Nami Writes - Nami's Blog

Getting Certified as a Linux System Administrator

I'm now certified as a Linux System Administrator (Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator; LFCS). This certificate means that I can administer Linux systems 🐧.

I've been studying for it for 5 months. It was a long way!

Overall, it was worth my effort. Along the way, I deepened my passion for open source, especially because of its potential to create a more humane, equitable, and kinder world.

Why I took this Exam #

Professional reason: Stewarding data better #

Open source is important. As a Data Steward, I prefer recommending open-source tooling because of its transparency. When using open-source tools, the source code tells exactly how the data is treated. On the other hand, closed-source software demands trust. For example, when storing files on OneDrive, we need to trust Microsoft to treat it well. If it's open-source, we can look at the code and examine whether we can trust it.

Personal reason: Managing my data better #

I used to store my own data in cloud services, such as iCloud and Google Drive. Over the years, I've decided that this is not the right thing for me because I'm giving up ownership of my data. It's also not right for the world, because giving data to a Big Tech means letting them gain power. Some may say, "I don't have anything to hide." But it's not about that. Data is power, and we should not let big tech or anyone hoard power (no kings!).

So, I've set up a Linux home server to store data about my personal life. I use PhotoPrism to manage my photos and NextCloud to manage documents. (I'm writing this blog post using Vimwiki saved on NextCloud). In addition, I store music, movies, and TV shows on my home server so that no streaming services will track my viewing history.

Managing a home server is a lot of work. But I like it as a hobby.

Learning about Linux can be defending ourselves from Big Tech, dictators, and oligarchy. Penguins are strong.

How I studied for the exam #

First attempt #

First I followed the Linux Foundation's courses:

  1. Linux for Cloud Technicians Essentials (LFS203)
  2. Linux System Administration Essentials (LFS207)

I found these courses very dry and involved a lot of reading. The lab exercises were in PDF document, which is ok. But I'd have preferred to do them in a Linux shell. After all, the exam is performance-based.

I did my first exam after finishing these courses. But it was not a success. I scored 65%, just 2% short of the passing score of 67%.

Second attempt #

To prepare for the retake, I took Udemy's course Linux Foundation Certified Systems Administrator, LFCS, using a free trial. The course came with Kodekloud labs and 4 practice exams that I can use to test my skills on the browser. I liked it since I could get immediate feedback there.

I studied for 2 weeks more, and I passed the exam!

Reflections #

Childhood dreams #

After passing the exam, I remembered the time when I was 13 years old. I liked computers, and I bought a book for the "System Administrator" exam in Japan. But I remember I found the topics boring, and I ended up not taking the exam.

I got curious—why did I enjoy studying for a System Administrator exam now?

I found the previous exam questions, and I think I understand why. The exam was a multiple-choice on general knowledge about IT, but not much about Linux, the penguins.

I guess I unknowingly realized my childhood dream. I did not know about open-source software or open science. Most importantly, I did not realize the inequality that exists in the world. Being more competent in open tools is now directly tied to my life work towards creating a more kind world. So that way, I also realize my current dream. By loving penguins.

Legacy of open source #

Learning about Linux, I immersed myself in the world of open-source software. It's mind-blowing that countless people have spent their time to contribute code that support most of the IT infrastructure in the world.

Sometimes, I read the manual pages (man page). There you can see the authors. I got curious and looked up some of them. For some tools, I found that the original authors have already passed away. But their code lives on—powering the Linux machines around the world.

What's next? #

The certification exam was part of the Cloud Engineer Course that I'm following (as part of my professional development at my work). The next step is a certification for Kubernetes Administrator. I may want to create a Kubernetes cluster at home, maybe using multiple Raspberry Pi's. Stay tuned!