Linux Certification Process

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Why get Linux Certified

All hype aside, by early 2000 it was very clear that Linux is going to be a major operating system. Linux is no longer of interest only to hackers and the open-source community. Today there are more web servers running on Linux than on any other operating system. Major organizations are deploying Linux in their data centers. According to a study done recently, more than 75% of the fortune 500 companies have already deployed Linux or are considering to do so in near future.

With this booming Linux deployment comes increased demand for professionals who are conversant with Linux. This includes users, administrators, programmers, as well as buyers of Linux systems. A recognized Linux Certification provides a tangible way to show prowess in the operating system. Many job postings already favor applicants with "Linux Certified" in their resumes.

While certification by itself does not make you a recognized Linux Guru, it provides a great start towards that goal. Many IT professionals feel confident to use a particular technology, but they need some practical experience to be deemed experts. Unfortunately, this practical experience may not be readily available, as employers look for prior experience with that technology. Professionals can break this Catch-22 situation with certification and erase any doubts in their ability to work with Linux.

Last but not least, certification is a great tool for self motivation to learn Linux in good depth. Certification test provides a clear-cut goal to brush up on broad aspects of this popular operating system.

How to get Certified

Currently there are three major organizations which seek to provide Linux Certification exams :

Linux Professional Institute

Sair Linux and GNU (Recently acquired by Wave Technologies)

Red Hat

In general our bias is towards the certifications offered through the Linux Professional Institute (LPI). LPI is a non-profit organization, which has used volunteers to develop itself as a community project mirroring the development of Linux itself. Linux enthusiasts have volunteered for LPI for tasks ranging from taking care of its booth in trade-shows all the way to preparing examination questions. LPI now has sponsor organizations as well as paid officials, but is still deemed to be an unbiased organization dedicated to creating the best and standardized Linux Certification.

Red Hat is the only major distribution vendor which is currently providing a certification for its own distribution. Other major vendors like Suse, Turbo Linux and Caldera seem to have put full support behind LPI. In general we prefer distribution independent certification, but there could be some valid reasons to consider Red Hat certification as well. If your organization (current or prospective) predominantly uses Red Hat distribution, becoming a Red Hat Certification Engineer may be more relevant.

Sair Inc. was one of the first organizations to offer a Linux Certification exam. It also offers a vendor-neutral Linux certification. Sair got acquired by Wave Technologies, a huge IT certification and training outfit, in January 2000. Wave Technology in turn got acquired by The Thomson Corporation in March 2000, becoming part of its Thomson Learning division. Currently (mid-2000) Sair Linux and GNU Linux certification offers more levels of exams as compared to LPI, so you may find an exam which is more tuned towards your particular requirement with Sair. LPI is also expected to offer more advanced exams in near future. It remains to be seen how the two vendor-neutral Linux certification efforts move in the future. Stay tuned....

To prepare for Linux certification examination and to get hands-on experience with various aspects of Linux, click here.

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