Another CLA10 Admin certified

Cosmocat

Hi all,

I passed CLA10 for SUSE Enterprise Server on the 12th of March and spent about 4 months studying for the test. You might wonder why I didn't use any CLA10 cert books on SUSE Enterprise server? - Well, they are so expensive (they are training kits from Novell) and you will pass easily with the following material I listed below. You'll also get a superb headstart if you are aiming for higher levels such as CLP or CLE if you do all the labs in the CLE9 book .

I won't go into what is on the test and layout etc since that isn't allowed. Look at the objectives at Novell site for CLA10 and do your home work and you'll be fine.

I USED THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL:

Linux+ Certification Study Guide by Robb Tracy (ISBN: 007148874X): The book is focused on SUSE so here you have a superb book to get the foundations down even though it's intended for the Linux+ cert. Includes tons of labs and prep questions.

Novell Certified Linux 9 (CLE 9) Study Guide by Robb H. Tracy (ISBN: 0672327872): This book is for CLE (two higher levels than CLA) but the labs and most of the info is doable on SUSE 10 Enterprise Server. I only had problems with one lab and you can easily pick out the objectives for CLA10 by looking at Novell's site and compare it to stuff in the book. Has a lot of labs on diffcult topics and is easy to read.

The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (ISBN: 1590597087). Very expensive book but if you get stuck just look it up here. It's an excellent book that covers the basics and moving into pro concepts. It's a MUST HAVE book if you are serious about understanding everything.

SLES 10 SP3 Installation and Administration Guide : Download at Novell (Novell Doc: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server - Table of Contents). Great free guide from Novell and my tip is to use "search" in this PDF if you need info on somthing. This guide is MUCH MORE than you need for the CLA10 so match against the objectives.

I passed my MCSE last year but I'm moving over to Linux now since my job tasks changed. Will probably touch MS systems also but the focus will be on Linux and SUSE.

Next for me is CLP10 (Certified Linux Pro) on SUSE Enterprise Server 10 and I aim to sit for the practicum lab in August.

Will post more later

MentholMoose

Congrats!!

varelg

Well done Cosmocat congradulations! In your opinion, how much did you learned studying at home and how much learning on the job?

Cosmocat

varelg wrote: »

Well done Cosmocat congradulations! In your opinion, how much did you learned studying at home and how much learning on the job?

Thanks

At work you can only do the things that you are 100% sure of without messing up a system. A lot of basic stuff was learnt but not any advanced. So the advanced work was done at home using VMware and setting up two SLES10 Servers.

If you use VMware make sure you turn of DHCP under the "Virtual Network Editor" settings, or you end up with a rough DHCP server messing all up. Use a connection via HOST. If you can't ping the other server, turn of the firewall on the SUSE servers. Tip is to start pinging the other server to make sure VMware is working...then you are set to go with labs. A good start is to follow along in the Linux+ book I listed and then later the CLE9 book for more advanced stuff.

I used the SLES10 DVD from Novell Downloads that I mounted in VMware (you need to sign up an account in order to download...it's FREE): NOVELL: Downloads - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 for x86, AMD64, Intel EM64T, Itanium & IBM POWER (Look for the "SLES-10-x86-DVD1.iso" (4,2 GB).

Oh, I forgot to list the "SLES 10 SP3 Installation and Administration Guide" as my study source. Check my original post for the download link at Novell - Great PDF!

Best of luck

earweed

Congrats! You obviously put in a lot of hard work on this cert. Good Job and best of luck in the future.

varelg

Thank you for the great source Cosmocat! The link that you mentioned really has some solid literature on offer, I admit that despite visiting Novell's website regularly, I stopped going there after I passed 101 (september '09), and look what I was missing. Their Xen pdf book also looks strong.
Have you always used Novell at your work (or any other linux) or your company decided to transfer to SLES from another platform?
Thank you for the good wishes

Turgon

Cosmocat wrote: »

Hi all,

I passed CLA10 for SUSE Enterprise Server on the 12th of March and spent about 4 months studying for the test. You might wonder why I didn't use any CLA10 cert books on SUSE Enterprise server? - Well, they are so expensive (they are training kits from Novell) and you will pass easily with the following material I listed below. You'll also get a superb headstart if you are aiming for higher levels such as CLP or CLE if you do all the labs in the CLE9 book .

I won't go into what is on the test and layout etc since that isn't allowed. Look at the objectives at Novell site for CLA10 and do your home work and you'll be fine.

I USED THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL:

Linux+ Certification Study Guide by Robb Tracy (ISBN: 007148874X): The book is focused on SUSE so here you have a superb book to get the foundations down even though it's intended for the Linux+ cert. Includes tons of labs and prep questions.

Novell Certified Linux 9 (CLE 9) Study Guide by Robb H. Tracy (ISBN: 0672327872): This book is for CLE (two higher levels than CLA) but the labs and most of the info is doable on SUSE 10 Enterprise Server. I only had problems with one lab and you can easily pick out the objectives for CLA10 by looking at Novell's site and compare it to stuff in the book. Has a lot of labs on diffcult topics and is easy to read.

The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (ISBN: 1590597087). Very expensive book but if you get stuck just look it up here. It's an excellent book that covers the basics and moving into pro concepts. It's a MUST HAVE book if you are serious about understanding everything.

SLES 10 SP3 Installation and Administration Guide : Download at Novell (Novell Doc: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server - Table of Contents). Great free guide from Novell and my tip is to use "search" in this PDF if you need info on somthing. This guide is MUCH MORE than you need for the CLA10 so match against the objectives.

I passed my MCSE last year but I'm moving over to Linux now since my job tasks changed. Will probably touch MS systems also but the focus will be on Linux and SUSE.

