RHCE FAQ

How does the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 affect RHCE and other classes offered by Red Hat?



With the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, Red Hat and its training partners will begin using it for Red Hat training classes and certification exams. This change will take place at different times in different locales. All US RHCE classes given by Red Hat will be conducted on Red Hat Enterprise Linux by December 1, 2003.

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Is the RHCE Lab Exam open book?



No. It is closed book, with no notes or reference materials permitted other than those distributed with the Red Hat OS on which the exam is taken. Most standardized exams, including most IT certification exams, are closed-book.

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I have heard the RHCE Exam described as "performance-based". What is meant by "performance-based" certification or "performance-based" testing?



The RHCE and RHCT exams are performance-based in two very specific and important senses. First, the actual performance of candidates is tested by requiring them to successfully complete installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and maintenance tasks similar to those they must complete on the job as system administrators. Second, we determine their performance on these tasks by whether their systems perform as specified in an objective and verifiable manner.

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Why did Red Hat decide to make RHCE and RHCT performance-based exams?



We designed the RHCE Certificate to be performance-based for one good reason: quality. We want the RHCE certificate to be a meaningful, serious certificate, proof of actual competency, unimpeachably better as a measure of actual skill than other OS certifications. When we introduced RHCT in January, 2003, we had the same goals of quality, and felt that RHCE had demonstrated the value of this approach.
Linux professionals want a certificate they can respect and which they know is challenging to earn. Employers need to feel confident when they hire an RHCE or RHCT that the person has demonstrated the skills and competencies required to administer Red Hat systems for critical roles. Consulting companies, VARs, and resellers with RHCEs and RHCTs on staff are able to make a better business case to their customers, and RHCEs themselves report greater confidence, greater success with their Linux implementations for customers or their employers.

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What's the difference between RHCT and RHCE?



An RHCT has proven technician-level competencies required to install, attach, configure, and manage new Red Hat systems on an existing production network. RHCTs are capable of performing the the core system administration common to all systems, regardless of whether they are workstations, servers, network devices, or some other kind of system. An RHCE has also proven these RHCT competencies, and has demonstrated that he or she can configure networking services and security on servers running a Red Hat OS.
Please see our RHCE program page and the Exam Prep Guide for more specific information on RHCE and RHCT skills.

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If the RHCT competencies are included within the RHCE, can I earn RHCT even if I don't pass RHCE?


Yes this is a possibility. When you take the RHCE Exam you are measured on the competencies for RHCT as part of RHCE. You cannot pass RHCE without passing the competencies for RHCT, since an RHCE must be able do everything an RHCT can do plus a lot more. Certain competencies are compulsory for RHCT, without which a pass is not possible for either RHCT or RHCE. Additional competencies are compulsory for RHCE, without which a pass is not possible for RHCE. Candidates taking the RHCE certification exam who do not demonstrate the competencies for RHCE may earn the RHCT if they demonstrate the RHCT-specific competencies in the RHCE exam.

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What is the structure of the RHCE Exam and what is required to pass the RHCE Exam?


The structure of the RHCE exam has changed with the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3. Under this release, the RHCE exam consists of two sections:
  • Section I: Troubleshooting and System Maintenance (2.5 hours)
  • Section II: Installation and Configuration (3.0 hours)
In order to earn RHCE, candidates must complete all compulsory Troubleshooting and System Maintenance problems, earn a section score of 80 or higher on Section I, and earn a score of 70 or higher on both the RHCT and RHCE items in the Installation and Configuration section.
Under Red Hat Linux 9 and earlier, the RHCE exam has the following structure:
  • Section I: Troubleshooting (2.5 hours)
  • Section II: Multiple Choice (1.0 hour) and
  • Section III: Installation and Configuration (2.5 hours)
In order to earn RHCE under Red Hat Linux 5.2 through 7.3, candidates needed to earn an average score of 80 across all three sections, with no section score lower than 50. For versions 8.0 and 9, candidates must meet the earlier requirements, but must also complete all compsulsory troubleshooting problems, and earn a score of 70 or higher on both the RHCT and RHCE items in the Installation and Configuration section.

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Why did Red Hat drop multiple choice from Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and higher exams?



After nearly five years of delivering RHCE exams, we have concluded that the time spent during the exam asking multiple choice questions would be better spent on performance-based tasks. Analysis of the data we have collected demonstrates that the performance-based sections of the exam were far more effective than the multiple choice section.

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Why has Red Hat not dropped multiple choice from Red Hat Linux 9 exams, which are still being delivered in some locales?



Red Hat pegs certifications to the OS on which they were earned. If we were to drop multiple choice from Red Hat Linux 9 exams, the requirements under which some version 9 certificate holders earned their certificates would be different from the requirements under which others earned theirs.

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Why did the requirements change between 7.3 and 8.0?



