Acquired CompTia Linux+

Hi just want to share with you all that I passed both exams required for CompTia Linux+ and what materials I used to learn.

Before I started I had not prior commercial exposure for Linux, just some experience playing around time to time by self.

I started learning at beginning of September, and after a month passed LXO-103, then after next month of learning passed LXO-104.

Materials I used:

1 Pruralsight courses for Linux+ preparation by Andrew Mallet
2 CBT Nuggets video course for Linux+ ( I bought as they have access to transcend test exams, but these exams were outdated

)
3 ebook CompTIA Linux + / LPIC-1 Cert Guide by Ross Brunson and Sean Walberg
4 CompTIA CerMaster - web-based test prep, got it together in a bundle with exam voucher and retake voucher
5 Virtual box with several different distros
6 Google and this forum

Some info about materials. Video courses are just to get a very brief overview of given topic, you won't learn just from them without playing inside VMs and reading mentioned ebook. Yes, the ebook... was much deeper into topics and exactly about exam objectives. I highly recommend it especially comparing to the prices of video courses...

Regarding CertMaster tests and super learning experience as they claim.. For me, it's a garbage. You have only one type of questions not like on real exams or with testing software provided with the ebook. I had a feeling that questions are about everything but not about exam objectives while doing it... Don't waste money on it, unless you bought it in a bundle with exam vouchers.

So to sum up. Get the ebook/book, play a lot inside Linux VM's, if you have extra $$ to spend get some video courses but don't overestimate them. Most important review exam objectives and prepare for it.

Next plans not sure yet if go for CompTIA Sec+ or maybe straight to OSCP

Any questions happy to answer.

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Comments

shochan

Congrats! What distros did you use on your VM's?

jamesleecoleman

Congratulations on passing and thanks for the review. The costs of the two exams are something that makes me not want to go for the Linux+ but its important to have in my opinion.

What are you interested in with security?

hal9k2

Thanks

Ubuntu 16.04 ( for Debian like )
Cent OS 7 (for RH like)

Not counting few other Debian/Ubuntu flavors that I was playing around just to see what suits me best to install on hardware

hal9k2

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

Congratulations on passing and thanks for the review. The costs of the two exams are something that makes me not want to go for the Linux+ but its important to have in my opinion.

What are you interested in with security?

Thanks!

I think haveing Linux knowledge is a good foundation.

I generally want to switch from implementation/programming to security, not clear path yet. And I think I would find interest and fun in the job as a security analyst or incident responder as well as a pen tester.

nisti2

Excellent thanks for sharing!

Enticles

congrats on the pass,

Linux+ is one of those exams that seems to crop up a lot in the forums and is generally met with skepticism with the more experienced vets here on the forums.

for me this is on my "one day when I have the time to study / take the exam" list. I have very limited knowledge of Linux, and like yourself i am interested in IT security so being able to work with the likes of Kali Linux and other Linux based tools would be a huge benefit.

Best of luck in the IT security field

hal9k2

Thank you very much

si20

Congratulations! I'm going for the LX0-104 exam in approx 1 week. What do you think I can do to 'guarantee' me a pass? Is the exam hard? Harder than the 103? Anything you can suggest will be very helpful. Thanks!

hal9k2

si20 wrote: »

Congratulations! I'm going for the LX0-104 exam in approx 1 week. What do you think I can do to 'guarantee' me a pass? Is the exam hard? Harder than the 103? Anything you can suggest will be very helpful. Thanks!

What I did one week before the exam was to review objectives and go point by point until I get understanding of the topic, also making notes on everything I learned helped me a lot (I used Onenote)

For me, 103 was harder, as I didn't have enough experience (was my first exam) and I barely passed (580 points...). 103 is just a tons of commands and options to this commands. 104 is more interesting in topic wise.

Good luck.

jamesleecoleman

I suggest looking into eJPT (eLearnSecurity Junior Pentestor). It's really cheap and a good start!

hal9k2

I think I'll go now for Security+, then look for some pen test specific certs.

Fearoeire

Congrats!

espi_251

hal9k2 wrote: »

Hi just want to share with you all that I passed both exams required for CompTia Linux+ and what materials I used to learn.

Before I started I had not prior commercial exposure for Linux, just some experience playing around time to time by self.

I started learning at beginning of September, and after a month passed LXO-103, then after next month of learning passed LXO-104.

