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Is SAIR Certification Worthwhile?

Posted by Cliff on from the yet-another-certification-question dept.

cheezus asks: "My company is sending me and the other two members of our tech department (we're all university students) to the upcoming LinuxWorld Expo in New York, and we are planning on taking the Sair Linux and GNU Certification Level I tests that are being offered for free while we're there. We ordered the study materials (very cool, even came with 9 distros on CD) and have started reading up. Two of us are intermediate Linux users and have successfully set up Linux boxes that run our Web, Mail and DNS, the other is a relative Linux newbie. I'm wondering how hard the tests are going to be, and what the real benefits of having LCP or LCA certification are." Are CTOs and managers in Linux shops actually looking for such certifications right now? And has anyone taken these certification tests before and can comment on how well they match-up to real world expectations of a Linux Administrator?

5 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. My comments.... by NetJunkie · · Score: 4

    First off, my wife and I are currently working on a study guide for the LPI level 1 exams, which should be out soon. I wouldn't say I'm biased by it, though.

    We took the Sair tests and "training" at Linux World in San Jose. Skip the "training". It's a waste. You miss a lot of the conference, and you get no real information. The "instructors" were not that good. We were really disappointed. If you want to pass the Sair exams just go buy the Sair books. The answers are spelled out word for word in them. The questions on the exams were not that good. They really didn't test your knowledge.

    I much prefer the LPI exams, which is why we're doing an LPI book. The questions are MUCH better, and do require knowledge of how to work with Linux. The LPI exams don't get as much press, though...which is a shame. They have backing by major players in the Linux world. The level 1 exams are out of beta now, so check them out at http://www.lpi.org.

    But, since the exams are free at Linux World, go for it. Just don't waste time in the "classes". Whoever came up with the line saying "$5500 worth of training!" is on crack.

    One final note...for the security exam go learn the different informatino laws and how they apply to work. They ask a lot about that and proper chain of command....or what they consider proper. Go take the practice exams they have.

  2. Has to be judged in the field, in practice by Ars-Fartsica · · Score: 4
    I doubt many managers are aware of the SAIR program, but will probably look upon any linux credit on the resume as favorable.

    Of course, once hired, if that employee proves to be uttlerly clueless, that will reflect back on the SAIR coursework and likely not be as meaningful for the next candidate. The abilities of the early graduates will ultimately determine the value of the program.

  3. Exams by S.I.O. · · Score: 4

    I passed the first two exams (Installation & System Administration) last week, just before Christmas (here in Europe). My score was really close to the required minimum (74% = 37/50 questions) though. I suggest you to solve the test exams here: http://www.linuxcertification.com/resources/quizze s/ and read the exam objectives here carefully: http://www.linuxcertification.com/exams

  4. I took the test by TGMilenko · · Score: 4

    I am fairly Linux newbieish, but I have set up various distros, including Debian with various configs, and I also studied the book and knew it cold. However I failed the test. I am an MCSE plus a few othter certs, been in the IT field for 15 years and never failed a test before this one. They had a lot of questions that you would never know from reading the books, but would only know from really playing with the OS for quite some time. I figure I just got used to the M$ tests where you can generally read the book one day and take the test the next without booting a PC. I guess it better this way as it will keep people from becoming "paper LCP/LCA's".

  5. Track record trumps certifications by tmoertel · · Score: 5

    At the companies I've worked or consulted for, certification is something the companies will consider if you don't have a well-established track record. The applicability of certs is generally limited to entry- and mid-level positions. You will almost never get a senior position on the strength of a few certs.

    If you don't have the experience, and a good work history to prove it, a certfication may get you in the door. But, for higher-level positions, like the senior designer for a large system's middleware or the engineer in charge of scalability/performance tuning on a large-scale distributed sytem (which a lot of e-commerce back ends are), certifications aren't given much credibility.

    In general, a known track record (good or bad) trumps certifications: If you're a known lamer, a cert won't save you. And if you're a known project-saver, nobody is even going to ask for your certs (or a resume in many cases) -- they want you on the team.

    So, if you have a good track record, make sure that you can demonstrate it to potential employers. Otherwise, a certification may be your best bet.

    --
    Easy, automatic testing for Perl.