The changes made to the requirements beginning with 8.0 were made in preparation for the introduction of RHCT a few months after the release of Red Hat Linux 8.0. The RHCE exam was re-structured to test even more comprehensively across a wider range of skills. In order to ensure that those who earned RHCE had demonstrated the networking services and security skills associated with that certificate, we needed to add the additional requirements. These differentiate RHCTs and RHCEs.

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What are some relevant statistics of the RHCE Certification Lab Exam?


  • Since its inception in January 1999, the RHCE Exam has been delivered to thousands of persons in a consistent and equivalent fashion, in training rooms around the world, by Red Hat and by Red Hat Certified Training Partners.
  • The RHCE Exam has been updated within 3 weeks of retail release for each new version of Red Hat Linux, across 10 versions: 5.2, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.0, 9
  • Since inception the failure rate, calculated and averaged quarter over quarter, has oscillated in a range between 42% and 37%.
  • Of those who do not pass, over 75% score high (85 or higher) on the multi-choice component, proving that one can be very successful at multiple choice questions yet still have trouble actually executing essential systems administration tasks for server setup and/or debug and troubleshooting.


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When do I hear my official results?



The results of the RHCE Exam will be emailed to you within 3 US business days, assuming candidates have provided accurate contact information. Unfortunately, some mail servers mistakenly treat results notifications as spam and filter them. Candidates who do not receive their results within 3 US business days should contact Red Hat at www.redhat.com/training/ certification/comments.html.
Please do not ask or expect your RHCE Examiner to tabulate results and informally notify you on the day of the Exam. They are not allowed to issue informal notifications.

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When do I get my certificate?



For your convenince you will be issued an electronic certificate which will be attached to your notification email.

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Why doesn't Red Hat send a hard copy certificate?



Electronic certificates provide several benefits. First, they can be sent at the same time that results are processed for immediate use by the person receiving the certificate. Second, they allow certificate holders the print multiple copies for use at home and at the office. Third, they make replacement faster and easier. And yes, they are also more cost-effective, which inevitably benefits the customer.
More importantly, neither a paper nor electronic certificate is the most valuable proof of certification Red Hat provides. Verification at www.redhat.com/training/certification/ verify/ is. A paper certificate can be forged by anyone with a computer and a decent graphics program. Having a unique certificate number that is verifiable by the issuer (in this case, Red Hat), is far more authoritative, reliable, and valuable.

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How often can I re-take the RHCE Exam?



You can take or re-take the RHCE Exam as often as you wish. The entire RHCE Exam must be re-taken. Partial credit is not given or carried forward.

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Can I cram for the RHCE Exam?



No. Red Hat does not recommend cramming. The RHCE Exam is very different from most IT certification tests. It is possible to cram for a multiple-choice test. It is not possible to cram for a live system performance-based test, unless the "cramming" means getting real-world experience and flight time.

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How can I do self-paced study for the RHCE Exam? Are there books or self-paced book and CD kits that Red Hat recommends?



Red Hat does not endorse and has not authorized any particular RHCE prep books or self-paced study programs. We do not recommend for or against any of these, as we do not have time to review these or measure their performance, and we will not endorse something without being able to vouch for its performance. Red Hat provides an RHCE Exam Prep Guide for use by persons who want to prepare on their own. This is a very superficial guide and is not offered as a complete or thorough self-paced program. It is only going to be useful by someone who already has a significant level of user and system administration knowledge.

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What does Red Hat recommend to prepare for the RHCE Exam?



Red Hat recommends that persons interesting in preparing for the RHCE and RHCT exams 1) obtain high quality hands-on training such as is available in the Red Hat courses that are designed to cover the skill areas tested by the exams; 2) get hands-on, real-world experience with Linux systems administration; 3) make sure that the listed prerequisite networking skills available are obtained before attempting the exams.
Both the RHCE and RHCT test professional-level system administration skills and such skills cannot be obtained through training alone. High quality hands-on training must be accompanied by real-world experience, preferably on the job. Good training can be a vital part of success, but the rest is up to the individual.
Whatever your method of preparation, use the Exam Prep Guide, not third-party materials or other second-hand information to guide your studies and practice, as it is the authoritative guide to what Red Hat tests in its exams.

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For how long will my RHCE certification be considered current?



While evidence suggests that RHCEs who stay professionally active can evolve their skills in pace with new releases of Red Hat Linux OS technology, it is important for Red Hat to maintain a policy for determining whether an RHCE or RHCT certificate can be considered current. Thus, verification services provided for all RHCEs at Certification Central have always included which version a certificate was earned on, and whether the certificate is considered current or no longer current.
The validity period for all RHCEs and RHCTs is now officially pegged to the release of the Enterprise product commercially available at the time certification was earned, and certification shall be current until after one (1) major release of the Enterprise product. Certificates earned on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 will be current until the release of Red Hat Enterprise 5.
All RHCEs earned on Red Hat Linux 7.3 or prior will be considered current until the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4. All RHCEs and RHCTs earned on Red Hat Linux 8.0 and 9 will remain current until the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. Validity and current status of an RHCE certificate will continue to be verified at Certification Central.

