Certification: Changes to SCLP and other Certifications
As summer winds down, a number of vendors are in full swing making changes to their existing Linux/Unix certifications. In the recent past, I ’ve looked at the changes underway at CompTIA in regard to the Linux+ certification. It is undergoing an update and overhaul aimed to make it more timely and relevant. This is far from the only certification currently getting such scrutiny.
This month, the biggest transformation I’ll present is what is happening to the SCLP certification that just went live. I’ll also look at some other vendor’s changes, including additional changes at CompTIA, and try to bring everything that is happening in certification up to date.
August 2004 Examining the New Linux+ Certification
Certifications on Linux — just like those on any other operating system or product — need to be updated regularly to keep their objectives and questions relevant in a changing world. This is true whether you are talking about entry-level or engineer-level certifications. Recognizing this, most vendors update their exams approximately every two to three years. Usually, they look at the objectives and see whether any have changed in relevance (either up or down) and whether topics should be added, reworded, or removed. Most of the time, these updates are more superficial than anything else.
July 2004 Certification: What You Need to Know for Project Management Certification
Last month, I introduced the two primary certifications for project management: PMP from the Project Management Institute and IT Project+ from CompTIA. While the two certifications differ significantly in their prerequisites, they both require that you pass an exam on a core set of knowledge. The core set of knowledge is essentially the same between the two certifications, though scattered among different “domains”/topic categories.
This month, I’ll look at that core set of knowledge you must know to understand the basics of project management. Though the titles of the heads generically correspond to the IT Project+ domains, that was only done for the sake of simplicity, and the material applies to PMP as well. For more detailed information, see the references and links at the end of this article.
June 2004 Certification: Exploring Project Management Certifications
Emmett examines project management and the certifications that apply to it.
May 2004 Certification: A First Look at SUSE Certification
In February, I discussed how Novell went on a Linux buying spree last year and is now betting the company on the open source operating system. The focus of that column was on the CLE (Certified Linux Engineer) certification that Novell was creating. This month, I will examine the certifications – yes, plural – that Novell is creating around the SuSE flavor of Linux. These certifications were previously expected to be released beneath the United Linux umbrella, but that project seems to have fallen through.
April 2004 Certification: How to Increase Your Certification Score, Part II
This article is the second in the two-part series on the tactics that Emmett Dulaney compiled for increasing test scores on multiple-choice exams.
March 2004 Certification: How to Increase Your Certification Score
In part 1 of a 2-part discussion, Emmett provides tips for increasing test scores on multiple-choice exams.
February 2004 Exploring the Novell CLE Certification
In 2003, Novell — long known for their network operating system, NetWare — began betting heavily on Linux as they started the transition from a software company to a technology company. Among other lesser things that took place, they purchased the Ximian desktop and the SuSE version/flavor of the operating system (the latter deal was finalized in January).
Early on in the move to embrace Linux, Novell began plans for a new certification — Certified Linux Engineer (CLE). While not fully written in stone at the time that I pen this, many of the details surrounding what is planned for that certification have now become available. More will materialize when the exam goes live in the first quarter of this year.
A brief overview of what was then known about the CLE appeared in my November column. This month, I'll explore the certification and where it fits in with all the other Linux certifications that are available.
January 2004 Certification: How Prepared Are You for i-Net+ Certification?
While many recognize CompTIA (the Computing Technology Industry Association) as the organization that created the highly successful A+/hardware certification, this establishment has a number of other lifetime certifications that can also be obtained by passing one or two exams. The i-Net+ certification requires passing only a single exam and authenticates knowledge on the basics of Internet-related technology. While it would never stand alone on a résumé of someone seeking an engineer-level position, it does fit nicely with other credentials on the résumé and should be considered in that light.
December 2003 Certification: How Prepared are you for e-Biz+?
An economic downturn is often viewed as a good time to pad the resumé with a few certifications. And what can be better padding than one-exam certifications that are good for life, such as those offered by CompTIA?
November 2003 What's New in Certification?
Technology is constantly evolving and bringing with it a requirement for new skills and abilities. With the purpose of certification being to verify that an individual has an authenticated level of acumen/proficiency, there is never an end to the stream of new certifications that vendors release or update. This month, the focus is on new and upcoming certifications that should be of relevance to UnixReview readers. There are three distinct categories: engineer-level, desktop, and security certifications. I'll follow the discussion of each category with a few predictions on what I see coming down the pike.
October 2003 A Harvest of Security Certifications
To say that there are a lot of certifications available in security is like saying there is a lot of water available in the ocean. Vendors who offer other
certifications — such as CIW and CompTIA — have entries in this field alongside organizations such as (ISC)2 that specialize only in the security area.
