Upcoming Program Changes for the LFCS Certification Exam in 2018

Answers & Notes

If you sit for a free retake after 13:00 UTC on March 20, 2018, you will be tested on Domains and Competencies V3.18 (even if that is not what you were originally tested on during your first attempt).

LFCS Domains and Competencies V3.18

Essential Commands – 25%

  • Log into local & remote graphical and text mode consoles
  • Search for files
  • Evaluate and compare the basic file system features and options
  • Compare and manipulate file content
  • Use input-output redirection (e.g. >, >>, |, 2>)
  • Analyze text using basic regular expressions
  • Archive, backup, compress, unpack, and uncompress files
  • Create, delete, copy, and move files and directories
  • Create and manage hard and soft links
  • List, set, and change standard file permissions
  • Read, and use system documentation
  • Manage access to the root account

Operation of Running Systems – 20%

  • Boot, reboot, and shut down a system safely
  • Boot or change system into different operating modes
  • Install, configure and troubleshoot bootloaders
  • Diagnose and manage processes
  • Locate and analyze system log files
  • Schedule tasks to run at a set date and time
  • Verify completion of scheduled jobs
  • Update software to provide required functionality and security
  • Verify the integrity and availability of resources
  • Verify the integrity and availability of key processes
  • Change kernel runtime parameters, persistent and non-persistent
  • Use scripting to automate system maintenance tasks
  • Manage the startup process and services (In Services Configuration)
  • List and identify SELinux/AppArmor file and process contexts
  • Manage Software
  • Identify the component of a Linux distribution that a file belongs to

User and Group Management – 10%

  • Create, delete, and modify local user accounts
  • Create, delete, and modify local groups and group memberships
  • Manage system-wide environment profiles
  • Manage template user environment
  • Configure user resource limits
  • Manage user privileges
  • Configure PAM

Networking – 12%

  • Configure networking and hostname resolution statically or dynamically
  • Configure network services to start automatically at boot
  • Implement packet filtering
  • Start, stop, and check the status of network services
  • Statically route IP traffic
  • Synchronize time using other network peers

Service Configuration – 20%

  • Configure a caching DNS server
  • Maintain a DNS zone
  • Connect to network shares 
  • Configure email aliases
  • Configure SSH servers and clients
  • Restrict access to HTTP proxy servers
  • Configure an IMAP and IMAPS service
  • Query and modify the behavior of system services at various operating modes
  • Configure an HTTP server
  • Configure HTTP server log files
  • Restrict access to a web page
  • Configure a database server
  • Manage and configure containers
  • Manage and configure Virtual Machines

Storage Management – 13%

  • List, create, delete, and modify physical storage partitions
  • Manage and configure LVM storage
  • Create and configure encrypted storage
  • Configure systems to mount file systems at or during boot
  • Configure and manage swap space
  • Create and manage RAID devices
  • Configure systems to mount file systems on demand
  • Create, manage and diagnose advanced file system permissions
  • Setup user and group disk quotas for filesystems
  • Create and configure file systems

 

My Way to Linux Certification – Tips

My Way to Linux Certification [LFCS]

Valuable Tips & Help

 

Prior Register for Linux Exam & Tips

If you are complete beginner, I recommend to read some eBooks and take some online courses to pass the beginner’s level, and after Register for exam and then take more advanced online courses/eBooks especially for the Exam.

Exam done online [From your home/office room] from Chrome browser, embedded Terminal plugin … LF [Linux Foundation] setup a remote Linux server [CentOS 7 or Open SUSE 42 or Ubuntu 16.04 choice is yours/mine]…

I preferred Register for LFCS Administrator Exam of Linux Foundation because:

You do exam from Home without need to go to Exam center, but required have your PC screen monitored and having an external camera for monitoring room, by your exam proctor …etc . Also room must be quite and you/I being alone in the room…

I you want save some money: Register week LAST FRIDAY OF JULY – this day called System Admin day and MANY OFFERS EXIST for buying exam or bundles Exam + LFS201 Essentials of System Administration course… I saved $200 by purchasing an (offer) bundle 24 July 2017… I have one year to sit in my room online the exam…. and I have got a Linux course LFS 201 in the bundle… but I recommend you find and some other eBooks and courses … this never hurts.

