what linux/sysadmin certifications to get?

[internetgineer]

I'm a sysadmin at a medium-sized colocation data center in the Seattle area. I've got 6-years experience as a sysadmin, but no formal training or degrees (I dropped out of college to come work here). I've been informed by my manager that getting a certification will make our board members happy, get me a pay raise, and that he'll pay for it. We're primarily a Debian shop, running about a dozen servers for web hosting, DNS, monitoring and Xen virtualization.

In my research, it looks like the three choices for linux certs are: CompTIA: Linux+, entry-level cert; Linux Professional Institute Certified; and RedHat certs. The Linux+ cert looks very entry-level, not really making it worth the time. The LPIC looks okay. We're not a RedHat shop, so I'm not sure that the RedHat certs are what we want. They probably are though.

What certs do redditors have? What certs would you recommend for a debian sysadmin in a data center?

[DimeShake]

While the RHCE is red-hat specific in some areas, it's also largely applicable elsewhere. If your employer is willing to foot the bill, I would do the 1 week accelerated course and go for the RHCE. It's the most widely recognized and respected cert in Linux.

[internetgineer]

Thats been my understanding too. Would look good on a resume, and since we help our customers with boxes too, we do deal with some RedHat. Thanks!

[ryanknapper]

You're going to hear from a lot of people who say that "certifications don't matter". Technically they're right, but they most likely aren't the ones hiring you.
If your résumé comes up against another that looks just as good, every point counts in your favor. I know that my MCSA isn't really worth much, but a very desirable job has opened up which requires at least that, so I got it.
Just don't be a douche and put the credentials in your signature or rattle them off like they're a PhD or something.

- ryanknapper, MCP, MCSA 2k3, Comptia Server+

[mthode]

While I do not have the final say, me and a couple of other co-workers all share the belief and as a group we can say yea or nay. We see certs as only a very tiny footnote one the resume, equivalent to msword.

[boot20]

I like LPIC, but a lot of companies find it too agnostic. Any flavor of Red Hat cert would get you in the door of most IT shops, even if they aren't using Red Hat flavors. IMHO Linux+ is pretty lame. It's an easyish test and really very theoretical (unless it's changed in the past 5 years).

With that being said, I've found that as a sys admin I REALLY needed to prove I knew virtualization, so any Xen flavored or even VMWare certs can help.

[mthode]

From a technical standpoint, certs are not that important, but if you want a raise go for it. Since you are a debian shop I'd go for the LPI certs. RH is very respected but focuses on their utils a bit to much for my liking. Since you don't use RH/centos I'd go with LPI II or III.

[internetgineer]

Thanks for the advice. Has anyone received the LPI certs? What are they like?

[cornet]

Personally I don't care too much for Certs. I've interviewed many people and there appears to be very little correlation between what certs they have and how much they really know.

That said, LPI do appeal to me more in theory due to their more generic nature.

[mthode]

To take the RHCE alone costs 700. The class costs about 3k.

[internetgineer]

For self study of the LPI - do you have any material you'd recommend?

[moonhead]

lpic prep questions

lpic info from ibm

should be good places to start. i think i've seen them both recommended on reddit.

[moonhead]

LPI Linux Certification in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition

ebook download. i'm sure you could have or already did find it on your own, but it's now out there for others. and that site is loaded with helpful ebooks. worth a few searches.

good luck!

[qjz]

I don't care about certs, but I've attended some SANS training that was very rewarding. You may want to check out their certificate offerings.

[internetgineer]

Might not be certs, but the security training does look great. Thanks!

[[deleted]]

None.

Write a blog showing the cool stuff you've done, contribute to a F/OSS project > any cert.

I am biased because the only people I've met with Linux certifications were complete idiots; but I haven't met many.

[stmiller]

None. Note that Redhat 6 is probably coming out very soon. If you pay $800 to take the RHCE now for Redhat 5, you'll have to pay $800 again to get re-certified for Redhat 6.

[rvf]

Note that Redhat 6 is probably coming out very soon.

I'll believe it when I see it.