RH200-series: Red Hat Linux Administration and Troubleshooting training
  
  • Audience: RH100-level knowledge or experience
    
  • Certification: RH202 Exam, Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT) - recently introduced in January 2003
    
• RH300-series: Red Hat Linux Advanced Administration, including Networking and Security
  
  • Audience: RH200-level knowledge or experience
    
  • Certification: RH302 Exam, Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) - originally introduced in 1998, revamped in January 2003
    
• RH400-series: Red Hat Enterprise Linux training, including Clustering and High-Availability
  
  • Audience: RH300 training or RHCE highly recommended
    

Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT)

Unlike Cisco who introduced computer-administered examination for its lower certifications after the CCIE, and Novell who only offers one performance-based certification track, Red Hat stuck with lab-based certification when it recently introduced its lower-tier Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT) title in January 2003.

• Experience: 12-18 months, very difficult to pass without
  
• Difficulty: Moderate, RH200 courses, courseware or experience highly recommended
  
• Distribution: Red Hat Linux, latest version as of last 2-3 weeks (updated very fast)
  
• Format: On-site, lab-based examination at a Red Hat training facility
  
• Length: 3 hours - 1 hour for lab section I (Troubleshooting), 2 hours for lab section II (Installation and Configuration)
  
• Objectives: https://www.redhat.com/training/rhce/courses/rh202.html
  
• Training: On-site at Red Hat training facility or interactive eLearning
  
• Cost: $349
  

When Red Hat introduced the RHCT, it raised the bar not only for ``entry-level'' certification, but even on its ``advanced'' RHCE certification at the same time (see below). Red Hat does not care to duplicate other Linux certifications in their ``entry-level,'' and offers a 100% lab-based examination in the RHCT. They even reference other certifications as ``multiple choice'' in its RH202 page stating the RH202 is for those who want to add ``performance-based certification to
their credentials.''

The first lab section of the RHCT, ``Troubleshooting,'' consists of four-problem system troubleshooting exercise that one must completely fully - i.e. a perfect 100% score - in an alloted one hour. This troubleshooting section is checked hands-on by the RHCX proctor so you'll immediately know if you completed the objectives or not, and can continue to work on them, assuming you have time remaining, if you did not correctly do so. Experienced Linux administrators who've seen their share of boot-time and run-time issues will have little problem with these exercises. Those who have not, and might have even been trained to identifying them in Red Hat's own classes, may notbe able to resolve them all in the alloted time.

The second section of the RHCT, ``Installation and Configuration,'' consists of a two hour lab that involves installing a Linux system from scratch and configuring it to specific specifications. A minimum 70% passing score is required to pass this second section. Given the goals, two hours is ample time to complete this section for anexperienced Linux administrator.

Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)

Originally released in 1998, the RHCE program was drastically revamped in January 2003 with new ``compulsory'' requirements. In a nutshell, the 44% failure rate of previous years has increased with this newscoring.

• Experience: 36+ months, impossible to pass without
  
• Difficulty: High, experience is mandatory and RH300 course or courseware extremely recommended
  
• Distribution: Red Hat Linux, latest version as of last 2-3 weeks (updated very fast)
  
• Format: On-site, lab-based examination at a Red Hat training facility
  
• Length: 6 hours - 2.5 hours for lab section I (Troubleshooting), 1 hour for non-lab section II (Multiple Choice)** and 2.5 hours for lab section III (Installation and Configuration)
  
• Objectives: https://www.redhat.com/training/rhce/courses/rhexam.html
  
• Training: On-site at Red Hat training facility or interactive eLearning, and a few books exist (but are not recommended)
  
• Cost: $749 (yes, just the exam)
  

The RHCE exam touches almost all aspects of Linux administration. From troubleshooting both local and networking services, to installing, configuration and, most importantly, securing various networking services (directory/file/print, mail/post-office, web/proxy, etc...) in a finite amount of time (which most people never have enough time to fully verify). The fact that Red Hat requires that you secure (as in network security) any and all networking services or face significant point deduction (let alone you are also deducted those points if you do not setup the service correctly in the first place) shows that the RHCE certification is about security by default (unlike nearly all
other vendor certifications).

