Linux Foundation certs/courses worth it?

The Linux foundation is having a sale on their course + voucher bundles for $179 (typically ~499). Does anyone think that it would be worth it to get either the LFCS or LFCE?

Cyber Monday 2016

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Comments

OctalDump

Yeah, the Linux FOundation certifications are worthwhile. They're still not Red Hat visibility, but they are up and coming. The hands on testing is probably what makes them better than Linux+/LPIC.

stryder144

The LFCS is required if you are pursuing the MCSA: Linux on Azure certification. As such, it may have some more value as time goes on. I bought the bundle this morning and plan to get my MCSA: Linux on Azure as I am seeing it pop up more frequently when talking to various hiring managers. The price is less than the cost of the exam alone, so getting the training and certification is a good deal. If I remember correctly, they typically give you a free retake if you fail the first time. Naturally, there are probably conditions on when/if you can take the retest, so make sure to read the fine print.

OctalDump

Also, the 10% discount codes from various places also work with this offer to reduce it further still. Possibly other discount codes would work, too. But the 10% ones are the easy ones to find.

someperson49

The link does not seem to be working anymore?

OctalDump

someperson49 wrote: »

The link does not seem to be working anymore?

The link still works for me. The website says that it is on offer until Wednesday, so maybe need to check directly on the website. I just checked to see and they are still showing reduced pricing for the LFCS course bundle.

Verities

Linux Academy (LA) has both courses for much cheaper. The content covered in both LFCS and LFCE are definitely worth going learning since they will only enhance your skill set. That being said, there is no way I would ever sit for the exams unless my employer paid for it because its a 2 year recertification cycle while Red Hat is 3 years and more well known.

However, if you get your Red Hat cert(s) and compliment your skill set with LFCS and LFCE material (not getting certified), you will be setting yourself up for success. If you only pursue Red Hat certs and don't venture outside of the technologies they cover, you will not be competitive in the Linux market. Certifications are for the foot in the door or for promotion purposes, but the knowledge and experience you gain along the way, determines your worth in the field.

CertifiedMonkey

I'm mostly going to use the course to refresh my rusty Linux knowledge rather than to obtain the certification. However, I don't see the point in not getting certified if I'm going through the material anyways. I'm not a fan of the 2 year recertification cycle though. Hopefully I can renew these certs with the Linux+, LPI-C, and RedHat certs. If not, then I'll probably just let the cert expire.

OctalDump

Verities wrote: »

Linux Academy (LA) has both courses for much cheaper.

At the moment, the deal on this bundle means you can get the courses and exam vouchers for less than the regular cost of the exam vouchers. You can actually get both courses and exams for less than the usual cost of one exam - $269 (with a 10% discount code) vs $300. So if you want a certification, this is a very cheap option.

I agree that Red Hat is still the default certification in the Linux world, but it is quite a bit more expensive. And their official training is a lot more expensive. As you suggest, you could use this as prep for Red Hat. They have a CentOS 7 option for the exam, so it wouldn't be a lot of extra work to supplement. I think the LFCS/LFCE practical exams are probably really good prep for the practical exams for Red Hat.

Another way to look at this option is as an alternative to Linux+/LPIC, where it is about $100 cheaper (it's easy to get 10% off the CompTIA exams, also), plus you get the courseware.

Also - bonus T-Shirt (just like Red Hat).

CertifiedMonkey

Total came out to $161.10 with the 10% code. Got the LFCS course, exam voucher, and a free T-shirt. Pretty good deal compared to what I paid for the CompTIA tests. Thanks for the recommendation on CentOS 7 OctalDump. I decided to go that route then Red Hat sometime in the future.

xxxkaliboyxxx

CertifiedMonkey wrote: »

Total came out to $161.10 with the 10% code. Got the LFCS course, exam voucher, and a free T-shirt. Pretty good deal compared to what I paid for the CompTIA tests. Thanks for the recommendation on CentOS 7 OctalDump. I decided to go that route then Red Hat sometime in the future.

CertifiedMonkey, you can switch your OS for the exam at anytime.

chrisone

Ah you guys twisted my arm! I purchased the "The Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator Bundle."

Total came out to 161.00 with Cyber Monday deal and an extra 10% deal.

I am going for the Ubuntu flavor since Security Onion is based on Ubuntu. In February I plan on deploying Security Onion with a master server and 5 sensors so I will need to maintain them.

I was hesitant at first because you only have 1 year access to complete this.

stryder144

As of a few minutes ago they are still offering the deal.