Materials I used:

1 Pruralsight courses for Linux+ preparation by Andrew Mallet
2 CBT Nuggets video course for Linux+ ( I bought as they have access to transcend test exams, but these exams were outdated )
3 ebook CompTIA Linux + / LPIC-1 Cert Guide by Ross Brunson and Sean Walberg
4 CompTIA CerMaster - web-based test prep, got it together in a bundle with exam voucher and retake voucher
5 Virtual box with several different distros
6 Google and this forum

Some info about materials. Video courses are just to get a very brief overview of given topic, you won't learn just from them without playing inside VMs and reading mentioned ebook. Yes, the ebook... was much deeper into topics and exactly about exam objectives. I highly recommend it especially comparing to the prices of video courses...

Regarding CertMaster tests and super learning experience as they claim.. For me, it's a garbage. You have only one type of questions not like on real exams or with testing software provided with the ebook. I had a feeling that questions are about everything but not about exam objectives while doing it... Don't waste money on it, unless you bought it in a bundle with exam vouchers.

So to sum up. Get the ebook/book, play a lot inside Linux VM's, if you have extra $$ to spend get some video courses but don't overestimate them. Most important review exam objectives and prepare for it.

Next plans not sure yet if go for CompTIA Sec+ or maybe straight to OSCP

Any questions happy to answer.

Congrats hal9k2!

If you plan to go with Sec +, please avoid certmaster and spend that money towards Darill Gibson's ebook and practice exams. I guarantee you if you study his material and spend adequate time on practice exams you will easily pass the security + exam. Also if you have the $ to spend, I would highly recommend you watch the CBT Nuggets as Keith Barker does an amazing job of covering all the objectives.

Let me know if I can be any help to you as I recently passed my Security + exam.

Congrats again and best of luck!

hal9k2

espi_251 wrote: »

Congrats hal9k2!

If you plan to go with Sec +, please avoid certmaster and spend that money towards Darill Gibson's ebook and practice exams. I guarantee you if you study his material and spend adequate time on practice exams you will easily pass the security + exam. Also if you have the $ to spend, I would highly recommend you watch the CBT Nuggets as Keith Barker does an amazing job of covering all the objectives.

Let me know if I can be any help to you as I recently passed my Security + exam.

Congrats again and best of luck!

Thanks for the hints. I plan to get that book. You mention "spend adequate time on practice exams", this is was what I didn't have enough while preparing for Linux+, where you get practice exams for Sec+?

espi_251

Hal,

You can find all the practice exams and performance based exams on DG's website. If you plan to buy an eBook, you get the package deal he has on the website as it's more cost effective than buying the book and practice exams separately.

Link to his website: Security+ Study Resources - Get Certified Get Ahead

Make sure you memorize all the ports in the exam objectives.

Cam1025

Congratulation on passing Linux+. You know what, it is not an easy exam to pass. This is actually one of the hardest exams from CompTIA. The reason is that this exam requires you to know the Linux commands really well and know what you are doing with the Linux operating system. If you do not have a clue on what you are doing with it, you will not pass at all.

PlayDoh72

Congratz, hal9k2! I too am going for LXO-103 here within the next month and have access to the most of the materials you've used. I acquired a beefy VMWare server platform that's allowing me to run 9 distros concurrently without bottlenecking. I have quite a few older Deb & RH distros running so I can get my hands dirty with SysVinit (now that systemd has all but taken over). I am thoroughly impressed that it only took you a month of study to pass the first exam. What did you find was the toughest for you?

Cheers,

Chris

DAVIS NGUYEN

Congrats!

hal9k2

PlayDoh72 wrote: »

Congratz, hal9k2! I too am going for LXO-103 here within the next month and have access to the most of the materials you've used. I acquired a beefy VMWare server platform that's allowing me to run 9 distros concurrently without bottlenecking. I have quite a few older Deb & RH distros running so I can get my hands dirty with SysVinit (now that systemd has all but taken over). I am thoroughly impressed that it only took you a month of study to pass the first exam. What did you find was the toughest for you?

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks all for the reply.

I think most problematic was to remember all that differences between systemd, sysvinit and upstart, also all that switches for different commands, that are not always obvious. Like the ones for package management.

Good luck.

dreamcast0642

Congrats

I want to ask, how many the fill in the blank on 104?

For example: Specify ONLY the command without any path or parameters

Answer: hwclock < this right?

Thank you

themanwholaughs

Congratz, how did you find the exam?

DatabaseHead

Thoughts on deep diving into a professional level Linux certification?

lucky0977

dreamcast0642 wrote: »

Congrats

I want to ask, how many the fill in the blank on 104?

For example: Specify ONLY the command without any path or parameters

Answer: hwclock < this right?

Thank you

I've only taken the 103 exam and from that experience, the questions specifically state to include the entire path (/etc/cron.d/john) or just the single file (sources.list)