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How are certificates earned under Red Hat Linux affected by the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3?



Because all certificates earned under Red Hat Linux have been pegged to a particular Red Hat Enterprise Linux release, the policy described above remains in effect.

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What are the benefits of getting certified by Red Hat?



Interviews and independent surveys have been conducted on RHCEs and the results substantiate what we have known all along: Performance-based certifications prove competency more meaningfully, and are accorded higher status than other types of certification. The benefits of RHCE for both individuals and their employers and managers are multiple:
  • Confidence and competence: RHCEs report greater confidence in their skills and better success at building and managing Linux servers. The actual quality of their work and their professionalism improve. They are better at performing their jobs for their employers, can take on more challenging assignments, and they receive recognition for this.
  • Career results: RHCEs interviewed also report one or more of the following within 90 days of earning the RHCE certificate: a new job, a raise, a promotion, increased responsibility, assignment to lead or supervisory role, increased recognition and/or prestige among colleagues.
  • Hard dollars: RHCE earn more because of their RHCE, as shown by two recent independent surveys: Computer Reseller News, and Certification Magazine. These surveys are linked at: Salary Surveys


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What benefits of RHCE are provided directly by Red Hat, and for how long?



Verification services for all RHCEs are provided at Certification Central. RHCEs or their employers or customers can type in the 15-digit RHCE number and verify that the person is really certified, as well as the precise version number of the RHCE Exam they passed. This service is provided indefinitely. If an RHCE certificate is no longer current because it is on a version that is outside the valid range, the Verification record will indicate "not current." RHCEs also have exclusive access to RHCE Connection, a special site for RHCEs to receive special offers, discounts and benefits, as well as technical updates and access to resources. Access to RHCE Connection and its services is a value-added benefit provided at Red Hat's sole discretion. At the present time the policy for access to RHCE Connection is that access is granted so long as a person's RHCE certificate is current. Certain other discretionary benefits of RHCE certification, such as partner programs between Red Hat and the company at which you may be employed, may require you to maintain RHCE certification on the most recent major release or otherwise on a more frequent basis than Red Hat GLS stated policy for individuals. This is to insure a high standard of practice by the Red Hat partner company. It is up to you and/or your employer to stay up to date on the eligibility requirements of such programs.

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How do I get re-certified for a new release of Red Hat Linux?



Take and pass the RHCE Certification Lab Exam for that new release.

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When should I consider getting re-certified?



This is largely a matter of your own choice and that of any employer or customer who may have an interest in how current your certificate is. Know your market: if the installed base you service is in a hurry to upgrade to the newest release, or requires features and services in the latest release, then it may be time to re-certify. Regardless of whether you decide to re-certify you can keep your skills current by using and learning each new version of Red Hat Linux. Keep up with the new technologies, services, professional practices, and implementations that are required for using the current releases for today's networking, e-commerce, database, security, thin-client, file systems, and development requirements. This is part of being an IT professional.

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Where can I take the RHCE and RHCT Exams?



Red Hat has training facilities at its Raleigh, North Carolina headquarters and in thirty-five (35) other cities in the US and Canada. IBM Global Services is Red Hat's Certified Training Partner in North America and worldwide, and as such it delivers the entire RHCE Program and both RHCE and RHCT exams in over 25 cities across North America and worldwide.

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Will training provided by other training vendors who are not Red Hat Certified Training Partners be useful preparation for RHCE?



Unless the training is being provided by Red Hat, Inc., or a Red Hat Certified Training Partner, authorized by Red Hat, Inc., Red Hat, Inc., does not endorse it or vouch for it. Only by taking the courses in the RHCE Program offered by Red Hat, Inc. and Red Hat Certified Training Partners do you have a guarantee that the content, instruction, and design of the courses and curriculum will be up-to-date, professional, and geared for the RHCE program.

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How does the standard track of skills courses (RH033, RH133, RH253) relate to the RH300 Rapid Track RHCE course?



The RH300 course is a rapid track training and certification course for Linux- and UNIX-experienced persons who quickly need to translate their UNIX knowledge into Red Hat Linux knowledge and skills. The participant is assumed to have already done most of these types of tasks in a UNIX or Linux environment, and to be already familiar with the concepts and knowledge base in a UNIX or Linux environment.

In contrast the suite of 4-day courses provide a smoother path for building skills for the newbie at each level. More time is spent on each topic, there are more rehearsals at a more basic level of skills, and the participant is assumed to be doing most of the tasks for the first time.

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Will there be other certifications created by Red Hat?



Not at this time. RHCE is a top-tier performance-based certification for the most common mission critical system administration roles on Linux. If the market need for other levels or types of certification becomes clear, Red Hat will of course consider ways to address these with a high quality program.

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