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Exam Information
Official specifications published by LPI
Exam Format
90 min
60
500
Professional
Registration
$200 USD
Pearson VUE or online proctoring
Validity
5 years
Retake the current version of the exam; Pass a higher-level LPI certification exam; Earn continuing education credits (not currently available)
201-450 Exam Topics and Domains
201-450 is organized into 7 weighted domains. Expect to work with device mapper, network stack, udev, /boot/, and more.
1
Capacity Planning
13.1%
Measure and Troubleshoot Resource Usage
CPU Usage MeasurementMemory Usage AnalysisDisk I/O MonitoringNetwork I/O Analysis
- Measure CPU usage
- Measure memory usage
- Measure disk I/O
- Measure network I/O
- Measure firewalling and routing throughput
- Map client bandwidth usage
- Match/correlate system symptoms with likely problems
- Estimate throughput and identify bottlenecks
Predict Future Resource Needs
Resource Trending
- Use monitoring and measurement tools to monitor IT infrastructure usage
- Predict capacity break point of a configuration
- Observe growth rate of capacity usage
- Graph the trend of capacity usage
2
Linux Kernel
14.8%
Kernel Components
Kernel Types and ImagesKernel Module Management
- Utilize kernel components necessary for specific hardware
- Implement different types of kernel images
- Identify stable and development kernels and patches
- Use kernel modules effectively
Compiling a Linux Kernel
Kernel ConfigurationKernel Compilation
- Configure kernel to include or disable specific features
- Compile and recompile the Linux kernel
- Update and note changes in a new kernel
- Create initrd images
- Install new kernels
Kernel Runtime Management and Troubleshooting
Runtime Kernel ManagementDevice Management with udev
- Manage and query 2.6.x, 3.x, 4.x kernels and loadable modules
- Identify and correct common boot and runtime issues
- Understand device detection and management using udev
- Troubleshoot udev rules
3
System Startup
14.8%
Customizing System Startup
System InitializationBoot Process Configuration
- Query and modify system startup behavior
- Configure SysV init and systemd
- Manage service startup and shutdown
System Recovery
Boot TroubleshootingFilesystem Recovery
- Manipulate Linux system during boot and recovery
- Use init utility and init-related kernel options
- Perform filesystem recovery operations
Alternate Bootloaders
Bootloader Configuration
- Install and configure alternate bootloaders
- Understand UEFI and Secure Boot
- Work with GRUB 2 and Legacy GRUB
4
Filesystem and Devices
14.8%
Operating the Linux Filesystem
Filesystem ConfigurationAdvanced Filesystem Features
- Configure and mount filesystems
- Maintain filesystem integrity
- Understand advanced filesystem features
Maintaining a Linux Filesystem
Filesystem MaintenanceMonitoring and Optimization
- Monitor and maintain Linux filesystems
- Perform filesystem tuning and optimization
- Use SMART tools for disk monitoring
Creating and Configuring Filesystem Options
Advanced Filesystems
- Create various filesystem types
- Configure filesystem-specific options
- Understand filesystem capabilities and limitations
5
Advanced Storage Device Administration
13.1%
Configuring RAID
Software RAIDRAID Maintenance
- Configure software RAID
- Understand RAID levels and their uses
- Maintain and troubleshoot RAID arrays
Adjusting Storage Device Access
Storage Device OptimizationiSCSI and SAN
- Configure kernel options for various drives
- Use tools to manipulate and analyze system resources
- Understand SAN and relevant protocols
Logical Volume Manager
LVM ConfigurationLVM Management
- Create and manage LVM structures
- Resize, rename, and remove logical volumes
- Create and maintain snapshots
- Activate volume groups
6
Networking Configuration
18%
Basic Networking Configuration
Network Interface ConfigurationWireless Networking
- Configure network interfaces
- Configure basic wireless networking
- Manage routing tables
Advanced Network Configuration
Advanced Networking FeaturesTraffic Control
- Configure multi-homed network interfaces
- Configure network bridging and bonding
- Implement traffic control and QoS
Troubleshooting Network Issues
Network DiagnosticsPerformance Analysis
- Identify and fix network configuration issues
- Use network troubleshooting tools
- Analyze network performance problems
7
System Maintenance
9.8%
Make and Install Programs from Source
Source Code Compilation
- Build and install executable programs from source
- Unpack source code archives
- Apply patches to source code
Backup Operations
Backup StrategiesAdvanced Backup Solutions
- Perform backup operations
- Create backup policies
- Verify backup integrity
- Perform partial and manual backups
Notify Users on System-Related Issues
User Notification
- Notify users about system maintenance
- Configure login messages
- Send system-wide notifications
How do I earn this certification?
Passing 201-450 earns the LPIC-2 Certified Linux Engineer certification. It sits in the Linux Professional track.
Current Level Exams
Next Level Options
- 300-300 - LPIC-3 Mixed EnvironmentsSamba, OpenLDAP, Active Directory integration
- 303-300 - LPIC-3 SecurityCryptography, access control, application security
- 305-300 - LPIC-3 Virtualization and High AvailabilityVirtualization, containers, clusters
- 306-300 - LPIC-3 High Availability and Storage ClustersHA clusters, storage replication, distributed filesystems
Alternative Paths
- 010-160 - Linux EssentialsFoundation certification for beginners
- 702-100 - BSD SpecialistUnix/BSD administration skills
- 701-100 - DevOps Tools EngineerContainer and cloud technologies
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
Use the official PlanetCert Practice Test alongside the study plan below to prepare efficiently for 201-450.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2017-02-13
- Announcement date: 2017-01-15
Updates
- Linux Kernel 6.10 LTS Core kernel concepts remain the same, new features are supplementary • Release date: 2024-07-14
- Systemd 254 Enhanced features but core concepts unchanged • Release date: 2024-07-01
- LVM2 2.03.23 New features for thin provisioning and caching • Release date: 2024-06-01
- NetworkManager 1.44 Alternative to traditional networking, good to know • Release date: 2024-05-01
Who should take this exam?
This exam is typically taken by Linux System Administrators and Linux Engineers.
Certification: LPIC-1; Status: Must be active; Note: Can take LPIC-2 exams before LPIC-1 but won't receive certification until LPIC-1 is active
- 3-5 years of Linux system administration experience
- Experience with enterprise Linux environments
- Networking fundamentals
- Shell scripting knowledge