Next for me is CLP10 (Certified Linux Pro) on SUSE Enterprise Server 10 and I aim to sit for the practicum lab in August.

Will post more later

Massive result. Novell and it's offerings are a little known secret on TE. I expect Novell to be a growing niche the next couple of years. The enterprise stuff is strong and skills scarce.

Cosmocat

varelg wrote: »

Thank you for the great source Cosmocat! The link that you mentioned really has some solid literature on offer, I admit that despite visiting Novell's website regularly, I stopped going there after I passed 101 (september '09), and look what I was missing. Their Xen pdf book also looks strong.
Have you always used Novell at your work (or any other linux) or your company decided to transfer to SLES from another platform?
Thank you for the good wishes

In my case it's not a transfer to SLES and I haven't used Novell always....it's pretty new to me in this fashion with Novell. It has been Microsoft for the most and since Linux can save you a lot of money in comparison of other NET OS:s, that's the way to go for a lot of companies. Look at this very interesting "Server Operating System Comparisons" list at Novell - Server Operating System Comparison - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server vs. Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Solaris and Windows Server.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server: Server Operating System Comparisons

Oh, I just saw this that you might find interesting:

Promotion to Dual LPI & CLA Certification

On February 9th, 2010 Novell and the Linux Professional Institute announced an international partnership to standardize their entry-level Linux certification programs on LPIC-1. Under the terms of the agreement, all qualified LPIC-1 holders will have the opportunity to apply for Novell CLA certification without additional exams or fees.

Novell Certified Linux Administrator
LPI and NOVELL partnership / Certification / Home - LPI -

My comment on this is that you won't be able to administrate SLES10 Enterprise Server without working with it for some time so if someone gets the free cert, he/she should practice a lot with the material I listed - Or you won't benefit from it 100% - A month should be enough for the basics and hands-on in VMware as I decribed earlier

Cosmocat

Turgon wrote: »

Massive result. Novell and it's offerings are a little known secret on TE. I expect Novell to be a growing niche the next couple of years. The enterprise stuff is strong and skills scarce.

THANKS

Hope to see more people here posting their certification success with Novell!

varelg

I saw that SLES 10 and 11 are available for download for a free 60-day evaluation. This I hope implies that after the 60 day evaluation I will still be able to use full-power SLES minus updates and tech support. Is this correct? Will anything else be disabled on the server after the 60-day evaluation?

Cosmocat

varelg wrote: »

I saw that SLES 10 and 11 are available for download for a free 60-day evaluation. This I hope implies that after the 60 day evaluation I will still be able to use full-power SLES minus updates and tech support. Is this correct? Will anything else be disabled on the server after the 60-day evaluation?

I didn't register because I used several servers in my lab setup and started from scratch when moving to higher levels (Linux+ book = First lab setup / Novell's CLE book + other material = Second lab setup).

I never passed the 60 days in my lab setups without the registration. So I'm not sure if you'll be able to use the full-power SLES after the 60 days "with" a system that is registrated. But I think it will work fine. Installing the system over and over again is good practice - Setting up your partitions etc.

Read more here about "SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Download" + "How to Use Your Activation Code" + "Managing and Extending your Evaluation": SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Evaluation Download

Have fun

varelg

Looking at the hierarchy of Novell's certificates, a practicum is required for Certified Linux Professional. Do you plan to take the test for CLP CosmoCat?

Cosmocat

varelg wrote: »

Looking at the hierarchy of Novell's certificates, a practicum is required for Certified Linux Professional. Do you plan to take the test for CLP CosmoCat?

I plan to sit for it in august if I'm ready then. Novell has a forum section covering CLP here: Certifications - CLP - NOVELL FORUMS

It's really recommended to go through the posts to look for exam tips (pass/failed/problems with the lab environment etc). The test is lab-based and you are connected to some servers. It is said to be very hard but not as difficult as Red Hat RHCT/RHCE. I saw one post that warned you about scripting and that you must know how to write basic scripts or you'll be pretty much screwed on the test. I'm currently reading a book about scripting that I think is good for a beginner and moves over to advanced topics. It's called "Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible" and has ISBN 978-8126516872.

varelg

Cosmocat wrote: »

I plan to sit for it in august if I'm ready then. Novell has a forum section covering CLP here: Certifications - CLP - NOVELL FORUMS

It's really recommended to go through the posts to look for exam tips (pass/failed/problems with the lab environment etc). The test is lab-based and you are connected to some servers. It is said to be very hard but not as difficult as Red Hat RHCT/RHCE. I saw one post that warned you about scripting and that you must know how to write basic scripts or you'll be pretty much screwed on the test. I'm currently reading a book about scripting that I think is good for a beginner and moves over to advanced topics. It's called "Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible" and has ISBN 978-8126516872.

Thanks for the recommendation Cosmocat, I'll check the forum out. As far as bash oh, I have no problem with scripting. By the way I have that book in my library of Linux books, yes, you will build solid scripting skills from that book. Though I find that Sobell's "A practical guide to Linux scripting, commands, editors and shell programming" will really build you up not only on scripting but on Linux in general. I used it extensively while preparing for both 101 and 102, it discusses not only bash but other shells as well, and has a great section on many commands with examples of usage. Way beyond begginer's intro literature though.
Now that I cleared LPIC-1, I am all for CLP.

twodogs62

Good posting.... Good to see what resources you used to pass exam.
Sounds like you are using some good resources to study for this.

The practicums will be challenging. Some tasks will seem easy and other tasks could be anything.

That is difficulty, you actually have to setup a test environment to learn these skills. There is no way this should be done in a production environment. However, once you pick up knowledge, then you start incorporating that knowledge into better support for production.

Novell products are very solid and support is very good. Need more people with good Novell skills.

Keep us posted.