How to Ace the RHCE Certification with Red Hat Linux 8 and Ansible 2.8
RHCE Red Hat Linux Certification Study Guide (Exams EX200)
If you are a Linux system administrator who wants to demonstrate your skills in managing servers using Red Hat Ansible, then you might be interested in taking the RHCE exam. The RHCE exam is one of the most respected and sought-after certifications in the IT industry, as it validates your ability to automate common tasks, configure services, troubleshoot issues, and optimize performance using Ansible.
RHCE Red Hat Linux Certification Study Guide (Exams EX200
In this article, we will provide you with a comprehensive study guide that covers everything you need to know about the RHCE exam, including what it is, why you should get certified, how to prepare for it, how to pass it, and what to do after passing it. By following this guide, you will be able to plan your study path, access the best resources, practice with real-world scenarios, apply effective strategies, and achieve your certification goal.
What is RHCE and why should you get certified?
RHCE stands for Red Hat Certified Engineer. It is an advanced-level certification that tests your ability to use Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (RHEL 8) and Red Hat Ansible Engine 2.8 to automate configuration management, system administration, provisioning, deployment, security, networking, monitoring, logging, and reporting tasks across multiple systems.
The RHCE exam is based on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 version. It consists of one performance-based test that lasts 4 hours. You will be given a set of tasks that you need to complete using Ansible on one or more servers. You will be graded on whether you have met the requirements for each task. You need to score at least 210 out of 300 points (70%) to pass the exam.
To take the RHCE exam, you must have an active RHCSA certification. The RHCSA certification tests your basic skills in using RHEL 8 to perform essential system administration tasks such as creating users, managing files, installing packages, configuring network services, managing security settings, etc. You can learn more about the RHCSA certification here.
Getting certified as an RHCE has many benefits for your career and personal development. Some of them are:
You will gain recognition and credibility as a skilled Linux professional who can handle complex and challenging tasks using Ansible.
You will increase your chances of getting hired, promoted, or rewarded by employers who value Red Hat certifications and look for certified candidates.
You will enhance your knowledge and skills in using RHEL 8 and Ansible, which are widely used and in-demand technologies in the IT industry.
You will join a global community of Red Hat certified professionals who can share their experience, insights, and best practices with you.
You will have access to exclusive benefits from Red Hat, such as discounts, events, newsletters, webinars, etc.
How to prepare for the RHCE exam?
Preparing for the RHCE exam requires a lot of dedication, practice, and resources. You need to have a solid understanding of the exam objectives, a good grasp of the RHEL 8 and Ansible concepts and commands, and a lot of hands-on experience in applying them to real-world scenarios. Here are some steps that you can follow to prepare for the RHCE exam:
Review the exam objectives
The first step is to review the exam objectives and make sure that you are familiar with them. The exam objectives are the topics that you will be tested on in the exam. They are divided into four sections:
Understand and use essential tools
Operate running systems
Create Ansible playbooks
Manage systems
You can find the detailed list of exam objectives here. You should go through each objective and check whether you know what it means, why it is important, and how to perform it using Ansible. You should also refer to the official documentation for RHEL 8 and Ansible for more information and examples.
Take a training course or self-study
The next step is to take a training course or self-study using books, videos, blogs, etc. A training course can help you learn the concepts and skills that you need for the exam in a structured and interactive way. A self-study can help you reinforce your learning and fill in any gaps that you may have.
There are different options for training courses that you can choose from depending on your preference, budget, and availability. Some of them are:
Red Hat System Administration III: Linux Automation with Ansible (RH294): This is the official course from Red Hat that covers all the exam objectives. It is a four-day course that teaches you how to automate system administration tasks using Ansible. It includes lectures, demonstrations, labs, exercises, quizzes, etc. You can take this course online or in-person at a Red Hat training center or partner location. You can also purchase an exam voucher with this course as a bundle.
RHCSA/RHCE Red Hat Linux Certification Study Guide, Seventh Edition (Exams EX200 & EX300): This is a book by Michael Jang and Alessandro Orsaria that covers both the RHCSA and RHCE exams. It is a comprehensive study guide that provides complete coverage of all official exam objectives for the new exams. It includes step-by-step exercises, Exam Watch and On-the-Job sidebars, Two-Minute Drills, end-of-chapter self tests, and hands-on lab questions. You can find this book on Amazon.
Linux Academy Red Hat Certified Engineer (EX294) Prep Course: This is an online course by Linux Academy that prepares you for the RHCE exam. It is a 16-hour course that covers all the exam objectives with video lessons, hands-on labs, flashcards, quizzes, etc. You can access this course with a Linux Academy subscription or a free trial.
Practice with hands-on labs and exercises
The most important step in preparing for the RHCE exam is to practice with hands-on labs and exercises. The RHCE exam is a performance-based test that requires you to perform tasks using Ansible on one or more servers. Therefore, you need to have a lot of practice in using Ansible to configure and manage systems.
