<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="Author" content="P. Tobin Maginnis">
<meta name="Description" content="Sair Linux and GNU Certification for the Linux Professional Worldwide">
<meta name="Keywords" content="linux certification education institute professional certificate certified Sair SAIR GNU Open Source free software GPL comprehensive complete detailed test tests testing endorsement master administrator engineer LCP LCA LCE developer Tobin Maginnis Lenny Sawyer Sylvan Prometric MCP MCSE Microsoft Linus Torvalds Richard Stallman Eric Raymond Bill Patton Bruce Perens">
<title>
Sair Linux & GNU Certification
</title>
</head>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
</font>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"
link="#FF2400" alink="#0000FF" vlink="#0000FF">
<img src="/images/logo1.jpg" border=0><font color=#000080>®</font>
<br>
<br>
<table>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#E6E8FA">
<img src="/images/horizon.gif" width=100 border=0>
</td>
<td>
<h2>
<!--
<font color=#6A5ACD>
-->
<font color=#8C1717>
Now you can earn the Sair Linux & GNU Certificate!
</font>
</h2>
<h2>
<center>
Level I - Test 1, available July 12th at
<br>
<a href="http://www.sylvanprometric.com/nav.htm">Sylvan Prometric</a> centers worldwide!
<br>
Sample test questions here by June 15th!
</center>
</h2>
<ul>
<font color=#F4A460>
<h4>
<li><a href="sylvan.doc.html"><!a href="release.html">Press Release</a>
<br>
<li><a href="newsletter.html">Newsletter Archive</a>
<br>
<li><a href="art5.html">The Need for Linux Certification for the
Software Professional</a>
<br>
<li><a href="#needs">The Rapidly Changing Face of Linux</a>
<br>
<li><a href="#you">How the Sair Linux & GNU Certificate Helps You</a>
<br>
<li><a href="#lkd">The Knowledge Domain</a>
<br>
<li><a href="#lkm">The Knowledge Matrix</a>
<br>
<li><a href="lcarray.html">Level I Knowledge Array</a>
<br>
<li><a href="#aof">Amount of Effort</a>
<br>
<li><a href="#skill">Sair Linux & GNU Certification Objectives</a>
</h4>
</font>
</ul>
<p>
<a name="needs"></a>
Linux software is rapidly being integrated by government
agencies and major corporate IT departments around the world.
What are the (unexpected) reasons for this move?
Linux is stable, configurable, flexible, and most of all,
customizable for real-time process control up through traditional
IT shop database applications. Linux provides corporate clients
<a href="./std.html"><b>complete control</b></a> over system configuration and upgrades.
<p>
<a name="you"></a>
What does this mean for you, the computer professional? It means that
you now have a new <em>vast</em> set of tools at your disposal and employers
want (expect) you to be responsible for the operating system (OS),
GUI, and common applications! Does this sound stressful?
Well, it should not; in general Linux administrators are <em>extremely</em> happy
with their systems and the new-found control they have over the
software. It is typical for these administrators to become "devoted"
to Linux and (sort of like Macintosh users) "go ballistic" when asked
to compare their systems with typical commercial OSs.
<p>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>What Sair Linux & GNU Certification Can Do For You:</b>
</font>
<p>
<ul>
<font color=#F4A460>
<li>
</font>
Today's employers want verification that you have a specific set of skills
that they need. Certificates tell them you have these skills. Furthermore,
companies exploit your certification by advertising your skills to their
customers.
<p>
<font color=#F4A460>
<li>
</font>
Linux certification will give you more job options. Say you wanted to
move from COBOL programming into Internet attachment, firewall implementation,
and system security. A Linux certificate will not guarantee a new Internet
job, but it will go a long way toward helping you get the new position.
<p>
<font color=#F4A460>
<li>
</font>
Certificates yield better pay. Studies
have shown that certification in a "desired" skill will earn anywhere from
$5.00 to $10.00 per hour salary increase (that's $10,000 to $20,000 per year)
over non-certified computer professionals.
<p>
<font color=#F4A460>
<li>
</font>
Highly visible self-accomplishment. A Linux certificate lets you "hang out
a sign" that says "I'm accomplished," "I have drive," "I like challenges."
<p>
<font color=#F4A460>
<li>
</font>
Research shows that past corporate investment (yes, they will pay or
assist with your certification costs) creates a positive return in the
form of improved employee service, reduced problem solving time, easier
assimilation of new technology, and overall higher employee productivity.
