Become a system administrator by enrolling in these Linux certification courses

System administrators are considered important people in the IT world, and their job is to ensure that all IT-related systems and services are up and running 24 hours a day.

In all organizations, whether small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or large corporations, system administrators play a critical role in keeping the backend and frontend of the IT infrastructure operating properly.

The roles and duties of a system administrator are wide-ranging. It includes not only server management but also all the functions needed to run your business smoothly.

Systems administrators should have experience in one or more technologies, including Windows, Linux, networking, data backup and recovery, security, databases, virtualization, cloud operations, and more.

Most organizations now look for certifications in addition to technology experience to hire system administrators.

This post provides detailed information about Linux system administrators, including training and certifications, industry opportunities, and other details that will help you advance your career as a system administrator in Linux technology.

What are the roles and responsibilities of a Linux system administrator?

System administrators typically have a wide variety of job responsibilities, ranging from small businesses to large organizations. System administrators are typically responsible for installing, supporting, and maintaining servers and associated operating systems. They are responsible for service outages, troubleshooting, and critical infrastructure failures.

Here are some of the broad roles that Linux administrators play:

• Special expertise in support and maintenance of Linux servers and related infrastructure (on-premises, cloud, virtualization, etc.).
• Analyze and resolve problems related to Linux operating system servers, hardware, applications, and software.
• A Linux administrator with root access is responsible for maintaining all user accounts, all system configurations, all files on the server, and so on.
• Installing and configuring the server and all related applications, backing up and restoring files, etc.
• Performance: Optimize your operating system and use tools to monitor server security and maintain a secure system.

What are the requirements to become a Linux system administrator?

If you’re planning to become a Linux system administrator or want to know the requirements, here are some things that most companies’ human resources teams consider before hiring for a Linux system administrator position.

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably with an engineering background such as computer science, information technology, or telecommunications.
• Work experience with Linux distributions such as RedHat, SUSE, CentOS, Debian, and Ubuntu.
• Most organizations require Linux certifications or training that candidates have completed. Certifications like RHCT, RHCE, LPIC are sure to make your resume stand out from the rest.
• Most virtualization is based on Linux servers. So if you are familiar with virtualization concepts like VMware and cloud, this is an added advantage.
• The above requirements are Linux-specific and candidates can easily fit into the Linux administrator job even if they have little knowledge of networking (routers, switches) and SQL databases.

What job openings are available for Linux administrators?

The Linux Foundation publishes an annual report each year to provide IT professionals with clear and unbiased information about what skills are in demand.

The Linux Foundation report shows how certifications can benefit job seekers. Data shows that 88% of employers want to hire certified professionals in 2021.

According to the report , 97% of hiring managers say they prioritize certified senior open source experts. This report also lists the most popular skills and top two skills related to Linux.

Thanks to the invention of advanced technologies such as big data and cloud computing, thousands of Linux professions are now available.

Linux is an open source platform that has proven its breadth and effectiveness. It is the foundation of choice for new technologies such as big data and cloud computing. Thousands of Linux specialists are required to support this evolving platform in today’s market scenario.

According to the Open Source Linux Report, Linux professionals have an advantage in the job market, with 44% of recruiters saying they are more likely to hire candidates with Linux certifications and 54% saying they are more likely to hire candidates with Linux certifications. They say they expect certifications or formal training.

There are two career paths in Linux: administrator and developer. Below are some of the specifications available to Linux professionals.

• desktop application development
• Kernel and device driver development
• Web development and deployment
• system management
• System architecture/engineering

Salary range: According to Glassdoor, the median base salary for Linux engineers in the UK is £48,177 per year, compared to $90,554 per year in the US.

In the next section, let’s take a look at the main exams and certifications for Linux system administrators.

Essentials of Linux System Management (LFS201)

The Linux Foundation offers a variety of courses and training for professionals who want to earn Linux certifications.

The Essentials of Linux System Administration course covers all basic knowledge up to Level 1 Linux architecture and covers administration, configuration, and troubleshooting of the three major versions of Linux, Red Hat, SUSE, and Debian/Ubuntu.

Applicants will also be introduced to useful tools and concepts for managing Linux infrastructure. Applicants interested in (cloud) virtualization can also benefit from this course, as ESX hosts are based on the Linux platform.

At a high level, the course includes:

• Linux file system overview
• Disk activity such as partitioning, mounting, and RAID.
• System optimization including monitoring, tuning, and scheduling
• Manage user and group accounts, including file permissions and more
• Backup and restore
• Network settings
• problem solving

This course is recommended if you want to acquire basic knowledge of Linux and understand the structure and operation of the Linux operating system.

This course includes 50-60 hours of study material, video content, and hands-on lab assignments.

The site also offers free courses and tutorials on systems administration, cloud, and network administration.

Red Hat System Administration Bootcamp

Udemy offers this course to all ambitious candidates who want to become a Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA). The course content corresponds to the RHCSA (EX200) exam conducted by Redhat.

This course trains candidates on the following aspects of Redhat Linux:

• Installing the Linux operating system
• Overview of the Linux command-line interface
• Linux environment management in terms of user and group management, configuration, container management, and shell scripting.
• Describe Linux security and networking concepts
• There are also practice questions at the end.

This course also provides free access to two e-books:

• Learn Linux quickly – covers all basic Linux infrastructure
• Learn Ansible Quickly – This ebook covers automation with Ansible. Must pass the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certification.

This course is accessible on mobile and includes 11 hours of on-demand videos, 6 articles, 3 downloadable resources, and more.

RHCSA is one of the most valuable certificates in the Linux world and attracts great packages.

Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS)

LFCS is designed by the Linux Foundation for entry-level professionals on Linux systems. Designed with the growing demand for Linux professionals in mind.

The exam includes scenario-based questions that help experts evaluate real-world Linux infrastructure. The exam focuses on two Linux distributions, Ubuntu 18 and CentOS 7, which candidates can choose from.

Candidates must use the command line to solve problems during the exam. By passing the LFCS exam, Linux administrators demonstrate their ability to install and configure Linux systems and gain a better understanding of critical technologies such as networking, storage, security, logging and monitoring, and troubleshooting.

The exam duration is 2 hours and the certificate is valid for 3 years.

LPI Linux Essentials Bootcamp

This course is designed by Udemy, the world’s largest education platform with over 30 million monthly visitors from over 180 countries and a database of over 150,000 courses. This course prepares you for the LPI (Linux Professional Institute) exam Linux Essentials (010-160).

Linux Professional Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides the global standard for certification and career support for open source professionals.

This course focuses on Linux operating system features, user management, security and administration, and command line operations.

After completing the course, candidates will understand the basics of the Linux operating system, gain experience configuring and administering Linux through hands-on laboratory exercises, and learn command-line utilities.

This course includes video lectures, downloadable notes, live questions, and a live exam. After completing the course, candidates will gain insight into the LPI (Linux Professional Institute) Linux Essentials (010-160) exam.

This course is aimed at beginners and experts who want to expand their knowledge of the Linux operating system.

CompTIA Linux+ (exam code XK0-0040)

CompTIA Linux+ is one of the leading certification bodies and has issued more than 2.5 million certificates in areas such as cybersecurity, networking, cloud computing, and technical support.

This certification demonstrates the competencies needed to become a Linux system administrator, including hands-on experience configuring, monitoring, supporting, and maintaining Linux servers.

This certification validates your skills in Linux administration, administration, troubleshooting, security knowledge, automation, scripting, and more.

This certification applies to job seekers such as Linux administrators, network administrators, technical support specialists, and system administrators.

The exam is 90 minutes long and contains 90 questions. The questions asked are in the form of multiple choice and implementation questions.

LPIC-1

LPIC-1 certification is offered by LPI (Linux Professional Institute), the largest and most recognized Linux certification organization. To obtain the LPIC-1 certificate, candidates must pass two exams (exam codes 101 and 102).

Exam 101 covers topics such as architecture and installation of Linux operating systems, file systems, GNU and Unix commands, and Exam 102 covers topics such as shell scripting, administrative tasks, system services, interfaces, networking and security .

Therefore, candidates who pass the LPIC-1 exam typically have experience administering Linux operating systems through installing and maintaining them, command line interfaces, managing file systems and user work, and other troubleshooting tasks. You can. As backup, recovery, and other maintenance activities.

Both exams consist of 60 multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions and are 90 minutes long.

LFCA certified course

This LFCA certification course is offered on the Coursera platform by LearnQuest, a preferred training partner for the world’s leading companies, organizations, and government agencies.

The LFCA certification is managed by the Linux Foundation, and this course helps applicants learn all the content to earn this certification. The LFCA exam focuses on basic IT skills, especially cloud technologies.

The course is divided into four main specializations: Linux Fundamentals, Managing Linux Systems, Securing Linux Systems, Linux Cloud, and DevOps .

This specialization is designed for beginners who want to start their IT career as an administrator or engineer to learn the Linux operating system, Linux system administration and security, Linux cloud operations, and programming.

Applicants can take this course to become IT professionals who work with the Linux operating system and related services such as user management, installation, security, cloud, and networking.

Course length is flexible to accommodate any specialization, and content includes videos, hands-on projects, quizzes, and virtual labs.

Coursera courses are free to take and you can earn a certificate by paying a fee.

Benefits of Linux Certification

• You’re more likely to keep your job: Certifications demonstrate your commitment to improving your skills and knowledge, which also benefits employers. Therefore, some companies reimburse the cost of certification for their employees.
• Career advancement and personal development: Certifications help you improve your skills in new technologies and give managers the space to assign additional roles and responsibilities to advance your career.
• Build professional credibility: Certifications from specific vendors, such as Microsoft, Google, and Cisco, ensure professional credibility. Earning this certificate demonstrates your commitment to professional development.
• Organizational Productivity and Competitive Advantage: Experienced professionals with professional certifications are well-qualified and have higher skills to work more efficiently with technology. Additionally, organizations find a good marketing argument to show customers that their employees are certified and reliable enough to increase productivity with lower risk.
• Stay on the cutting edge of technology: One important thing to remember is that certification is not a one-time activity. If you want to stay up to date with technology, features, versions, updates, etc., renewing and maintaining your certifications is paramount. For this reason, some certified providers require recertification over a period of time. For example, Red Hat requires recertification every three years, and AWS requires recertification every two years.
• Recertification helps professionals pursue improvements in specific technology platforms and keep their skills relevant.

At some point, recertification may feel like an unnecessary, time-consuming task or burden, but it benefits you and your current and future employers by allowing them to hire you with a better salary package.

conclusion

Linux certifications are beneficial if you want to advance your career as a Linux system administrator and always offer great career opportunities.

With the proliferation of cloud and virtualization platforms, the demand for Linux professionals is increasing. Therefore, Linux certified professionals are highly valued by all types of organizations.

At the same time, Linux is a free and open source platform, which will encourage its use in the future, so Linux experts will always be in demand.

By participating in courses and training, experts gain real-world hands-on experience with infrastructure through simulation tasks. Organizations value this as practical experience.

Before you get your certification, write down your educational curriculum according to your field of interest and plan the appropriate training or courses to achieve your career goals.

Also check out these Linux system administrator books and videos.