To practice with hands-on labs and exercises, you need to have access to a lab environment where you can run RHEL 8 and Ansible. You can set up your own lab environment using virtual machines or cloud instances. Alternatively, you can use an online lab environment provided by some training providers or platforms.
Some sources for hands-on labs and exercises are:
and print it for your records. You can also claim your badge and display it on your social media profiles, resume, website, etc. Your badge is a digital representation of your certification that can be verified online by anyone.
Share your success story: You can share your success story with others and inspire them to pursue their certification goals. You can write a blog post, record a video, post on social media, etc. You can also submit your success story to Red Hat and get featured on their website or newsletter.
Join the Red Hat certification community: You can join the Red Hat certification community and connect with other Red Hat certified professionals around the world. You can exchange ideas, tips, best practices, and opportunities with them. You can also participate in events, webinars, forums, etc. You can access the Red Hat certification community here.
Maintain your certification and keep learning
Passing the RHCE exam is not the end of your learning journey. It is only the beginning. There are many things that you can do to maintain your certification and keep learning new skills and technologies. Here are some suggestions:
Renew your certification: Your RHCE certification is valid for three years from the date you pass the exam. To keep your certification current, you need to renew it before it expires. You can renew your certification by passing any current Red Hat exam at the same level or higher than your current certification. For example, if you have an RHCE certification based on RHEL 8, you can renew it by passing any current RHCE exam based on RHEL 8 or later versions.
Access learning resources: You can access various learning resources from Red Hat to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. You can use Red Hat Learning Subscription to access all Red Hat online courses and exams for a fixed annual fee. You can also use Red Hat Learning Community to access free courses, videos, blogs, podcasts, etc. from Red Hat experts and instructors.
Practice with new scenarios: You can practice with new scenarios and challenges using Ansible on RHEL 8 or other platforms. You can create your own scenarios or use existing ones from online sources. You can also use Ansible Collections to access pre-built roles and modules for various domains and technologies.
Explore other Red Hat certifications and courses
If you want to advance your career and expand your skills further, you can explore other Red Hat certifications and courses that match your interests and goals. Red Hat offers a wide range of certifications and courses for different roles, levels, and technologies. Some of them are:
Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA): This is the highest level of Red Hat certification that demonstrates your expertise in multiple areas of Red Hat technologies. To achieve this certification, you need to earn at least five certifications from a list of eligible ones. You can choose from different tracks such as Cloud, DevOps, Application Development, etc.
Red Hat Certified Specialist (RHCS): This is a specialized level of Red Hat certification that demonstrates your skills in a specific area of Red Hat technologies. To achieve this certification, you need to pass one exam from a list of eligible ones. You can choose from different domains such as Containers, Kubernetes, Security, Automation, etc.
Red Hat Certified System Administrator in Red Hat OpenStack (RHCSA-RHOS): This is a certification that validates your ability to create, configure, and manage private clouds using Red Hat OpenStack Platform.
Red Hat Certified Engineer in Red Hat OpenStack (RHCE-RHOS): This is a certification that validates your ability to integrate and optimize private clouds using Red Hat OpenStack Platform.
Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Application Development (EX288): This is a certification that validates your ability to design, build, test, and deploy containerized applications using Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform.
Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration (EX280): This is a certification that validates your ability to create, configure, and manage a cloud application platform using Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform.
You can find the full list of Red Hat certifications and courses here.
Conclusion
In this article, we have provided you with a comprehensive study guide that covers everything you need to know about the RHCE exam. We have explained what the RHCE exam is, why you should get certified, how to prepare for it, how to pass it, and what to do after passing it. By following this guide, you will be able to plan your study path, access the best resources, practice with real-world scenarios, apply effective strategies, and achieve your certification goal.
The RHCE exam is not easy, but it is not impossible either. You need to have a good preparation, a good strategy, and a good attitude. You also need to have a lot of passion and curiosity for learning new skills and technologies. If you have these qualities, you can pass the RHCE exam and become a Red Hat Certified Engineer.
We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. We wish you all the best in your RHCE exam and your future endeavors. Thank you for reading.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the RHCE exam:
How much does the RHCE exam cost?
The RHCE exam costs $400 USD in the United States and Canada, and varies by region in other countries. You can check the price for your region here.
How long does the RHCE exam last?
The RHCE exam lasts 4 hours.
What is the passing score for the RHCE exam?
The passing score for the RHCE exam is 210 out of 300 points (70%).
How can I register for the RHCE exam?
You can register for the RHCE exam online through Red Hat or through a Red Hat training partner. You can also purchase an exam voucher with a training course as a bundle.
How can I take the RHCE exam?
You can take the RHCE exam in-person at a Red Hat testing center or partner location, or online using Red Hat Individual Exam Sessions. You need to have an active RHCSA certification to take the RHCE exam.
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