Completed CompTIA Linux+!

Woot!

Study materials:
1) Running Linux (O'Reilly) --this was a good broad overview of Linux and the basics of sys/server administration...it was a little over 600 pages, but a couple weeks of reading some each night made it go by pretty fast
2) Exam Objectives study guides provided by CompTIA (Exam Objectives) --I went through this and practiced each objective and defined each suggested list of terms, and then expanded that with relevant terms that weren't included...I read the man pages and went through common use switches, read over the config files...etc. I hand wrote it all because I study better this way.
3) Practice exams (like Penguin Tutor @ PenguinTutor - Linux Tutorials and LPI Certification Practice Exams Quiz Start Page) -- these provided a good idea of the general directions the questions would take, to what extent they would nitpick, etc.
4) Google, google, google, google, and...more google!

I have a SLED 11 machine at work and a Win7 w/Ubuntu VM for home, so I had practice using both dkpg and rpm based systems. I highly recommend this as you can get a feel for the subtle differences between the two mainstream systems, as there are questions that pertain to both...also not to mention the fact I am fairly comfortable using both now.

I started using Linux at the end of June and began gearing up for this test about 2-3 weeks ago...I had to get this cert ASAP so I did what I had to to learn all of this stuff, but I'm a new Sys Admin and most of my boxes are SLES 11 (I come from a Windows 2003/2008 environment previously) so this has been great practice/real-world application towards my job.

Can't wait to get my Linux+, LPIC-1, and Novell CLA framed and in my cubez0r

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Comments

cyberguypr

Congrats. Did you have any previous experience with Linux?

lsud00d

To the extent of connecting Ubuntu to 802.11x wifi

So, basically no experience, and certainly no system/server administration....but some of it relates to Windows, and the networking aspect is basically the same across all systems, just different file names...

And thank you!

cyberguypr

Good to hear. I want to tackle this Linux combo cert at some point before the end of the year. Also going from basically zero Linux experience.

zaxbysauce

Grats on the pass. I plan to crank this one out next month. I have Project+ Net+ and MCTP all on my plate this month so I doubt I can squeeze it in lol.

Dakinggamer87

Congrats on pass!!

lsud00d

cyberguypr wrote: »

Good to hear. I want to tackle this Linux combo cert at some point before the end of the year. Also going from basically zero Linux experience.

Well best of luck to you! It is definitely doable and I'm glad I went through it...albeit at a faster pace than I would have liked, but it was required for the new job and I'll do anything short of kissing a pig in a tutu for that extra dollar

And being Linux certified increases marketability, not to mention 3 certs create some valuable real estate on my resume! I'm looking at the LPIC-2 in the near future probably....also considering the Security+ and Network+...then I'll figure it out from there.

Also, thanks everyone for the 'grats

erpadmin

lsud00d wrote: »

And being Linux certified increases marketability, not to mention 3 certs create some valuable real estate on my resume! I'm looking at the LPIC-2 in the near future probably....also considering the Security+ and Network+...then I'll figure it out from there.

Also, thanks everyone for the 'grats

If you want an easy cert, read the Darril Gibson book (Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead) and schedule the Security+ exam right after. That book is the only thing you need to pass.

You have until the end of the year to take the 201...then you'll have to wait for Darril to finish up his 301 guide.

Congrats on the pass.

lsud00d

That's awesome, thank you for sharing! I will check that book out...I'm currently doing a security excercise every other weekend and it's opening me up to a lot of the security world, as far as intrusion detection/prevention, assessment of assets, penetration testing, network security...etc....so I think getting the Security+ would not only look good on the resume, but would be interesting as well.

Thanks erpadmin!

whatthehell

Congratz on the pass! So about 3 weeks of study was all it took? Or did you actually use Linux frequently since June?

lsud00d

Thanks whatthehell

When I began this position at the end of June, I wasn't sure what cert I was going for so I had an unguided study of Linux...I jumped headfirst into regex's (awk, sed, grep) and eregex's, vi editor, etc...

Then when I found out what I was taking, I found a few different guided study guides, quickly figured out some were irrelevant...read that book, continued with daily use of SLED and Ubuntu...then cracked down hard core the last 2-3 weeks of focusing on the exam objectives.

Everyday at work I would write down the commands I learned that day, then at the end of each day I would read through the whole list and say aloud what each one does and their common switches, so it got to be pretty long fairly fast...that, and reading the man pages, googling...etc.

Anyways it was a crash course but I learned enough to pass with good scores on both tests in about a month

whatthehell

lsud00d wrote: »

Thanks whatthehell

When I began this position at the end of June, I wasn't sure what cert I was going for so I had an unguided study of Linux...I jumped headfirst into regex's (awk, sed, grep) and eregex's, vi editor, etc...

Then when I found out what I was taking, I found a few different guided study guides, quickly figured out some were irrelevant...read that book, continued with daily use of SLED and Ubuntu...then cracked down hard core the last 2-3 weeks of focusing on the exam objectives.

Everyday at work I would write down the commands I learned that day, then at the end of each day I would read through the whole list and say aloud what each one does and their common switches, so it got to be pretty long fairly fast...that, and reading the man pages, googling...etc.

Anyways it was a crash course but I learned enough to pass with good scores on both tests in about a month

Awesome recommendations! Thanks very much!

UnixGuy

Congratts

Whats next ?

N2IT

Awesome job

I start WGU in November and I am actually going through the CompTIA Linux + book from Robb H Tracy.

lsud00d

Thanks y'all!

After speaking with coworkers/managers, I might go the MS route...maybe first get Security+, building into MCSA?

They are advising to become well rounded, maybe work into some Cisco stuff after this as well.

lsud00d

So it turns out you get 4 certs now, however I have no idea what this Novell Data Center Technical Specialist cert is for...?

After a quick Google search, it turns out nobody really knows what it is for...but I guess it will take up another line on the resume