The 1998-2002 RHCE program was geared towards training people and then certifying a little more than half of them. Most people, over 80%, opted for the $2,500 RH300 course, which included the RH302 exam at the end. After four days of intense training, most people were able to use their typical above 90% section II Multiple Choice score (even 3 out of 4 people who failed the RHCE still got a 85%+ on the multiple choice part)** to offset possible lower scores in the section I Troubleshooting and, more often, section III Installation and Configuration on to a 80% average (which meant no sectional score could be below 50%). In fact, the common RHCE testing taking attitude was to ``ace'' the first two sections, Troubleshooting and Multiple Choice, so only a 50-something percent was required on the final,intense and often unfinished Installation and Configuration part.

Starting in 2003, Red Hat has added new ``compulsory'' scoring requirements for both the RHCT and RHCE credentials, separately and distinctly, to the Troubleshooting as well as the Installation andConfiguration sections of the RHCE exam. This was done for two reasons.

One, the new RH302 RHCE exam has the same RHCT requirements as the RH202 RHCT exam, now labeled ``RHCT compulsory.'' This means that if a RHCE test taker fails to reach the average, or complete one of the RHCE ``compulsory'' sections, they can still be awarded the RHCT certification. This of course means that anyone who also earns the RHCE credential on the 2003+ exam also earned the RHCT credential as well (as stated specifically so in their new FAQ). While this seems like a nice move, so the $749 test is no longer an ``all or nothing''examination, there is a very good reason for it as you'll see.

Which brings me to the second reason. The biggest change is that fact that a RHCE candidate can no longer score at or near 100% on both the Troubleshooting and Multiple Choice and just ``coast'' through the final Installation and Configuration section by completing little more than the RHCT-equivalents (with a resulting 50-something score on that section III). They must now not only complete the RHCT compulsory with a 70%, but much of the rest of the section with a RHCE compulsory of 70%. That means even close to an 85% score on the Installation and Configuration section, and up to a 95% average on the test overall, can still result in failing to meet all RHCE requirements because a 70% score was not achieved on the RHCE compulsory of the Installation
and Configuration section. And a sub-70% score can result in failing to setup and secure more than one service correct on that sub-requirement, achieving only the RHCT title.

And this means that even for a Red Hat sys administrator with 3+ years experience, the 2003+ RHCE exam has become even harder to pass than ever before. Opting for the full RH300 crash course is highly recommended now, or at least the eLearning offerings to the broad base of services.

**2004 UPDATE: Red Hat is no longer including the Section II (Multiple Choice) in its RHCE
examination. It is now a 100% lab-based exam, only Sections I and (formerly known as) III.

Personal Experience

For all but a small portion of the last five years of my career, I have used and support 100% Red Hat Linux at both home and at work. But even when I took the RH302 RHCE Exam-only offering, I had wished I would have just spent 3 times the amount and taken the full RH300 course with it (although my employeer would have prevented me from taking a week off, even though it was my own money). After acing (100% perfect) through the Troubleshooting section (as do about 2/3rds of the candidates) in around an hour (as do about 1/3rd the candidates), and getting a 98% on the Multiple Choice section (again, even 3 out of 4 people who fail get a 85%+ on that part), the final Installation and Configuration section III was the true test of focus, knowledge and experience. I never want to see that portion again in my life, seriously (too bad I'll haveto re-certify in a couple of years though).

You have absolutely no time to fool around on section III. If you're referencing man pages or otherwise do not know how to setup a service, you're done, you won't have enough time to finish. Virtually no one finished this section III in my exam of 13 people (11 of them had the full RH300 course). Prior to the 2003 change in grading, if one finished the equivalent of the RHCT requirements and a few other details, as long as they aced the first two sections, a 50-something is all they needed. Again, that is no longer the case and even a 85% on section III, with a 95% overall, could still be a failure for the RHCE portion. Worse yet, some latter objectives have you reconfiguring services you already configured correctly - so be careful not toundo what works and only hurt the score you already achieved ⁶.

I personally ran into the new 2003 grading which almost cost me the RHCE. I took the brand new Red Hat v9 exam that very week, one of the first 50-some people to take it. The ``first pass automated grader'' for the new RH v9 exam failed to award me the RHCE, even though I scored over 100% on every compulsory requirement except one, a 93.3% average overall, and a 82.1% on section III. I just missed the new RHCE compulsory by 2.3% on section III with a 67.7% (I got a 100% on the RHCT compulsory out of a required 70%). Fortunately for me, the automated grader was not the final grader (it's largely done to give you an ``estimated score'' with 3-5 business days
of taking the exam). The manual re-grade discovered that I was deducted points on one configuration detail, and therefore the additional security configuration (which was also correct), resulting in almost another 10% on that compulsory requirement. Although it only changed my overall average 2.6% (to 95.9%) and 7.6% (to 89.7%) on section III, it made all the difference in the world as far as meeting the new requirements for the RHCE credential.

