LPI vs LFCS

lovejoi

Dears

Can you help me with choose between LPI and Certified Linux Engineer. What certification is more valuable preparation between this two certificates, which would give more skills to work with Linux. Thank you in advance.

Verities

The first sentence of your post is kind of unclear. So let's assume you're talking about LPIC-1, its a certification consisting of two exams, that cover mostly Linux OS level objectives, and is valid for 5 years. Each exam costs $178, so you're looking at $356:

https://www.lpi.org/certification/get-certified-lpi/lpic-1-linux-server-professional/

The LFCS covers a little bit of the Linux OS and more advanced topics including creating VMs on a virtual host, a few network services, and storage related items. Its 1 exam and valid for 2 years at a cost of $300:

https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/lfcs

In your situation it makes more sense to go with the LPIC-1 since it lasts longer and you sound like you're trying to get your feet wet. Maybe after some exposure to Linux you can pursue the LFCS. Keep in mind though the LFCS, being a newer certification, doesn't have as much popularity as LPIC-1.

hiddenknight821

To add to what Verities said, the LFCS also offers a free retake in case you didn't pass the first time. To obtain the LPIC-1, you must pass a written exam. However, LFCS is in a performance-based format, which you'd perform the actual task on a server provided to you just like the RHCSA/RHCE exam.

If you look at the first link Verities provided to you, you'd see that you can get more certs if you take the CompTIA exam instead. It was nice of them to include that information for you to see which route would give you a better ROI.

lovejoi

Thanks Guys for your reply

I did not write one moment, I have pass 1 part of LPI-1 and planning to go for second exam in near future. But there is discount on [FONT=&quot]LFCE for 300$ I get access to study materia for 1 year & can pass exam, but it is actual till 31 of July . [/FONT]I hope you understand my thoughts to pass second part of LPI-1 or start LFCE.

christensen143

The best option is the Linux+ option. By taking the LX0-3 and LX0-4 you get THREE certifications for the price of two tests. You get the Linux+, LPIC-1, and SUSE Certified Linux Administrator. Here is a link with more info:

https://www.lpi.org/3-in-1-advantage-take-two/

Ritual

I bought the LFCS since it was on sale for 300$.

I was deciding between RHCSA, Linux+, and LFCS. When you buy the LFCS you get a course with it, and a free retake.

Was a no brainer decision. They all seem to be around the same ballpark as far as knowledge domains.

I also subscribed to Linux Academy for supplementary courses and access to Labs.

Renewing the LFCS is actually very easy. You just have to complete 16 hours worth of courses on a website like Linux Academy. You don't necessarily have to retake the exam every two years.

hiddenknight821

Looks like you made a wise decision based on what you said. I just wish more Linux newcomers give LFCS a chance instead of taking the Linux+ and help raise the cert recognition. If it was too much of a hassle for me to go to a testing center to take the RHCSA, I'd consider the LFCS route. I've taken the LFCS, and the knowledge domains they covered wasn't impressive, but that has changed now. I didn't pass unfortunately. At least I only paid $50 for it since I was one of the first group to purchase the vouchers at a discounted rate when it first came out.

Linux+ requires two exams to become certified. In the United States, it costs $194 per exam voucher. So that's $388. And if you fail, then that's another $194 down the drain. With the LFCS, you get a free retake. Clearly, this is a no-brainer.

I've decided to take the RHCSA route because of its big name. I couldn't afford to take a chance on LFCS as I'm trying to land my first sys admin gig. I've been burned by my useless CompTIA certs I should've just studied on and move on. If LFCS is your first cert, then by all mean, do it instead of Linux+. You'll probably thank us later.

varelg

Ritual wrote: »

I bought the LFCS since it was on sale for 300$.

I was deciding between RHCSA, Linux+, and LFCS. When you buy the LFCS you get a course with it, and a free retake.

...
Renewing the LFCS is actually very easy. You just have to complete 16 hours worth of courses on a website like Linux Academy. You don't necessarily have to retake the exam every two years.

Interesting. What is the format of their training materials?
16 hours on Linux Academy. Do they have 16 hours worth of videos on non-entry level topics?

Ritual

varelg wrote: »

Interesting. What is the format of their training materials?
16 hours on Linux Academy. Do they have 16 hours worth of videos on non-entry level topics?

The course is a series of slides that go over each topic. Accompanying that is a lab book that has each lab with the solutions. There are no videos it's basically an interactive book that has things like quizzes and demonstrations.

