how did you study for the Lpic 101?

just a quick poll kind of question.

What websites and materials did you use when studying for the exam?

What online tests did you take to prepare?

How long did it take you to prepare for the exam?

What do you think helped the most when preparing for the exam?

What did you think the hardest part of the exam was?

any suggestions on how to get yourself ready for the exam, and what to really focus on?

thank you in advance! I want to take my test in August, but i don't feel ready at all. I was hoping for a little insight from someone who has taken the test, or is feeling confident in their studying for it.

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Comments

daviddws

I personally enjoyed the CBT Nuggets videos on Linux+. CompTia offers a quick online test, and there are others out there if you just google it. The fact you are preparing now is very good, and should give you enough time to be ready.

JasminLandry

I'm currently studying for Linux+ as well and I'm reading the CompTIA Linux+ Study Guide. I'm have a bit a Linux experience at work but I still have learned a whole bunch from that book and I'm only at the second chapter.

treephrog77

thanks, guys!
I have been studying since February, but it is just now starting to slowly come together.
I hadn't even heard of Linux before studying it, so you can imagine how much i knew about it. lol

I use CBT Nuggets, as well, with Linux Profession Institute's website. (I don't pay tor the subscription for LPI, just use the free services.) watching videos, downloading the reading material and taking the practice tests.

I did buy a subscription to Linux Academy, which has been pretty helpful. I have been making flash cards, and watching videos from anyone and everyone on youtube and various other sites.
I have a book as well, and it has given me some decent knowledge, although, that sucker is huge, and I have hardly made a dent in it, but there are some sample tests, too, which I haven't done, yet. (i actually, until right now, forgot about my monster Linux book)

I just need to put all the info together so it makes more sense as a whole, you know?

I feel like I am doing so much, but it just isn't enough.

bigdogz

treephrog77,

As you may know this is a 4(or 5) in 1 certification.
I have not achieved this certification yet but I think you are on the right track.
The Sybex books are a good resource for the CompTia exams.
I have talked to a friend and he will just be reading the book and going to linuxacadamy.com

As far as the time line for study, YMMV. You have to know how you learn the material. Some can read a book and just hit the ground running. If you are new to obtaining certifications or the subject matter it may take 6 months.
You may want to spin up a VM, boot from USB, or just build a box and play.

If you have a question post it here or just remember that google is your friend. Stay away from brain **** because you do not learn anything and will lose in the long run.

Good Luck!!!!

treephrog77

thank you, bigdogz.
i do have ubuntu set up on my laptop. i try to play around with it, and follow along with the videos and such. (sorry, i forgot to mention i have ubuntu set up)
I'm not sure what sorts of things I should be practicing while playing on the terminal. It's all very overwhelming to someone new, and it seems like there are a million different things I could be playing with as far as different commands go. i have been playing with vi, and trying to navigate the file system to get a better understanding of where it begins and where it takes you, which directory stores what, and where files are.
I would like to know what commands I should be focusing on, I suppose, to help me learn the more useful and important features of Linux that will help me prepare for the exam.

Thank you!

linuxlover

This is why certificates are worthless these days.

treephrog77

linuxlover wrote: »

This is why certificates are worthless these days.

why would you say that, specifically?

brownwrap

linuxlover wrote: »

This is why certificates are worthless these days.

I see you are from the UK. Here in the US, there are many DOD jobs that require a cert. I just had a friend accept a job yesterday, but they would not make a written offer until she received her CASP. DOD 8570 is well documented here. My last position I needed both Sec+ and the Solaris Admin cert. So HR and hiring managers still feel their worth, and to get by them you must have what they ask for.

The_Expert

I disagree with the comment by linuxlover. Certifications are awesome when it comes to learning new topics - they force one to go over concepts one would have probably never touched otherwise.

I know I learned a lot by getting my Linux+ certification!

Sure, it's not at the level of being Red Hat certified - but still not a bad certification to have... you'll know more than the average user, for certain.

The CBT Nuggets videos are great. There is also a great book I always recommend called "Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification" - it's a book filled with examples one can work through on the command line to better understand the topics.

Good luck!

bigdogz

treephrog77,

Getting familiar the CLI is most o the exam, YMMV.

linuxlover,

I think it depends on where you live and what the job requirements. By viewing monster or dice searching for the certifications it will give you a clue.
There are some circles of folks that do not believe in certs that I work with but have to get them as a mandatory process for advanced training per management's approval.
Some people may just get the cert to prove they know the material.

mokaiba

bigdogz wrote: »

Some people may just get the cert to prove they know the material.

This is probably the main reason why most get them.

linuxlover

Because of this:

I hadn't even heard of Linux before studying it, so you can imagine how much i knew about it.

Certificates are for people who already know the subject and need a piece of paper as a proof, like @brownwrap said for DoD jobs etc, to verify their knowledge. Certificates are not for people who have never heard of a specific technology. If you go over the objectives and don't understand more than 10% of the topics covered and studying is hard and difficult then certifying is not for you and you should spend more time reading manuals and getting hands on experience. But certifications are accessible to everyone these days with countless of carefully written books, **** everywhere so a lot of people take them and pass. I read all the time about people having CCNA or MCSA and never had touched a real router or a Windows machine before. People certify just for the sake of it, because they can, and that devalues certificates. That's why high-level certs such as LPIC3, RHCE, CCIE etc. are valuable because there are no books that start by teaching you what a PC is how internet works but are targeted to PROFESSIONALS and there are no video tutorials to babysit you, you only get objectives and because of the lack of studying material and lack of ****, people just give up and don't go for them and that makes them worthwhile.