</ul>
<p>
Course content is personally supervised by Dr.
<!--
<a href="http://www.cs.olemiss.edu/~ptm">
-->
<a href="tobin.html">
Tobin Maginnis</a>, Associate Professor of Computer Science at the
University of Mississippi.
Dr. Maginnis has taught detailed courses in Linux internals and Linux
system administration. Dr. Maginnis has been teaching three levels of
operating system courses since 1980 and has employed Version 6 Unix,
Xinu, Minix, FreeBSD, and Linux source code in these classes. Dr.
Maginnis also teaches four levels of computer networking courses at
the University of Mississippi.
<p>
<a name="lkd"></a>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>The Linux Knowledge Domain</b>
</font>
<p>
The Sair Linux & GNU Certificate differs from other computer industry
certificates in that it encompasses a complete and open source
software system that has many layers of complexity not present
in other closed, binary or object code-only systems.
Overall system complexity arises from a combination of
historical software "precedence,"
layers of system and application configuration,
numerous sub-systems, alternative system components,
alternative system pre-configurations (distributions),
as well as, a development environment that allows the
system to be further modified.
<p>
To accommodate the complexity of Linux and to separate essential
information from the mundane information, the Sair Linux & GNU Certificate
content is guided by an array that describes the
<b>minimal</b> amount of information that one must master to be
called a Linux professional.
The two dimensional array focuses on essential Linux Certification
information by comparing how the operating system is employed
<i>versus</i> how it is constructed.
Furthermore, there are three types of the two dimensional array
where each array covers similar material with increasing depth.
<p>
Each Linux Certificate array is based upon proficiency in the
following four system usage areas:
<br>
<ol>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Linux Installation</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Network Connectivity</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>System Administration</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Security, Ethics, and Privacy</font>
</ol>
These four usage areas are examined over six general system components:
<ol>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Theory of Operation</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>System Base</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Shells and Commands</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Utilities</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Applications</font>
<font color=#F4A460><li></font>
<font color=#8C1717>Troubleshooting</font>
</ol>
<a name="lkm"></a>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>The Knowledge Matrix</b>
</font>
<p>
Each array represents a level of competency and describes
the <b>minimal</b> knowledge for that level.
The first array represents a overview of Linux knowledge
and intended to assess the "power user" or junior administrator
The second array represents a solid comprehension of the Linux
knowledge domain to asses the system administrator while a third
array represents a detailed understanding and mastery of Linux
knowledge for the senior system administrator and junior developer.
The three levels thus form a three-dimension "Linux knowledge matrix."
There are no intentions to "force" symmetry onto the knowledge
matrix.
Said another way, there is no requirement that each cell
contain the same amount of information, in fact, some matrix
cells may be blank.
<p>
The increasing-depth endorsements are:
<p>
<font color=#F4A460></font>
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>Level I - Sair Linux & GNU Certified Administrator</b> (<b>LCA</b>)
<a href="lcarray.html">
Level I Knowledge Array</a>
</font>
<br>
<font color=#F4A460></font>
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>Level II - Sair Linux & GNU Certified Engineer</b> (<b>LCE</b>)
</font>
<br>
<font color=#F4A460></font>
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>Level III - Sair Linux & GNU Master Certified Engineer</b> (<b>LMCE</b>)
</font>
<p>
<a name="aof"></a>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>Amount of Effort</b>
</font>
<p>
Although Sair Linux & GNU Certification does not provide training
courses <i>per se</i>, we will be involved with train-the-trainers
programs, we do certify other training programs and we have
a public knowledge-base that may be studied by a prospective candidate
or it may be integrated into third-party training programs.
To provide an estimate of effort for the candidate, we are
listing the number of classroom contact hours we think would be
required per endorsement level.
<p>
Each usage area is used to build a <b>minimal</b> knowledge profile for
each of the six system components forming
a usage <i>versus</i> component knowledge array.
Each of the four usage areas, or rows, contains enough
information to fill a minimum of four units of 32 hours of
classroom contact each for a total 128-hour classroom contact
equivalent.
