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Home > Archive > Linux/Unix > January 2001 > Pursuing Linux certification.
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Pursuing Linux certification.
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| I don't want to start a Linux/unix vs. Microsoft debate however someone has posted in the CCNA forum whether or not Linux certs are as valuable as Microsoft. One reply was that with Networking certs. ( CCNA etc. ) and Linux certification you will excell. My query is this: Once I have CCNA, I was considering MCSE. Would it be to my benefit to perhaps get an MCP instead ( Workstation + server ) and spend the money on getting a Linux certification to complement them both. ( Linux +, LCP , RHCE ) etc? Would a Linux / Unix certification make me that much more marketable to begin with? I don't have any experience using Linux apart from seeing a version of Mandrake. Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated. cheers, Grollo. | |
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| I am not really so sure. Apart from the RHCE, certs do not seem to attract very many in the Linux/UN*X world. And most of the certification programs are fairly new and are generally less well-known than the MCSE program. Red hat might be an exception, but from what I have heard, that is not really an exam suited from newcomers - it contaons a lab and you must take the course that goes along with it. | |
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| Try out one of the Linux or Unix distros and see how you like it. You may also want to give Novell a try. For beginers my Linux recomendation is Mandrake, and for Unix I suggest FreeBSD. Both are very functional and have easy installations. Certifications aren't a big deal in the *nix world like they are with M$ or Cisco. This is due mostly to the lack of a standard, dominate distro. Most employers aren't very interested in *nix certifications either, but are very interested in *nix knowledge. I'm a Cisco, Unix, and Security nut, but have no interest in getting any Unix certs for these reasons.
There's a large demand for both *nix and M$ admins. Try out both and see how you like them before making your decision. Without a doubt Win2k/NT are much easier to learn then *nix. | |
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| Well, my first OS was MVS and after that everything else seems a bit simpler. Even UN*X commands look simple alongside of JCL! But you're right, UN*X certs don't seem that popular. When the Linux+ comes out, I'll probably get that one for completion, but I doubt if I'll go for any more. Only the Cisco, M$ or Novell certs seem to mean a whole lot. | |
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| Thanks for the replies. They are much appreciated. When your fairly new to the industry it becomes difficult to know which is the best way for you to jump. The way I am interpreting your replies, is to pursue the MS certs, and pick up Linux along the way if I like the software. If most Unix specialists don't have any certs. I gather that a lot of it is learn't on the job as you gain experience anyway. cheers Grollo. | |
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| Yes, that's about it. I mean don't shy away from the basic UN*X or Linux certs if they honestly interest you and you are interested in proving to yourself how much you know. But don't expect most employers to take much note of them. Like I said above, the Cisco, Microsoft and Novell certs are the most widely recognised, and you will probabply be the most likely to recieve a better salary with them. Linux and UN*X are great to know, and not as hard as the MS people would like others to believe (years back, MS actually had a product called XENIX, a UN*X version that ran on PC's). Linux servers usually outperfrom MS servers and they are extremely stable, but as there is no ONE organisation that pushes the products, any one certification will not carry much weight. Caldera says that they will soon be sponsoring their own cert program. Then there is Red Hat, SCO -- they have their own programs as well. But that's just the start . . . Rhapsody, Slackware, the list is undending. So if you're interested, get a version of UN*X -- I would recommed Caldera or FreeBSD to learn on -- both are very cheap -- and that will give you a taste of UN*X and you can go from there. | |
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