Linux+ Study Guide: Exam XKO 001 (With CD-ROM) [Hardcover]

Roderick W. Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2001

Linux+ is a certification developed by the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) in response to demands for a skills assessment mechanism for Linux system administrators. This text is aimed at individuals preparing for the Linux+ exam. The accompanying CD provides an advanced testing engine with review questions and two bonus sample exams. It also includes electronic flashcards for PCs and Palm devices. The CD includes all of the standard "Study Guide" content, pre-assessment exams and a searchable electronic version of the book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Linux is here to stay, and the Linux+ certification from CompTIA is the perfect way to validate the fundamental Linux skills that will be in demand in the years ahead. Sybex is especially excited about this Linux+ Study Guide, as it received a rating of 5 out of 5 in the CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CAQC) review process conducted by Procert Labs. The author, Rod Smith, does a fantastic job of covering all the Linux+ objectives in an easy-to-read manner that's conducive to learning and retention. Once you've finished reading this book and reviewing with the hundreds of review and bonus exam questions included on the CD, you'll be ready to approach the Linux+ exam with confidence.

Neil Edde Associate Publisher, Certification Sybex, Inc.

About the Author

Rod Smith is a Linux networking expert and the author of several books, including Linux Samba Server Administration, also from Sybex.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 768 pages
• Publisher: Sybex Inc (September 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782129390
• ISBN-13: 978-0782129397
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Computers & Technology > Certification > Linux

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best available, December 22, 2003

By 

Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Linux+ Study Guide: Exam XKO 001 (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

I've been a fan of certification books from Sybex for some time and this one is up to the usual standards of quality and content. One of the things that I like best about their books is that they are one of the few publishers who provide both the information needed to pass the exam and the information needed to actually work in the real world. Generally my experience has been that there are good books that provide practical knowledge and good books that provide the information to pass the certification exams. But there are very few that provide the information to do both.

All the common networking and administrative tasks are covered in detail including installation methods and problems, security, file services, and troubleshooting. The author does an excellent job of walking the reader through all the various processes step by step and explaining each item in detail including little quirks to be careful of. In addition each chapter ends with a chapter summary, as section on exam essentials that summarize exam critical items, a summary of commands covered in the chapter, a key terms list, and review questions and answers. The book even includes a CD with a test engine, two exam preparation exams, and flashcards. I've taught Linux at the college level both for certification and for practical application purposes and this is one of the best books available for the new or only minimally experienced Linux user who is seeking to pass the certification exam.

Although I do consider this one of the best certification exam books on the market I do have a few items that I did not like. First, the graphical installation instructions in the book are for the Mandrake distribution of Linux. This is not a problem for exam preparation and since that is the purpose of the book it is really not a problem. However, in the real world, at least here in Florida, RedHat is a much more common distribution and I would have preferred to see the screen shots reflect a RedHat distribution than Mandrake. The graphical installation method is the only place where this makes any difference of consequence and even the novice can figure it out with a little patience and thought. The second item is that the index is rather skimpy given the amount of material in the book and all the items covered. All the major items are in the index but many of the important minor items are not. For example, if you wanted to know what ipchains is about or iptables then you would not find them in the index at all. For purposes of the certification exam the main thing you need to know about them is that they are related to setting up a firewall. Well, there is an entry in the index for firewall but not for ipchains or iptables. If you knew to look up firewalls to know about ipchains then you would have gotten the question right and would not need the entry in the index. If you missed it and wanted to know what they are you are out of luck. Finally, it does not cover hardware well enough to pass the exam. While this is a shortcoming of this book, I have not found any other Linux+ study guides that do any better of a job, this is a problem with all of them.

Even with the small index shortcoming, the "Linux+ Study Guide" is still one of the best sources for learning what you need to know to pass the certification exam. Since all the guides are too shallow on hardware, the only factor that keeps this one from being the best of the best in this category is the skimpy index.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Linux+ Study Guide, March 29, 2002

By 

"randythemoosetoed" (Baton Rouge, LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux+ Study Guide: Exam XKO 001 (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

I took the Linux+ test recently and passed it with ease using only Roderick Smith's Study Guide to pass the test. I have been using Linux for nearly two years now, and I used "Special Edition Using Caldera OpenLinux" and "Running Linux" to teach myself the Linux operating system. Although they gave me an excellent grounding in basic Linux, I still wasn't comfortable sitting for the test since my knowledge was rather sporadic and haphazard, like that of many self-taught users, so I tried this book out to round out my knowledge and get some idea of where the exam topics were focused. And this book was right on the money. Every topic that I saw on the exam was fully covered in this book. System logging, basic administration, command line syntax, UNIX utilities . . . everything. The only weak point of the book is the hardware section, and that is not so much a weakness of the book as it is a weakness of the test. About 1/4 of the test is hardware-related topics, many of which have nothing directly related to Linux. I already had my A+, so this was not an issue for me, but for some people it may be. I STRONGLY suggest that you do not take this exam unless you have your A+ or CST or the equivalent level of knowledge. The hardware topics were diverse enough that any book on Linux would have trouble filling in all of the extra details that you need to know to get past the hardware section of the exam. So, do the A+ first, then soon after, use this book to ace your test. And most of all, USE Linux instead of just reading about it. There is no reason for a "paper cert" with regards to this exam. Install and configure it yourself, spend some time hacking and then get certified.

Thanks, Rod!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Linux+ book if you've Hardware experience..., August 8, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Linux+ Study Guide: Exam XKO 001 (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

A few months ago, i've taken the Linux+ exam. I've passed the Exam just reading this book and some Troytech exam crams. But wait! don't go out running to buy this book, I'm a CompTIA A+ too. So, i've experience with Hardware details. The exam is 60% Linux and 40% Hardware. Just take this book and an A+ book and you'll be ready!
Good Luck!