Certifications

Linux certifications allow Linux professionals to demonstrate formal training and expertise. While not required to begin or advance a Linux career, certifications can be helpful in putting your resume on the top of the pile. There are a variety of providers for Linux certifications. Linux Professional Institute offers a general certification, while Red Hat, SUSE and Oracle all have certifications custom to their Linux distributions. When choosing a Linux certification program, here are the top three things to consider:

• A respected authority. Is the certification provider credible? Will a certification from the organization be widely recognized?
• Distribution. Does the certification align with the primary distribution that you use? How well do you know the distribution it's testing on?
• Cost. Is the exam affordable? What is included in the cost and what are the unforeseen expenses such as travel or materials?

Five respected Linux certification programs include:

• Linux Foundation Linux Certification
• Linux Professional Institute
• Oracle Linux Certified Administrator
• Red Hat Certified Engineer
• SUSE Certified Linux Administrator