You have one year to give the exam. Date/Time you/I define it. If you fail first time you have a second free retry…

Before register of exam or before get training from course LFS201 Essentials of System Administration, make sure you take and finished the Free course:

LinuxFoundationX: LFS101x Introduction to Linux

https://courses.edx.org/courses/course-v1:LinuxFoundationX+LFS101x+1T2017/course/

Exam is practice/performance based. You are given a server and a list of tasks to do on it… After you graded by automated system that checks the server you practiced on… after 3 days you get the result Pass or Not. To pass you need 74% score… During exam are permitted only server itself help resources like man(manual) pages, info pages and –help pages… you can Not surf the web for help nor have notes in the desk you work in your PC… during the exam.

 

From FAQ  [extracts from LF Site]

6. How long does the exam last?

Once you launch the exam, you will have two (2) hours to complete the certification exam.

8. How can I study for Exams?

The Linux Foundation’s Certification Exams are performance-based, which means the only way to ‘study’ for them is to practice, practice, practice. The Overview of Domains and Competencies – listed in the Exam Details section of the webpage for each Certification (LFCS and LFCE) – provides guidance on the topics covered in an Exam.  Candidates are encouraged to gain as much hands-on experience as possible in order to build mastery using the command line (since the Exam terminal does not use a Graphical Interface). Be sure to check out our Free Certification Prep Guide for more help.

Scoring and Notification

A score of at least 74% must be earned to pass the Exam.

Upon completion, exams are scored automatically and a score report will be made available within three (3) business days. If a passing score is achieved and other applicable requirements for Certification have been fulfilled, a notification indicating the Candidate has been successfully Certified will follow the score report.

Other Links

https://www.linux.com/learn/tips-how-study-your-linux-certification-exam

https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/certification-information-and-faq

http://sysadminday.com/  System Administrator Appreciation Day is a 24-hour event occurring on the Last Friday of July

http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2010/11/50-linux-commands/

http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2010/12/50-unix-linux-sysadmin-tutorials/

https://training.linuxfoundation.org/upcoming-program-changes-for-the-lfcs-certification-exam-in-2018    // Here is an Update : If you sit for a free retake after 13:00 UTC on March 20, 2018, you will be tested on Domains and Competencies V3.18 (even if that is not what you were originally tested on during your first attempt).

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Linux required, as 9 from 10 servers have OS Linux… I am Mobile/Web Developer and I will give it inside one year… I will study 3h / day practicing and 2 h/day Reading/Watching Linux eBooks & courses… but without effort you cannot pass… No pain, no gain !!! This is Not my main field of work but Web/Mobile Development so I do plan to do Web and Mobile Apps all the year but I will study for Exam along…

As Freelancer I want do all alone and Not outsource server Admin works in my home office…

Note: There many organizations that offer Linux Certification… But I think LF is the best… also others may require you go in an exam center…. in your area.

 

Other Tips – https://www.linux.com/learn/tips-how-study-your-linux-certification-exam

There are different learning styles, and you’ll be more effective if you study in the way that suits you.

Taking the test immediately after the course it vital, he says. “Retention is a big factor.”

But if you’re going at it on your own, should you take the core competencies one at a time or look through them, then focus on your weakest areas? Again, that depends on your personal style.

Powers advises looking through the course material to determine whether you have the proper background. Then you can decide how to proceed.

He puts the success rate at about one in five for people who study on their own; at two or three in five for those who use online training courses that have to be completed in a set time period; and at 90 to 100 percent for structured training courses.

 

Some LINUX eBooks for LFCS Admin Exam

  1. Linux Bible 9th Edition (c) 2015 Wiley //  mostly RedHat 7/CentOS 7 / mostly content is common to Ubuntu 14.04
  2. Linux® Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible 3rd Edition (c) 2015 Wiley // Focus in Linux Shell Scripting [this and above 1st belong in the same Bible Series from WILEY PUBLISHER]
  3. Linux Pocket Guide 3/e (c) 2016 O’Reilly
  4. Mastering Linux Shell Scripting 1/e (c) 2015 Packt Pub
  5. Your UNIX/Linux The Ultimate Guide Third Edition (c) 2006-2013 McGraw-Hill
  6. CENTOS 7 Linux Server Cookbook 2/e (c) 2016 Pack Pub
  7. http://www.thegeekstuff.com/linux-101-hacks-ebook  Free eBook 2/e
  8. Guide to Parallel Operating Systems with Windows® 10 and Linux, 3/e (c) 2017 Cengage
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Linux_magazines

Note: The first two Bible e-Books from Wiley are my favorite – You can learn almost 80% of the Linux Exam Material from them (My Opinion)

CentOS 7 Docs & Help

 

Bye Bye,

…

Hope/wish to myself and you pass the exam !!!

LSE