Again, as I mentioned before, you cannot even screw up more than one service on the Installation and Configuration section with the new RHCE compulsory grading. I can't wait to see the new statistics on the failure rates for the 2003 RHCE scoring, since even a 85%+ on section III, and almost 95% overall, can still be a failure. It used to be 44% already on the old scoring when the majority of people had the RH300 course (and much worse for those that didn't take the full RH300 course), and I'm sure at least a significant number ofthose did not score 95%+ overall, or 85%+ on section III.

Future

One of the more interesting aspects of the Red Hat program is the introduction of the 400-series track for their Enterprise Linux product with clustering and failover. The RHCE credential or at least the RH300 courses are highly recommended before starting down the new 400-series training track. Don't be surprised when Red Hat announces a new Red Hat Certified Enterprise Engineer (RHCEE) credential. In fact, based on the RH401 designation for the first course in the 400-series, there will probably be a RH402 exam and RH400 course + exam offering just like their direct RH300, RH302 and RH301 equivalents.**

**2004 UPDATE: With the creation of the Fedora project, and the end-of-lifing (EOL) of Red Hat Linux (RHL), Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) version 3 is now the version used for the RHCT (RH200-series) and RHCE (RH300-series) programs. If and when any additional certification(s) will be offered (e.g., for the RH400-series) has notbeen announced, and cannot be assumed.

---

Footnotes

... distribution¹

Distributions are what the end-user products most people know of when they think ``Linux.'' From a technical standpoint, Linux is just one small portion of a GNU/Linux distribution (only the kernel, which is the ``core'' program). GNU/Linux distributions, from now on simply referred to as ``distributions,'' are ready-to-install versions of GNU/Linux, from now on simply referred to as ``Linux,'' with all necessary software to do most everything (from the ``GNU'' core systems software, GLibC and other libraries, to the X11 graphics system and Qt/KDE, GTK+/Gnome and other graphical libraries to software development tools).

The majority of distributions today are based on two ``package management'' systems, RPM and Debian. Unlike Windows, which uses executable programs to install new software on a system, nearly all other operating systems ``package'' software. Packaged software is a catch-22. While it forces you to resolve dependency and other issues at install-time (e.g., you can't install the Gnome desktop if you do not have the GTK+ graphical libraries installed), it combats a host of issues that plague Windows systems like Trojan horses, viruses and other security concerns to ``DLL hell'' and seeing a Windows system rendered unusable by merely installing a patch. These ``Windows-only situations'' are virtually unheard of in every other operating system, especially Linux, because of package management.

... RPM²

RPM itself is no longer an acronym or unofficially agreed to be a recursive one, RPM Package Manager. RPM originally stood for Red Hat Package Manager, but since RPM has proliferated throughout many Linux distros (nearly all of which were Red Hat based at one time or another),Red Hat just declared RPM to be no longer an acronym for anything.

... UnitedLinux³

UnitedLinux was founded by Caldera (now SCO), Connectiva, SuSE and TurboLinux in 2002 - all direct Red Hat descendants at one time or another. SCO has left the UnitedLinux consortium, and the Linux market altogether, as of April-May 2003 citing IP issues that are still beingdebated.

... Debian⁴

Unlike RPM-based distros, which have splintered into commercial variants that are distinct and separate from Red Hat and often lack binary compatibility with Red Hat (although LSB is trying to address that), Debian-based commercial distros are usually very Debian binary
compatible. This is because Debian itself is a community-developed distro that maintains a huge on-line repository of software (over 20,000 programs of over 10GB in total - 10x as much as Red Hat or any other RPM distro).

As such, most Debian-based commercial distros are exactly the same at their core, since there is no sense in duplicating what alreadyexists for free. and just value-add select commercial software.

... pages⁵

Man pages are the on-line help in any UNIX system

... achieved⁶

RCS (Revision Control System) is one thing that's really good to know to combat this. Just check-in (ci -l) your changes every step of the way so you can always ``go back'' or at least look at the differences and figure out what was changed that caused you issues. I've argued
repeatedly that version control is not just for developers but system administrators too by proliferating the usage of at least basic RCS commands. Boy did just one little RCS check-in really save my bacon on section III of the RHCE exam! I almost screwed up two other, completed and required objectives if I hadn't checked in that one config file before starting an optional third!

---