I've been reading with interest the thread here on SuSE and Novell, especially since I've been personally involved with both. I just want to share some comments of my own.
First, it's important to note that the relationship between the SuSE certification and LPIC, and between the Novell CLE and LPIC1, are (at least to my research) fairly unique. There do not seem to be many instances in which a vendor uses a third-party certification as a pre-requisite, whether recommended (Novell) or required (SuSE).
Both Novell and SuSE could have chosen to work with LPI rather than to do the conventional thing in IT certification circles. Contrast this to the Unix environment a decade ago, where Sun, IBM, HP, SCO and others all did their own independent cert programs. Except for Sun, all are now sponsors of LPI (though SCO sponsorship -- done when it was Caldera -- is being downplayed for obvious reasons). And we're working on Sun.
LPI encourages the practise of using the LPIC1 as a test of core Linux competencies, usable in conjunction with auxilliary tests to demonstrate distribution-specific skills. We have been in contact with both Debian and Fedora developers -- some at the highest levels -- who have expressed an interest in distro-specific exams to cover their own unique features. The difference here is that, unlike SuSE, the Debian and Fedora prjoects aren't able to finance exam development (though they certainly have many participants who would contribute items).
(Considering the hostility of the RHCE folks to doing anything co-operatively with LPI, there would be some interesting irony if we were to support a distro-specific Fedora.exam.)
Now, having said all that I'd like to drag this discussion, kicking and screaming, back into the realm of exam development, which is what this mailing list is all about:
- yes, I think the idea of accepting the CLE as one of the components of Level 3 might be a good idea *if* it isn't seen to compromise our vendor independence.
- the idea of an L3 exam on "enterprise Linux management" has also intrigued me and I wonder if we could demonstrate the demand for such an exam. After all, our goal is to test the skills of people on techniques and methods, rather than always concentrating on specific tools.
- please keep in mind that LPI is developing its own "virtual lab" exam delivery system. This system, in its earliest planning stages, is the software component of the Xamnet exam-delivery network which will soon be introduced as an open source software project.
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