[Novalug] new Redhat Cert validation periods

[James Ewing Cottrell 3rd]

  You're taking this Way Too Seriously. You don't really Need to be 
Certified ...  except when you do.

Like maybe if you are Job Hunting. Or possibly bidding on a Certain 
Project. Even so, a Diploma and Experience usually Trumps All.

But really....a College Diploma is a Permanent Certification in 
Everything. Likewise, once your Doctor has an MD he can practice 
medicine Forever.

Both of these Documents "Certify" that you have been trained to figure 
out anything that comes your way. That doesn't mean you know it, it mean 
you can learn it when need be.

In reality, these systems don't really last 10 years. New servers aren't 
really likely to run RHEL 3, now are they? You can probably FUD people 
running them to Upgrade on Security Grounds.

A better choice would be to get a RHEL 6 RHCE, and in 3 years get 
something else, like a RHEL 6 RHVW (Virtual Wizard...I just made that 
up) and then maybe a RHEL 6 RHCC (Cluster Czar).

Simply list all your Certs with their year, and in your Cover Letter 
explain that some may have "Expired". Make sure you have your own Paper 
Documentation.

We'll be Just As Impressed.

JIM

P.S. Yeah, it's a Racket. But we've got to pay them somehow to keep them 
in business.

On 12/6/2010 11:31 AM, Jeff Stoner wrote:
> Red Hat announced significant changes to the certification policy. One of
> the biggest changes is moving to a calendar-based expiration. For those
> who haven't seen the changes, when you certify on RHEL 6, your cert is
> only deemed "current" for 3 years and only for RHEL 6. Anyone who got
> certified on RHEL 5 - nothing is changing for you, you're still certified
> until RHEL 7. RHEL4 - your certs are no longer current so you need to do
> something.
>
> About this 3 year "window": if you obtain any other certificate, your 3
> year window is reset to the date you got the new cert. For example, if you
> pass the RHCSA exam (replaces the RHCT) in January 2011, you are current
> for 3 years, becoming non-current in February 2014. If you later pass the
> RHCE exam in January 2012, your window shifts such that you become
> non-current in February 2015. Further, you obtain any of the Certificates
> of Expertise in January 2013, your windows shifts again, becoming
> non-current in February 2016.
>
> My gut feeling on this is: I don't like it. Each release of RHEL has a
> lifetime of 10 years. That means you must "re-certify" 3 more times after
> the initial certification if you want to be certified for the entire
> lifetime of that release. That's 4 tests in all, raging from $400 to $749.
> And, that's for each version of RHEL. Each certification and certificate
> of expertise is good only for a specific version of RHEL.
>
> I don't mind a certification or certificate being linked to a specific
> version of RHEL, but why should I have to re-certify on an version of RHEL
> that's not supposed to change significantly over its lifetime?
>
> Another way to look at it: let's assume in a 10 year period, there are 3
> major releases of RHEL. That means you have to take 9 tests to maintain a
> current certification for all 3 releases over those 10 years. That's
> anywhere from $3,600 to $5,694 (US dollars) for just the exams (also
> assumes the cost of the exams remains the same over those 10 years.) Sure,
> there are arguments along the lines of "investing in your career" and "you
> can write it off on your taxes"  and such. If I'm a business owner who
> pays for the exams for the 20 RHCE's on staff, my costs have just gone up
> considerably.
>
> Is there some other way of looking at this other than "Red Hat milking the
> RHCX's for more money"?
>
> --Jeff
>
> "You cannot unsay a cruel word." - Unknown
>
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