- Topics Mentioned
- Operating System(s):
- Linux
Have you been contemplating the pursuit of Linux professional certification? Have your choices been narrowed down to Novell, LPI and ComTIA?
Well, there’s good news to share for new Linux certification candidates and current Linux certified professionals.
Last year, Linux jobs grew by 5% and salaries increased by as much as 10% for Linux certified professionals. The new certification partnerships that LPI, CompTIA and Novell have formed will help IT professionals get a start in the Linux sector of the industry.
LPI and CompTIA Partnership
Today CompTIA announced that it is joining forces with Linux Professional Institute to help advance the global Linux workforce.
The partnership between LPI and CompTIA means that certification in the new CompTIA Linux+ will mean that candidates are eligible for LPIC-1 certification. Past and current Linux+ certification holders will only be able to benefit from this partnership if they plan on recertifying with the new Linux+ exams.
To obtain both the Linux+ and LPIC-1 certification at once, all you need to do is have your exam results of your Linux+ exams be sent to LPI. At the beginning of your Linux+ exams, you will have the opportunity to choose this option.
The big news is that CompTIA is adopting the LPIC-1 exams (LPI-101 and LPI-102) which are numbered LX0-101 and LX0-102. Candidates will be required to pass both of the exams to become Linux+ certified and to qualify for the LPIC-1 cert.
The new Linux+ cert has also been retitled and is now officially called: CompTIA Linux+ Powered by LPI certification.
According to CompTIA’s website, the new Linux+ exams will be available in late April, 2010 and will be priced at $160, the same price as the LPIC-1 exams.
For some reason, the new CompTIA Linux+ [Powered by LPI certification] will not be available in Japan; the current Linux+ exam retires at the end of April, 2010 in Japan.
LPI and Novell Partnership
LPI (the group behind the LPIC certifications), and Novell (the makers of SUSE Linux), have formed a groundbreaking partnership that at last, paves the way for cross-certification.
LPI has announced that current holders of LPIC certifications can now receive the Novell Certified Linux Administrator (CLA) certification — and get this, candidates will not have to pay any additional costs or take another exam.
Apparently, the two companies have worked together for years on exam development, so LPI and CLA holders may not be surprised at the announcement.
Essentially, if you’ve earned the LPIC-1 certification, both groups believe you have demonstrated the requirements necessary to earn the Novell CLA certification. Novell will also include LPIC-1 test objectives in its CLA training materials.
Additional self-study and classroom training programs are pending, so be sure to check the LPI website periodically for more information.
Unfortunately, the agreement does not extend to LPI candidates or holders in Japan.
How to Obtain Your Novell CLA
In order to obtain your Novell CLA, you will need to complete an online form at Novell’s website.
Required Information:
- LPI ID
- verification code (found in your online candidate record)
- contact information: (name, address, phone, email)
CLA & LPIC Certification Information
Novell Certified Linux Administrator (CLA)
The Novell Certified Linux Administrator (CLA) is the newest Novell certification and demonstrates competency in the day-to-day administration of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server networks.
There are two learning paths, covering both server software versions: SUSE Enterprise Server 11 and 10. For the purposes of this article, we’ll cover the most current version, Server 11. There are two tests, concentrated on fundamentals and administration. Both are ninety minute, multiple choice exams with sixty-nine questions, spanning fifty-five test objectives. In addition to the distribution-neutral Linux topics, candidates will be tested on Novell-specific components, such as, RPM, SUSE installation, YaST and SUSE Linux system monitoring.
Novell Training:
Novell offers the following training courses for this exam: The three-day fundamental training (course 3101), costs $1,495 for classroom study and $495 for self study. The five-day advanced administration class is $2,495 for classroom and $495 for self-study.
For more information on the CLA certifications, check out my post that provides a Novell Certification Overview or visit Novell’s website.
Linux Professional Institute Certification (LPIC)
The Linux Professional Institute Certification (LPIC) is one of two distribution-neutral certifications in the Linux space. LPIC certifies competency in both the basic operating system components and associated administration tools.
Each test objective is weighted on a scale of 1 to 10, based on their relative importance. As you might expect, the higher the weight, the more questions on the exam will be dedicated to that objective.
There are three certification levels: LPIC-1, LPIC-2 and LPIC-3.
LPIC-1 – Junior Level Linux Professional is an entry level certification which consists of two exams, both of which must be passed. The first exam focuses on system architecture, while the second covers shells, scripting and data management. Candidates should be familiar with the Linux command line, be able to perform typical system maintenance tasks and manage installation of workstations and networking.
LPIC Training:
LPI doesn’t offer in-house training, but instead has LPI Approved Training Partners (LPI-ATP). Click here to view and search the listing for local training options.
For more information on the LPIC certifications, see my article on LPIC Overview or visit LPI’s website.
Professional Certification Impact
Overall, I think this is a good move for all three companies. One of the challenges for IT professionals is deciding which certification path to pursue — especially at the entry-level stage.
There is definite need for testing separation to assess certain skills depending on the Linux flavor. However, in the distribution-neutral space, there is a recognizable overlap of test objectives.
These partnerships have simplified the process not only for candidates, but will also help employers who make hiring decisions based on the perceived industry standard.
Discussion
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