Red Hat Certification Program
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software development |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Products | Software, certification programs |
| Parent | IBM |
| Website | www |
Red Hat, a subsidiary of IBM specializing in software development, provides a range of certification programs primarily centered on system administration. These credentials can be authenticated through Red Hat's official website and are valid for a period of three years.
Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA)
The RHCSA is an entry-level credential focusing on fundamental system administration capabilities, such as installing and configuring Red Hat Enterprise Linux and integrating with active network services.
Applicants must successfully complete EX200, a three-hour practical lab examination, achieving at least 210 points out of 300 (70%) to pass. There are no mandatory prerequisites; however, Red Hat suggests preparatory training courses (RH124 and RH134) for individuals new to the field.
Initially introduced in 2002 under the title Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT), the certification had been awarded to 30,000 professionals by July 2009. It was rebranded as RHCSA in November 2010.
Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
Recognized as Red Hat's premier certification, the RHCE represents an intermediate to advanced qualification that builds upon the RHCSA foundation. It covers sophisticated subjects such as security measures and enterprise networking services, with a particular focus on automation through Ansible.
To obtain the RHCE credential, candidates must pass both the RHCSA exam (EX200) and the hands-on lab exam (EX294). For those without prior experience, Red Hat recommends foundational courses in Linux basics (RH124), system administration (RH134), and networking/security (RH254). Practical experience is also highly encouraged.
First introduced in 1999 as Red Hat’s inaugural certification, RHCE had reached 40,000 certified individuals by 2009 and was recognized as the Hottest Certification of 2006 by CertCities.com.
Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA)
Promoted as the "capstone certificate" of the program, RHCA represents the most extensive enterprise-level certification available. Established in 2005, it offers candidates the option to specialize in specific domains tailored to organizational requirements. Specialization is optional and includes areas such as:
- Datacenter: expertise in managing on-premises data center environments
- Cloud: skills related to cloud infrastructure administration
- DevOps: proficiency with technologies and methodologies that expedite application deployment from development through production
- Application Development: capabilities in enterprise application integration and architectural design
- Application Platform: competencies in constructing and overseeing development tools and applications
Red Hat Certified Virtualization Administrator (RHCVA)
The RHCVA certification validates proficiency in virtualization management. Candidates are required to complete EX318, a three-hour practical lab exam. Although there are no formal prerequisites, Red Hat advises completing course RH318 and holding an RHCSA certification beforehand. The exam also tests knowledge of installing and operating Microsoft Windows systems.
This certification was introduced in November 2009.
JBoss Certified Application Administrator (JBCAA)
The JBCAA credential centers on the administration of the JBoss Enterprise Application Platform. To earn this certification, candidates must successfully complete EX248, a practical hands-on lab exam lasting four hours. While there are no mandatory prerequisites, it is advisable to undertake the JB248 course, which is a comprehensive four-day training in JBoss administration.
This certification was first launched in September 2009.
Exams Required for Each Certification
| Exam Name | RHCSA | RHCE | RHCA | RHCA: Application Platform | RHCA: Cloud | RHCA: Datacenter | RHCA: Enterprise Application Development | RHCA: DevOps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EX125 - Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ceph Storage Administration Exam | No | No | Any 5 | No | No | No | No | No |
| EX200 - Red Hat® Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) Exam | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| EX210 - Red Hat Certified System Administrator in Red Hat OpenStack Exam | No | No | Any 5 | No | Any 5 | No | No | No |
| EX225 - Red Hat Certified JBoss Developer (RHCJD) Exam | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| EX236 - Red Hat Certificate of Expertise in Hybrid Cloud Storage Exam | No | No | Any 5 | No | Any 5 | Any 5 | No | No |
See also
- CompTIA Linux+
- Linux Professional Institute certifications