openSUSE Training and Certification

[Thoar]

Hello everyone!

There is a concept I would like to bring out to the community. Since openSUSE is used worldwide, several (Linux) institutions and/or people are conducting trainings to get Linux certifications. But since every training is different – because it is arranged by institutions and/or persons – it creates diversification of the training itself. Of course the same topics come eventually back again, but still there is a diversification in the trainings, certification and the acknowledgments.

Therefore, the concept is as followed:

Concept/Idea

Standards
In order to avoid diversification in learning (openSUSE) Linux, the openSUSE Community might come together to make/compose openSUSE training (international) standards. When an openSUSE training is conducted by anyone, it should correspond with the standards made by the openSUSE Community. Of course, the instructor is not forced to correspond the training to these standards. But if he or she composes the training and it corresponds to the standards set up by the openSUSE Community, the course or training is acknowledged by the openSUSE Community.

Certifications
About the certifications. When the course or training corresponds to the standards, the certifications given by the instructor might be developed by the openSUSE Marketing Team, in agreement with the openSUSE Community. These certifications only shows that it is acknowledged by the openSUSE Community. It would be even better if Novell acknowledges it too..
When someone (instructor) wants to conduct a training, and it conforms with the openSUSE standards, the instructor can say it is acknowledge by the openSUSE Community.

Novell(?)
The secondary idea behind it, is to make the standards for courses an introduction to the official Novell Certification Trainings/Programs. It would be even better of these trainings would be based upon the the official certifications, in order to give a head start.

Support
In order to maintain these standards, a new mailist, channel at IRC, etc. should be created. If one have questions.

Goal(s) and reason(s)

• More unity in openSUSE. By making standards, it creates an unified way, in which anyone can move.
• Acknowledgment by and towards the openSUSE Community. Training or courses about openSUSE should be recognized by the community.
• Maintaining high quality. In order to promote openSUSE as a matured Linux operating system, this should be preserved by maintaining its high quality. Quality is more important than it is for free. (although its freedom makes its own quality)
• Introduction of the official Novell Certification Trainings/Programs. Meaning, if you want to get thorough knowledge about SUSE Linux and other Novell products, one should consider the official Certification Programs
• See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Training

Implementation

First of all, approving the concept/idea. The openSUSE Community should agree or not whether this concept/idea is good or not. Who is able to approve the idea? How would this approved? Should it be officially approved, or what?

Secondly, a team should be set up (Training Team?) in order to run the project. Once if the community does agrees, this project should be launched after a team is being set up. Who do we need? What kind of people do we need? Who is responsible for what? Is it an open team (anyone can join) or a team already set up?

Thirdly, launching and running the project. The team should first create goals/targets where they should be going. Then creating what the team should do an how they should do it. What is our purpose? Where are we heading at? How do make these standards? What should it cover? Based on what? Do we make versions of it? Do we segment it? To who does the standards apply to? Who conducts courses or trainings? How do they do it? How do they apply it? Does it applies to the standards? How do we maintain the standards? How about the time line? Will it get along with the support time (two years) of openSUSE?

It should be also noticed, if the community agree with the project, the Marketing Team should be able to create certifications, approved by the community.

Other ideas?

Inputs on this idea, would be great and appreciated. Please give your opinion and/or recommendation for it.

> OTHER IDEAS?
>
> Inputs on this idea, would be great and appreciated. Please give your
> opinion and/or recommendation for it.

my professional opinion:

1. openSUSE moves far too quickly to establish a stable training program..

2. anyone who wants openSUSE Certification should instead get the cert
from Novell..

--
brassy

[srschifano]

I second brassy. Formalized certifications require the content stay relevant for a decent period of time (2-3 years), else there would be little value in getting them.

Take the previous two releases of openSUSE as an example. Why would I want to certify on openSUSE 11.0 when 11.1 comes out in 6 months. I wouldn't have to necessarily re-learn everything (just learn use of the new features and such), but my certification would already be outdated and would require recertification.

If the certification program itself certified on general usage (that is, usage of things that don't change drastically from release to release) then this wouldn't be much of a problem. Problem here is, what is classified as a "drastic" change or not? A set of topics would have to be determined that don't change frequently between releases. But at the same time, a new release often has sweeping changes to many components, so the criteria would be hard to determine. Further, the Novell certification already in place covers all anyone would need to know to be certified in SUSE in products. Therefore, an openSUSE certification, in my opinion, sounds redundant.

The very reason why I personally refuse to buy any printed documentation on openSUSE is because of how quickly it changes.

[tuxituk]

Agreed, if SuSE formal certs are required then the CLP and CLE routes available from Novell are the way to go.

Other than that I find the LPI certifications useful too. Also sponsored in some part by Novell, RedHat, Ubuntu etc.

(I can also give training for LPI certifications )

cheers
J