Linux Professional Institute
LPI - Linux Professional Institute.
This is not a real tutorial. I'm working on getting my LPI-degrees, and I thought I'd share my quest with you guys...
1. What is LPI?
One of the main objections against using Linux in a business-environment is the fact that there's no real Linux-certification.
IBM, Red Hat and Caldera (amongst others) invented the Certified Engineer-degrees to fill that hole. A disadvantage of those CE's though is that they are distribution-specific. As a reaction, Linux Professional Institute was founded: LPI is a distribution-independent certification.
You can find more information on lpi.org.
Quote:
Mission Statement
The Linux Professional Institute believes in the need for a standardized, multi-national, and respected program to certify levels of individual expertise in Linux. This program must be able to satisfy the requirements of Linux professionals, as well as organizations which would employ or contract them.
2. The LPI-certification-process.
The LPI-program consists of a couple definitions of 'levels', divided into 'topics'. Those topics are divided into 'objectives'.
Level --> Topic --> Objective.
Each level consists of a couple exams.
3. LPI Level 1.
For Level 1, you're supposed to be able to perform these tasks:
- Working with the Unix-command-line.
- Being able to perform simple system-management-tasks: helping users, adding users to the system, securing files, turning the system on and off.
- Installation and configuration of a workstation (including X), adding the workstation to a network, connecting the workstation to the internet.
LPI Level 1 consists of two exams: the 101-exam and the 102-exam.
3.1 The 101-exam.
General Linux-knowledge:
- GNU- and Unix-commands.
- Devices, Linux File System, File System hierarchy.
- Start-up, Initializing, run-levels.
- Documentation.
- Administrative tasks.
3.2 The 102-exam.
- Hardware and architecture.
- Linux-installation and software-packet-management.
- The kernel.
- Text: changing, processing, printing.
- Shells, shellscripts, programming, compiling.
- The X-GUI.
- Fundamental network-knowledge.
- Network-services.
- Security.
4. LPI Level 2.
For Level 2, you're supposed to be able to perform these tasks:
- Management of a small to medium-sized network: planning, implementation, maintenance, security; maintenance of a small mixed (Windows/Linux) network:
- Networkserver (Samba).
- Internetgateway (firewall, proxy, mail, news).
- Internetserver (webserver, simple CGI).
Level 2 consists of two exams: the 201- and the 202-exam.
4.1. The 201-exam: advanced system-management (non Linux-specific).
- Administration and trouble-shooting.
- Shellscripts using 'sh' and 'sed'.
- Networks.
4.2. The 202-exam: Linux-optimalization.
- Controlling processes, log-files, boot-order.
- The kernel: management (patching, configuration, compilation, installation).
- Version-conflicts: troubleshooting of libraries and programs, installation of bugfixes and upgrades.
5. LPI Level 3.
For Level 3, you're supposed to be able to perform these tasks:
- Design and implementation of solutions for complex automation-problems.
- Initialization of projects and budget-management.
- Management.
- Consulting.
Here's the actual content of Level 1 - Objective 1.
Level 1 - Objective 1: Effective use of the Unix-command-line.
Contents: Working with the shell and commands using the command-line:
- Using commands and command-sequences.
- Definition, reference and export of environment-variables.
- Using the command-history.
Commands:
- exit, logout, shutdown.
- browsing directories (cd, cd /home, cd ..,...)
- ls
- file-attributes.
- command-sequences using ;
Environment-variables:
- set, env
- echo
- export
- path, ps1, home, printer, user,...
The command-history:
- history
- !number
- browsing commands with the <tab>-key
- alias
Various commands:
- biff
- write
- mesg
- w
- whoami
- type
- file
And to conclude this first chapter: here's an actual exam-question (don't let the simplicity fool you):
1. If you wanted to turn off mail notification, what command would you use?
A. biff n
B. mesg n
C. mesg off
D. notify off
E. set notify=off
