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Basic requirement For Linux Consultant

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Basic requirement For Linux Consultant

Author:: lakshmipathi
Date added:: Thursday, 09 July 2009
Last revised:: never

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I would like to start Linux Consulting firm,what's are all the basic requirements of it?

I'm an open source programmer, Gained sound knowledge in Linux over past 6 years.

I can think of Following requirements:

Linux Multi-boot Installations
Troubleshooting / Recovery /Boot up issues
Package installation
Familiar with Desktop distros like Fedora/Ubuntu/Debian/Mandriva etc.
Programming skills in C/Java/Bash shell script/Php/per.
Good with Linux commands
Updated skills on new open source products.
Networking Skills like DNS setup/SElinux /Mail servers

Any thoughts?

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Answers

#6 Lucas Vieites 2009-10-28 01:43 My 2 cents:
get to know your open source equivalents for Windows software and also multi-platform software you can install on Windows so the step towards Linux will be much easier.

#5 Gopinath M 2009-10-12 16:56 Get a Red Hat Certified Technician Certificated by taking Exam

#4 Zanpaktou 2009-09-07 18:14 If you add some Linux certification from an accredited Linux institute to your C.V, have a willingness to succeed, can find customers and believe in yours skills; you can do it.

You will also have IBM, Microsoft, RedHat, Novell, Canonical and Oracle as some of your biggest competitors if you tender for big contracts.
Just something to also bare in mind.

#3 Khalid Yousif 2009-08-16 05:16 I am not a consultant myself, but these characteristics sound fine:
- knowledge in very wide variety of topics.
- some basic programing skills in different languages.
- reading, reading, reading.
- catching up with tech news hour by hour.
- having an adventurous spirit to try and experiment new stuff.
- good knowledge about web servers, databases, security, networking, etc..

#2 kryptikos 2009-07-16 07:31 Olli hit the nail on the head. Right now it appears to be a consultant you just have to walk in the door and say you are a consultant. Companies just throw cash into your pockets.

All the things you stated in your list are positive things. However, you and every other Linux engineer out there will know how to do those things. I think to be a good consultant you have to be able to communicate to the client what Linux can do for them, how it can save cost across the infrastructure and capital expenditures. Once they understand how Linux can be utilized in their business model then your best contribution will be to deliver quality engineering and expertise.

The only thing I would also add is to be courteous and listen to the engineers who do work for the company as they have specific knowledge about the way their systems are set up. I've grown tired of watching consultants come in and tell BU managers how they can do something without talking to us (the system engineers), the BUs believe them, then it turn out to not be possible due to the fact of our configurations. Ultimately BU people tend to listen to consultants instead of their own people and that breeds resentment which leads to lack of cooperation thus driving up costs. Ultimately it makes Linux look bad.

Cheers - Kryptikos

+2 #0 Olli Markkanen 2009-07-12 17:23 You should definitely know about LSTP thin clients.

You should be able to setup some basic servers.

You need to know some equivalent Linux software for what companies are using. Also it would be good to know how to use them.

I'd say that programming isn't necessary, but some shell scripting is.

You need to know what is allowed with the software licences like GPL, MIT, BSD, … and could also help to know what Windows licence does not allow, if you are going to defend open source solutions.

But, being the sick sad world that it is, to be a consultant the only requirement is to find someone to pay your bills.