Linux academy has hundreds of hours of material. They even have their own course with labs for the lfcs. I plan to do both the official course from linux foundations and the linux academy course.

varelg

Thanks for sharing Ritual. I hoped they at least changed their training material format, but no change there it seems. Good to see SOME change at Linux Foundation.

archimedes

FYI, LinuxAcademy has a $9US intro for the first 30 days, after that is $29US a month.

You can also signup for a free 10 day evaluation of Safaribooksonline. They have Sander Van Vugt and Michael Jang's book as well as all of Sander's videos. There are no restrictions on what you can view in the 10 day demo and you can download videos during that time period as well. Well worth the money as a subscription and also worth the money just to study with before a test.

lovejoi

Today I have passed second part of LPI-1 and now I am LPI-1. it was interesting , but still not decide what next:
Continue LPI or turn to Linux Foundation side.

duta74

At first - my congratulation!
Second - did you filled SuSE CLA form?
SUSE Certified Linux Administrator Certification Registration
Third: in my opinion, LPIC-2 is more known cert against LFCS/LFCE

junilinux

I am still on the way to LPIC-2 after successfully got LPIC-1. This is also my recommendation cuz LPIC-2 is a something well known and valuable than other Linux certs (except Redhat based certs range)

lovejoi

duta74 wrote: »

At first - my congratulation!
Second - did you filled SuSE CLA form?
SUSE Certified Linux Administrator Certification Registration
Third: in my opinion, LPIC-2 is more known cert against LFCS/LFCE

Thank you very much for information regarding SUSE, I missed it. So your advice to continue LPIC.

DtownLionsBarry

I recently passed my microsoft 70-533, and this gave my the final test needed to get my MCSE:Cloud Platform and Infrastructure. You might be asking youself, why are you telling me this? Well, it just so happens that if you pass the 70-533, and the LFCS exam, Microsoft will give you an MCSA:Linux on Azure. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcsa-linux-azure-certification.aspx This is a super in demand certification right now from what I hear, and although i already have an MCSE (Cloud Platform & Infrastructure),and two MCSA's (one in Office 365, and also one in Windows Server 2012 R2), i figured an MCSA:Linux on Azure would be great to add to my resume. After talking to a lot of my friends and former colleagues that work at Amazon, they told me and that not only Amazon but a lot of other companies need Linux administrators that are certified. Not only do they need them, but they are willing to give signing bonus's, and basically go out of there way to get certified and proven Linux Administrators. Better yet, my buddy was telling me that he really loves i have a background in cyber security, as well as networking, and a lot of experience with powershell, and other scripting tools. I just didn't have a lot of experience in linux. I have provisioned servers with VmwareESXi, I have used Linux Red Hat, and actually was in charge of 3 VM's(all windows based OS's), that were all hosted on a physical server running Linux Red Hat. Other than that, I do not have a ton of Linux Experience. My former colleague continued to stress to me the importance and the demand that Linux Administrators have in the corporate world, and mainly Private sector. Right now I technically work for the state, and I am looking on possibly moving back to the private sector or taking another position in the state that makes more money. In order to do that I need to continue to get certified in the high demand areas of Information Technology.

With that being said, my other option is possibly getting a CISA. I have heard many good things about the CISA, and I know i am extremely qualified, and wouldn't have a huge problem passing it. I have good study habits, over 9 years of IT Experience, in Information Assurance, Cyber Security, Network Engineering, Help Desk, and Systems Engineering. With all of those domains covered, i do not feel like the CISA would be that hard for me, assuming I practiced good study habits, and used the right materials. I am not the smartest by any means, but I have always had a great work ethic, and never quit type attitude. I am simply wondering whether I should pursue my CISA, or go for passing the LFCS exam to complete my MCSA: Linux on Azure? If anyone has any good advice, please let me know. I would sincerely appreciate it. Additionally, If anyone in this forum has passed either the CISA, or the LFCS, I would like to know their experience, the difficulty of the exam, the time allotted, what study materail was used, etc. Thank you soo much!

-Just another IT Professional in the world, trying to come up!

yoba222

In my biased opinion I recommend going for the Linux Azure.

I bought the LF201/LFCS exam attempt bundle and use the LFS201 course materials as study material exclusively. Well, not counting man pages. I also suspect steeper/more frequent discounts on this course during this year (I paid $314 for the bundle). I'm predicting an updated course exam in the works to transition from Ubuntu 14.04 to 16.04--hence the discount.