September 2003 Certification: Exploring RHCT Certification
Once you move beyond entry-level Linux qualifications, you find that no other skills certification carries the same cachet as does RHCE from Red Hat. For years, the RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) acronym has parlayed a great deal of respect and admiration onto the person placing it after their name. It has been a symbol of competence unparalleled in the Linux realm.
Last year, Red Hat decided to introduce a lower-level cousin for RHCE and announced the formation of the RHCT (Red Hat Certified Technician) certification. While certainly a lesser certification than RHCE, it is held in much the same reverence as the original Red Hat certification, and is sure to grow in popularity as more systems administrators become aware of it.
In this article, I'll explore what the RHCT certification is, how it fits into the acronym stream, and some things you should know when preparing for it. For an overall look at the Linux certification market, see my column from last month.
August 2003 Certification: An Updated Look at Certifications
Every so often, it is important to take time away from examining individual exams and look at where those tests fall in the grand scope of certification. By doing so, it is possible to see how the market has changed and what the possibilities are. This month, I will look at the Linux certification market as it now stands, with an emphasis on exploring new developments and updating older information.
July 2003 Certification: Passing the Sun Certified Network Administrator Exam: Part II
This month, the focus is on the second part of the Sun Certified Network Administrator exam for Solaris 9 (exam CX-310-044). There are three objectives for this exam, with numerous subobjectives beneath each.
June 2003 Certification: Passing the Sun Certified Network Administrator Exam, Part I
In February, I started discussing certifications from Sun, with a focus on those relevant to the Solaris operating system. At that time, there were two certifications currently available — Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris Operating Environment, and Sun Certified Network Administrator for the Solaris Operating Environment. Last month, I finished discussing the Sun Certified System Administrator exams for Solaris 9 (Parts I and II).
May 2003 Certification: Passing the Sun Certified System Administrator, Part II Exam
In February, I started discussing certifications from Sun, with a focus on those relevant to the Solaris™ operating system. There are two certifications currently available — Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris Operating Environment, and Sun Certified Network Administrator for the Solaris Operating Environment. Last month, I covered the Sun Certified System Administrator, Part I exam for Solaris 9.
April 2003 Certification: Passing the Sun Certified System Administrator, Part I Exam
In February, I started looking at certifications from Sun, with a focus on those relevant to the Solaris operating system. There are two certifications currently available — Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris Operating Environment, and Sun Certified Network Administrator for the Solaris Operating Environment.
March 2003 Certification: Is ANY Certification Worth Pursuing?
In the midst of a series of articles on Sun certification, it has become imperative to take a short break and address the question I am most commonly asked — Is it worth getting certified?
February 2003 Certification: Exploring Certifications from Sun Microsystems™
For many users, "Sun™" means different things, based on when they started working in the IT field. Years ago, Sun was known as the vendor of unparalleled workstations and the home of Unix guru Bill Joy. Then Sun became the Java company, and many users today know the company only for that. Along the way, Sun also established reputations in middleware and network storage. The diversification that exists in associating Sun with a product(s) is also present in its certification offerings. Currently, there are four distinct and separate "paths" in which you can become Sun-certified:
Java™
MiddleWare
Network Storage, and
Solaris™
The last item, the Solaris operating system, is the one I will examine over the next few months. In this article specifically, I will introduce Solaris certification and its requirements, after looking briefly at the other certification paths.
January 2003 Certification: Exploring the New LPI 102 Exam
Over the past few months, I have examined the changes the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) has implemented to their Level One exams. To
become certified at this level, you must pass two exams (101 and 102). Last month, I took an in-depth look at the new 101 exam. This month, the
same focus is given to the new 102 exam to help you prepare for this exam.
December 2002 Certification: Exploring the New LPI 101 Exam
Last month, I introduced the changes that the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) has implemented to their Level One exams. To become certified at this level, you must pass two exams (101 and 102). The new versions, known as Release 2, are now the only ones available, and the original versions are retired completely (except in Japanese).
November 2002 Examining the New LPI Level One Exams
The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) is one of a few vendors offering certification in vendor-neutral Linux. The grand scheme of their plan is to
offer certification at three levels, with each level requiring the passage of two exams (and higher level certifications require certification at all lower
levels). Since the release of the Level Two exams (Level Three is still under development) about a year ago, LPI has doubled back and chosen to
revisit and revise their Level One exams.
October 2002 Examining the CIW Security Professional Exam
Over the past three months, I have examined the first three of four exams required for certification as a Master CIW (Certified Internet Webmaster) Administrator. The first exam was the CIW Foundations exam, followed by the CIW Server Administrator exam, and then the CIW Internetworking Professional exam. This month, the focus turns to the final entry in the series — the CIW Security Professional (1D0-470) exam.
