What is Redhat?

Red Hat began in 1994 and has become the largest and most recognized company dedicated to open source. The company now has more than 500 employees and 15 locations worldwide. Red Hat is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.

Open source is the foundation of Redhat’s business model. It represents a fundamental shift in how software is created. The code that makes up the software is available to anyone. Developers who use the software are free to improve the software. The result: rapid innovation.

Red Hat is the leader in development, deployment, and management of Linux and open source solutions for Internet infrastructure--ranging from embedded devices to secure Web servers.

Red Hat solutions combine Red Hat Linux, developer and embedded technologies, training, management services, technical support. As of this moment, in regards to certification, only RHCE (which addresses the system administration arena) is available.

What is RHCE?

RHCE stands for Redhat Certified Engineer. The RHCE certificate is designed to fit in a specific place within the computer industry spectrum of UNIX/Linux user levels. It is granted upon passing the RHCE Exam, a performance-based test on live equipment, that measures actual competencies at server system administration, setup of network services, and basic server security. The RHCE Exam can be taken alone, as the final day of the RH300 RHCE course offered by Redhat.

What is so special about RHCE?

• RHCE is not vendor-neutral. It focuses on Red Hat's implementation of Linux. The latest version is, at present, version 7.1.
• RHCE consists of a multiple-choice test which is one hour in length, covering about 40-50 questions. Additionally, there are two hands-on performance tests totaling five hours of lab time.
• You must register directly with Redhat. RHCE exam is not carried by Prometric nor VUE.
• An overall score of 80% or better must be achieved in order to pass. Specifically, you must score above 50% in any one of the three exam parts.

Note that RHCE Certification is required of Red Hat Certified Channel Partners, ISVs, OEMs, Service Providers, and other partners. RHCE is a meaningful assurance of quality standards when Red Hat channel partners pre-install Red Hat Linux or deliver Red Hat Linux-related Consulting services, software, and solutions.

Training

The RH300 RHCE course consists of four days of training on Red Hat Linux-specific issues. There are eight units and eight hands-on lab workshops, approximately two per day, requiring completion of realistic tasks and workshops. Each lab itself is an opportunity to validate and test certain Red Hat Linux-specific skills as well as essential system administrator and networking skills.

To register for the RH300 course, please visit http://www.redhat.com/training/rhce/courses/ 

Exam Details

RHCE certification indicates that the person has passed a realistic performance-based lab exam that tests his/her ability to perform the following:

• install and configure Red Hat Linux
• understand limitations of hardware
• configure basic networking and file systems
• configure the X Window System
• configure basic security
• set up common network (IP) services
• carry out basic diagnostics and troubleshooting
• perform essential Red Hat Linux system administration

The exam is pass or non-pass. Individuals who complete all training elements but do not pass the Exam will receive a Certificate of Achievement. Individuals who complete all training and pass the Certification Lab Exam will receive in addition a Red Hat Certified Engineer certificate.

Before you take the exam:

According to Redhat, before you register for the exam, make sure you are completely familiar with the following:

1. understand disk partitioning and know how to use Red Hat's install-time partitioning tools
2. be thoroughly familiar with, and capable of, Red Hat installation, particularly network installations
3. understand install-time configuration elements (LILO, authentication, networking, system initialization, packages, etc.)
4. understand and be able to implement post-installation configuration of install-time options
5. be familiar with Red Hat Linux filesystem layout
6. understand the role of the scripts and configuration files under /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts
7. understand different approaches to multiple-boot installations and be familiar with installation-related tools (rawrite, fips)sometimes used during multiple-boot installations
8. understand kickstart installation basics (kickstart file, floppy- vs. network-based, installation media, boot disk preparation, etc.)
9. possess a thorough knowledge of the rpm command and its switches, particularly those related to the installation and querying of packages
10. be familiar with the basic elements of source (*.src.rpm) rpm packages
11. know how to boot into and use the rescue environment for system recovery
12. know how to create different kinds of user accounts
13. know how to configure the user environment
14. be familiar with system and user bash configuration files
15. understand quotas, quota concepts, and be able to implement user and group quotas
16. understand the cron system and be capable of setting up the scheduled jobs using cron
17. understand essential kernel concepts, such as monolithic vs. modular kernels, initial ramdisks, etc.
18. be able to install kernel sources and development tools needed in order to rebuild the Linux kernel
19. be able to configure, build, and install the Linux kernel and modules from source and understand LILO configuration and the elements -- first stage, second stage, and installer -- that make up LILO
20. understand. and be capable of. implementing the following network services: Apache, Samba, NFS, basic sendmail, POP3/IMAP4 email, DNS, and ftp
21. be sufficiently familiar with the function, configuration, and logging of those services as to be capable of basic troubleshooting
22. be familiar with, and capable of, implementing access restrictions for the above services
23. be familiar with other network services supported under Red Hat Linux: squid, innd NNTP server, xntpd, etc.
24. understand X in general and the XFree86 X server in particular, including its configuration file and the primary tools used for editing that file
25. be familiar with the window manager and desktop environment choices available under Red Hat Linux, and know how to select these choices
26. understand and be capable of implementing and using the remote capabilities of X, including remote logins and remote clients.
27. understand the role of xinetd and be capable of implementing tcp_wrappers security measures
28. understand basic NIS concepts and the components associated with NIS
29. understand the purpose of the PAM subsystem, and be capable of implementing basic PAM configuration changes
30. possess basic familiarity with configuration issues -- routing options, IP forwarding, kernel configuration -- associated with using Red Hat Linux as a router
31. be capable of using ipchains to implement basic firewalling policies and be familiar with the User Private Group scheme in Red Hat Linux

More information can be found here: http://www.redhat.com/training/rhce/examprep.html