Oracle Linux System Administrator

Although known for its database products and solutions, Oracle also has its own distribution of Linux, geared for the enterprise and designed to support cloud environments. In fact, Oracle Linux is optimized for various Oracle products and platforms, such as Oracle Exadata Database Machine, Oracle Exalytics In-Memory Machine, Oracle Exalogic Elastic Cloud and Oracle Database Appliance.

To support Oracle Linux, the company offers the Oracle linux sysadmin certification at Associate and Professional levels. A single Oracle Linux Certified Implementation Specialist credential is also offered. We focus on the Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) version in this section.

The OCP Oracle Linux System Administrator certification, currently at version 6 (although version 7 should be coming soon), covers a lot of details. Candidates must be well-versed on the Btrfs file system, control groups, Linux containers, advanced storage administration techniques, Oracle cluster management and package management. The certification also tests for knowledge of dump analysis, dynamic tracing, network and security configuration and more.

The OCP Oracle Linux System Administrator certification requires that candidates first obtain the Oracle Certified Associate (OCA) Oracle Linux 5 and 6 System Administrator certification and pass one exam.

SysAdmins who support Oracle Solaris might be interested in the Oracle Solaris System Administrator certification, which Oracle offers at the Associate and Professional levels. Oracle also offers several server-related certifications for SPARC and Fujitsu servers.

Oracle Linux System Administrator Facts and Figures

Certification Name

Oracle Certified Professional, Oracle Linux 6 System Administrator

Prerequisites & Required Courses

Prerequisite certification:

Oracle Certified Associate, Oracle Linux 5 and 6 System Administrator

or

Oracle Linux Administrator Certified Associate (retired)

Training is recommended but not required: Oracle Linux 5 & 6 Advanced System Administration, on demand ($3,400). 

Self-Study Materials

The Exam Preparation and Exam Details sections of the exam page list recommended training and detailed exam topics. Amazon lists only a few books on Oracle Linux.

RHCE: Red Hat Certified Engineer

In the realm of Linux system administrator certifications, Red Hat certs really stand out. Red Hat's more senior-level certifications are especially popular among IT professionals as well as the employers who hire them. Those holding the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) credential qualify for job roles such as senior Linux administrator, senior UNIX administrator, senior systems engineer, infrastructure systems engineer, IT analyst and the like.

The RHCE is regarded as a high-level credential that's not easy to obtain. Candidates must first obtain the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) credential and then pass a three and a half hour, hands-on, performance-based exam that's intense and demanding. Those who earn the RHCE can go on to earn the Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) in Infrastructure credential.

The current RHCE exam is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7. RHCE certification is valid for three years from the date the certification was achieved. To maintain the certification, a credential holder must pass any RHCA exam or pass the RHCE certification exam again before the end of the three-year period.

Note: In October 2018, IBM announced that it was acquiring Red Hat for the princely sum of $34 billion. It's too early to tell what impact this may have on Red Hat certification offerings, if any.

RHCE Practice Exam Questions

On Udemy

RHCE Facts and Figures

Certification Name

Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)

Prerequisites & Required Courses

Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) certification (does not have be on the same Red Hat Enterprise Linux version). RHCSA requires one exam: EX200 — Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA).

Self-Study Materials

Red Hat Training offers multiple training options, including classroom, virtual, online, video and private onsite. The Red Hat Learning Subscription offers online and video courses, including cloud-based labs, in Basic and Standard subscriptions. Prices vary by geography. Candidates in the U.S. can expect to pay $5,500 (or 19 training units) for the Basic tier and $7,000 (or 24 training units) for the Standard tier.

CompTIA Server+

CompTIA offers a long list of entry-level certifications, such as the A+ for hardware technicians, Network+ for network admins and Security+ for security specialists, all of which are highly regarded in the computing industry. The CompTIA Server+ certification is no exception. Companies such as Intel, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Xerox and Microsoft, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense, recommend or require that their server technicians earn CompTIA Server+.

The Server+ certification exam focuses on foundational server-related topics that are vendor-neutral in nature, including server hardware, operating systems, storage systems, networking, the IT environment (documentation, diagrams and best practices), security and disaster recovery, virtualization and troubleshooting.

The Server+ credential, along with sufficient experience, is a great asset for individuals seeking a position as a server or network administrator, systems engineer or website administrator. You can also consider it as a stepping stone to a more focused certification, such as the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) or the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA).

Server+ certification requires one exam, SK0-004. CompTIA recommends that candidates have at least 18 months of experience and A+ certification before sitting for the exam.