September 2002 Examining the CIW Internetworking Professional Exam
Over the past two months, I have examined the first two (of four) exams required for certification as a Master CIW (Certified Internet Webmaster) Administrator. The first exam looked at was the CIW Foundations exam, followed by the CIW Server Administrator exam. This month, the focus turns to the third in the series: the CIW Internetworking Professional (1D0-460) exam.
August 2002 Examining the CIW Server Administrator Exam
Dulaney examines the CIW Server Administrator exam (1D0-450), the second step in the journey toward certification as a Master CIW Administrator.
July 2002 Certification Scope: CIW Foundations Exam
Emmett provides an overview of the Certified Internet Webmaster program and the types of certification that are available through this series.
June 2002 Certification Scope: A First Look at CIW Certifications
Emmett provides an overview of the Certified Internet Webmaster program and the types of certification that are available through this series.
May 2002 Certification Scope: Preparing for the Sair 202 Apache Exam
Dulaney provides a study guide for the Apache/Webservers exam, which is one of two electives leading to Sair Linux and GNU Level II (Engineer) certification.
April 2002 Certification Scope: Preparing for the Sair 201 Exam
The Core Practices and Concepts exam is a mandatory part of the Sair Linux and GNU Level II (Engineer) certification program. Emmett provides a complete list of study tips to help you prepare.
March 2002 Certification Scope: Examining the LPI 201 Exam
Emmett continues his coverage of Level-Two Linux certifications. Find out exactly what you need to know for the LPI 201.
January 2002 Certification Scope: A First Look at Level-Two Certifications
For those who've grown beyond the basics, Emmett has the skinny on 2nd-level Linux certification exams from LPI and Sair.
December 2001 Certification: The Linux+ Sample Test Revisited
When this article was first planned, many months ago, the intent was to spend a paragraph or two discussing the sample Linux+ exam from my last column, and then begin exploring level II certifications as currently proposed by Sair and LPI. That was before a staggering amount of email poured in from around the world and convinced me of the need to revisit the sample exam and discuss it in detail. To say that an enormous amount of email was sent regarding the questions on the exam is a mild understatement. It was a tsunami.
November 2001 Certification: Test Your Knowledge of Basic Linux
How well do you know basic Linux topics and how prepared are you for the Linux+ exam? The following 25 questions were pulled randomly from topics appearing on the Linux+ exam, and they mimic the question style and format employed on that test. Answers follow the questions at the end of the article. If you answer more than 25% of the questions incorrectly, then you're not yet ready for the real exam.
October 2001 An In-Depth Look at the Linux+ Exam
Emmett breaks down the objectives of the Linux+ exam and outlines exactly what you need to know before taking the exam.
September 2001 Top 31 Things to Know for the Red Hat RHCE Exam
This month, I will look at the top 31 topics to know for this part of the exam. Why 31? The list of topics mirrors those emphasized by Red Hat. The following list of study topics includes links that will take you to sites documenting the topics in detail and should quickly bring you up to speed on your exam preparation. Bear in mind, however, that the difficulty of the RHCE exam lies not so much in the multiple-choice portion of the exam, but in the lab portion.
August 2001 A Look at the Red Hat RHCE Exam
In the past, I've looked at Linux certification offerings from LPI, Sair, and CompTIA. This month, I'll turn to another Linux certification option: the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE). Note that this certification differs from all other Linux certifications in some key ways.
July 2001 Overview of the Linux+ Exam
Dulaney discusses a new means of Linux certification: the Linux+ exam from CompTIA.
June 2001 The Top 50 Things to Know to Pass the Sair Exam 103
In my last two columns, I’ve covered what you need to know to pass the first two exams from Sair: 101 (Installation and Configuration) and 102 (System Administration). You must pass four Sair exams to become a Linux Certified Administrator (LCA). This month, I’ll cover the third one (50 points to anyone who can figure out the topic for next month)--Exam 103: Networking.
April 2001 Top 50 Things to Know to Pass the Sair Exam 102
Last month, I took a detailed look at the 101 (Installation and Configuration) exam from Sair. This month, I turn to Exam 102 (System Administration) and give it the same scrutiny. It is one of the four Sair exams you must pass to become a Linux Certified Administrator (LCA). Passing Exam 102 will earn you the designation of Linux Certified Professional (LCP).
March 2001 Top 50 Things to Know to Pass Sair Exam 101
Pursuant to last month's Sair certification overview, Emmett's got the lowdown on key points to know for the first exam.
February 2001 Sair Certification Overview
A look at Linux Sair Certification.
January 2001 The Top 50 Things to Know to Pass the LPIC Exam 102
A close look at the LPI Linux exam 102
December 2000 The Top 50 Things to Know to Pass the LPIC Exam 101
The Linux Professional Institute offers three levels of certification, with each level consisting of two exams that you must pass. The upper two levels are still in development, but the first level is now available. The two exams at the first level are 101 and 102.
November 2000 |
