LPIC2

LPIC-2 is the second level of the Linux Professional Institute Certification (LPIC) program. It validates advanced Linux administration skills and is intended for professionals who manage Linux systems within small to large networks, including mixed environments with different distributions. LPIC-2 complements LPIC-1 by focusing on more complex tasks, ongoing maintenance, and service provisioning across multiple systems.

The certification is delivered through two separate exams, numbered 201 and 202. Candidates typically progress to LPIC-2 after achieving LPIC-1 or demonstrating comparable experience. Each exam tests practical, scenario-based knowledge across a range of distributions and environments, emphasizing hands-on problem solving and system optimization.

Topics commonly covered in LPIC-2 include advanced system administration (kernel and boot process, modules, startup and service management, and storage administration such as partitions, LVM, and RAID), filesystem maintenance, and virtualization basics. Networking is addressed in depth, including configuring and securing network services, IPv4 and IPv6, routing, DNS, DHCP, and firewalling. Security topics cover access control, authentication, SSH hardening, sudo usage, and general hardening practices. The exams also touch on troubleshooting, performance tuning, backup and recovery, and high-availability concepts relevant to Linux environments.

LPIC-2 is a prerequisite for LPIC-3, the senior level in the program. Certification validity is typically five years, after which recertification through subsequent exams or LPIC credentials is encouraged to maintain current status. The LPIC program is vendor-neutral and widely recognized by employers as a standard for Linux expertise.