<p>
Becoming a
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>Level I - Sair Linux & GNU Certified Administrator</b>
</font>
(<font color=#8B4513><b>LCA</b></font>)
requires mastery of basic material in all areas of the
<a href="lcarray.html">Level I knowledge array</a> and is roughly
equivalent to a 128 hours of classroom contact.
We see completion of LCA as evidence of ability to perform
at a "power user" level and to perform such tasks as working at
a Linux Help Desk or being a System Administrator.
<p>
The
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>Level II - Sair Linux & GNU Certified Engineer</b>
</font>
(<font color=#8B4513><b>LCE</b></font>)
requires mastery of all material and is equivalent to another 128 hours of
classroom contact in addition to the LCA.
We see completion of LCE as evidence of ability to perform
as a Linux System Manager.
<p>
The
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>Level III - Sair Linux & GNU Master Certified Engineer</b>
</font>
(<font color=#8B4513><b>LMCE</b></font>)
requires in-depth knowledge of the inner workings of Linux and its
associated tools and is also equivalent to a third 128 hours of
course work in addition to the LCA and LCE certificates.
We see completion of MLCE as evidence of ability to perform
as a Senior System Manager.
<p>
As reference, a typical industry certificate would require
six units of 32 classroom hours each for a total of 192 hours
of classroom contact per certificate.
Each 128-hour SLGC level is less than the typical 192-hour
industry standard, but the Sair Linux & GNU Certificates have three levels
making the total
384 hour classroom equivalent Sair Linux & GNU Certificates at least twice as
comprehensive as the typical computer industry certificates.
<p>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>Examinations</b>
</font>
<p>
The three certificate levels (
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>LCA</b>
</font>
,
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>LCE</b>
</font>
, and
<font color=#8B4513>
<b>LMCE</b>
</font>
) each require passing of four tests
(one for each usage area or matrix row).
<p>
Multiple choice tests may be taken at a Sylvan Prometric testing
center or at other Linux Certification Organization approved
locations.
<p>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>Recognition of Your Accomplishments</b>
</font>
<p>
Every step along the way to the MLCE represents a significant learning effort for the
candidate. Therefore, successful completion of the Install & Configuration test or the
System Administration test in any of the first three levels earns the title
Sair Linux and GNU Certified Professional or "LCP." Then, as each level is mastered,
the candidate may add the level to his or her title such as LCA, LCE, or MLCE.
What this means that successful completion of intermediate steps can go directly
onto your resume indicating your achievements.
<p>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>Minimum Requirements</b>
</font>
<p>
The Sair Linux & GNU certification process is designed for the computer professional
that wishes to demonstrate expertise with the Linux operating system.
It is recommended that candidates have a minimum of two years of experience
in the computer industry and extensive experience with at least one other
operating system before attempting to study for, and take, the certification tests.
It is also recommended that the candidate have experience using Unix and a Unix editor.
<p>
<a href="bgt.html">Background and Reference Texts</a>
<p>
Study guides reference one or more Linux (Unix) texts
for more detailed discussion of the selected concepts, principles,
and facts.
<p>
<a name="skill"></a>
<font color=#6A5ACD>
<b>Sair Linux & GNU Certification Objectives</b>
</font>
<ol>
<p>
<a href="introqa.html">
Philosophy, Installation, and Basics Study Guide</a>
<p>
<a href="bc.html">
Linux (Unix) Fundamentals Study Guide</a>
<p>
<a href="fs.html">File System Study Guide</a>
<p>
<a href="te.html">Text Processing Study Guide</a>
<p>
<a href="ug.html">Upgrading Software Study Guide</a>
<p>
<a href="lht1.html">IP Multicast</a>
<p>
<a href="rsa.html">Routine System Administration Study Guide</a>
<p>
<a href="x.html">The X Window System</a>
<p>
<a href="net.html">Networking</a>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<center>
<p>
<h3>
If you are a Linux expert,
<br>
<a href="http://www.linuxcertification.org/expert.html">come behind the scenes</a>
<br>
of Sair Linux & GNU Certification.
</h3>
<center>
<p>
<a href=faq.html>All of this is fine, but I have a question</a>...
<p>
Call Sair, Inc. toll free at 1-800-821-4373 or <A HREF="./enroll.html">register online</A>.
<p>
<font size=1>
Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds
<p>
Copyright © 1998, 1999 The Sair Linux & GNU Certification.
<p>
Last modified: 15-May-99 ptm
</center>
</body>
</HTML>