Red Hat Linux Certified Technician / Engineer (RHCT / RHCE)

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Although proprietary in nature, Red Hat is probably the most in-demand Linux certification from an employer’s point of view and it has the backing of some big hitters in the likes of Dell and Oracle. Whether that will remain so is to be seen, but arguably more weight is afforded this particular Linux certification at the moment than any other. If an employer holds any regard for a particular Linux certification, it’s likely to be this one – particularly in the North American market.

For an entry-level certification, RHCT can set a candidate off on the right track. While still relatively unknown, the RHCT piggybacks nicely on the more renowned RHCE and could be a viable option for those who cannot afford either the time or the resources to go for the RHCE in one go.

RHCE certification itself is a reliable demonstration that the candidate is fully able to install and configure RH Linux, that they understand the scope and limitations of the system and the hardware it interacts with, that they have sufficient knowledge and experience with the X window system, that they are adequately able provide network administration duties and have an understanding of the necessary security measures for such networks, and that they are able to diagnose and troubleshoot server and workstation issues. It sounds like a lot, but no more than any competent sysadmin on any flavour of OS should be able to do.

The Red Hat exam is more a test of experience than pure theory, so real-world experience with RH Linux is definitely needed to pass this exam. This probably goes some way to explaining why you are more likely to see RH Linux certifications as a requirement for a job than any other Linux certification (so far).

The RHCT exam consists of two parts conducted during a half-day session. The first part is a one-hour ‘Troubleshooting and System Maintenance’ section, and the other is a two-hour ‘Installation and Configuration’ section. There are no multiple-choice questions to answer - it’s all practical, hands-on exercises to perform. To achieve the RHCT certification you need to successfully complete all of the troubleshooting tasks in the first section, and achieve a score of at least 70% in the second section, Installation and Configuration.

The RHCE is a day long exam consisting of three parts: A multiple-choice exam (1 hour), a lab simulation (where you need to install a server and configure a network (2 ½ hours)), and a troubleshooting and diagnostics lab simulation (2 ½ hours).

For the installation section of the exam you will be presented with a number of tasks that need to be completed. The tasks will be divided into RHCT and RHCE items. You need to pass 70% in each section to successfully gain the RHCE. The other section of the RHCE lab exam is a general troubleshooting scenario whereby you are presented with a machine that has a number of faults that you need to troubleshoot and fix. The list of faults will be given to you and you have 2 ½ hours to complete them. You need to fix about 80% of problems in order to pass the RHCE, but if you fail this section but still get above 50% you can still qualify for the RHCT certification. In other words, you can aim to become a RHCE, but if you fail by a minimal margin you can still be awarded the RHCT.

As you can see, there is little in the way of pure theory in this exam, meaning that you will have to ensure that you have real-world, practical experience to your name before you decide to take the exam. Taking the RHCE or RHCT isn’t cheap, so make sure that you are prepared. By all means, use a good book to guide you along in your studies (recommended reading: Red Hat Certified Engineer Linux Study Guide) but the more hands-on experience you have, the better you’ll do. And if you do buy a book to complement your studies, try Amazon's Marketplace and see if there is a good second-hand copy to be found at a cheaper price.

Because of these lab scenarios, the RHCE cannot be taken through the usual VUE or Prometric testing centres, but instead must be taken at a RHCE certified centre (although check with your local testing centre as things change often). You may need to consider this when deciding which Linux certification to take as travel costs to the testing station may be quite expensive depending on where you live.

There are no real prerequisites for the RHCE exam, although you can take any of the other lower-level Linux certifications (LPI or CompTIA) if you wish. You can also take the RHCT (Red Hat Certified Technician) exam if you feel you need an intermediate certification along the way.

RHCE certifications are valid for the duration of the release that the certification is tied to. In other words, when the version of RH Linux that you’re certed for becomes stale, so does your certification. This might be something to keep in mind when you’re weighing up the relative costs of each of the Linux certifications.

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