Just talking in general, since you asked. I would recommend to you that you start with books such as "Ubuntu unleashed", "Linux Bible" and "LPI essentials" which is targeted for beginners. I like to think that, as I said before, if you find topics to be too difficult then you shouldn't be pursuing certificates but rather getting practical experience by using those technologies and learning how and why specific tools or services work. Once you have a certain amount of mileage behind you and you want to confirm your knowledge, then you certify. But that's only my opinion which isn't worth jack as these days priorities have shifted and people do things the other way around. My tone is calm, nobody should feel insulted by my comment, just sayin'...

DoubleNNs

When you study for a certification, isn't that what you're doing?

linuxlover wrote: »

getting practical experience by using those technologies and learning how and why specific tools or services work.

How about a student enrolled in college classes and one of the required classes for the semester is a topic they've never heard of before? Do they tell the teacher they can't participate - the class needs to be put on hold for a few weeks so they can get field experience, and only then can the class presume?

The Linux+ is an entry-level cert. I think entry-level certs are made more for people to get their foot in the door than to show they have extensive working knowledge/experience with the topic. The knowledge and skills gained while studying and labbing are the most valuable part of the certs, and because of this Entry/Associate certs can't really be compared to the "Expert" level certs.

My opinion is, if you've studied (legitimately) and know the material well enough that you can sit down, take the exam and pass, you deserve the certification. You've proved that you hold competency up to the level that the certification advertises towards - regardless of whether the time period to reach that competency level was 3 decades, 3 years, or 3 weeks.

linuxlover

You're mistaking education with certification. Education is gaining knowledge, certification is confirming gained knowledge (like an exam at the end of the semester). Substitute 6 months of classes with 6 months of work experience and an exam with a certificate and then you can draw parallels.

Bryzey

This is how I approached the linux+ starting with zero Linux experience.

Certification Tips - Studying For The Linux+

Kinet1c

Some of the lower end certificates, like Linux+, can give you a more structured route to learning and also validate your knowledge at the end of it.

I know however, that certs will only get me so far in my career and wisdom from experience is what will really count.

DoubleNNs

To LinuxLover, I agree that there's a difference between certification and education. But at the same time, people often educate themselves during their preparation for the certification. The OP currently is.

Then there's also the fact that I view the Linux+ as an entry-level cert..

brownwrap

Bryzey wrote: »

This is how I approached the linux+ starting with zero Linux experience.

Certification Tips - Studying For The Linux+

I tried your link, but the site seems to be down.

Cisc0kidd

Wow, completely disagree with Linuxlover that worthwhile knowledge can only be gained in a work environment and only those that have work experience should be allowed to take certification tests. Ridiculous.

Bryzey

brownwrap wrote: »

I tried your link, but the site seems to be down.

Fixed. Digital ocean had to reboot the physical server my droplet was on and for some reason it did not power back up.

brownwrap

Bryzey wrote: »

Fixed. Digital ocean had to reboot the physical server my droplet was on and for some reason it did not power back up.

Excellent sources you provided.

treephrog77

Thank you so much, everyone for your responses. I really do appreciate all of your help, and your comments. I especially appreciate those of you who understand where I'm coming from, and to the posters who backed me up, I am really grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Linuxlover, I understand you don't think I may be worthy of this certification, which clearly, I'm not YET, but if I am willing to put in the time, effort, and dedication to learning something like this, and THEN getting my certification, I can't wrap my brain around why that would be a bad thing. I'm not acting as though I can take the easy way out, nor am I assuming this certification will be handed to me on a silver platter simply because I want it.

There was a time in everyone's life when they didn't know something, put the time in to learn about it, and walked away with the knowledge they were after. That's what I'm doing. I don't know Linux. I'm trying to change that. You were there, too, once upon a time, and look at you now. Simply because I'm seeking help with ideas to make my study time more efficient, doesn't make me less of a candidate to learn or to get certified when the time is right.
Call me crazy, but I would just like to not waste a lot of time doing it the hard way, when the seasoned professionals can point me in a better direction to get there.

treephrog77

Bryzey, wow!
thank you for that link.

Kinet1c

I know from the job market where I am, entry level positions are extremely hard to come by. Anybody who shows iniatitive by educating themselves will have an advantage over those that don't. Keep learning because there are a huge percentage out there who are not.

Nyblizzard

That link posted will be my god send

Bryzey

Glad that others will get some use out of it

binarysoul

brownwrap wrote: »

I tried your link, but the site seems to be down.

Nay, the site is up; it's probably your friendly NSA neighborhood being anti-Linux!

MagnumOpus

Just passed the 101 today. I used WGU's Test out and Fedora 20. I will say this, the installation and usage of VMware is the best way to retain information for 101. Testout was nice, but extremely overbearing. Dive into Linux and swim in it during the course of your studies. Though not a pro, I believe with continual home usage, Linux will become second nature.

treephrog77

thank you, Magnum, and great job!

MagnumOpus

Very welcome and Thanks!