Solaris 9 Network Administrators in the Real World


In the next section, I describe an ideal Solaris 9 Network Administrator candidate, knowing full well that only a few actual candidates meet this ideal. In fact, my description of that ideal candidate might seem downright scary. But take heart because although the requirements to obtain a Solaris 9 Network Administrator certification may seem pretty formidable, they are by no means impossible to meet. However, you should be keenly aware that it does take time, requires some expense, and consumes a substantial effort.

You can get all the real-world motivation you need from knowing that many others have gone before you. You can follow in their footsteps. If you're willing to tackle the process seriously and do what it takes to obtain the necessary experience and knowledge, you can take ”and pass ”the certification test. In fact, the Exam Crams and the companion Exam Preps are designed to make it as easy as possible for you to prepare for this exam.

The same, of course, is true for other Solaris certifications, including

  • Solaris 9 System Administrator, which concentrates on the system administration aspects and consists of two exams: Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment Part I (CX-310-014) and Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment Part II (CX-310-015) .

  • Solaris 8 System Administrator, which is similar to the Solaris 9 exams, but concentrates on the previous version of Solaris. This, again, consists of two exams: Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 8 Operating Environment Part I (CX-310-011) and Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 8 Operating Environment Part II (CX-310-012) .

  • Solaris 8 Network Administrator, which concentrates on the networking aspects of the Solaris 8 Operating Environment and, like the Solaris 9 certification, consists of a single exam: Sun Certified Network Administrator for the Solaris 8 Operating Environment (CX-310-043) .

The Ideal Solaris 9 Network Administrator Candidate

Just to give you some idea of what an ideal Solaris 9 Network Administrator candidate is like, here are some relevant statistics about the background and experience such an individual might have. Don't worry if you don't meet these qualifications (or, indeed, if you don't even come close), because this world is far from ideal, and where you fall short is simply where you'll have more work to do. The ideal candidate will have

  • Sun Certified System Administrator status at one of the release levels (2.5, 2.6, 7, 8, or 9). This is a prerequisite for being able to take the Solaris 9 Network Administrator exam.

  • Academic or professional training in Unix Operating Systems and more specifically the AT&T System V Release 4 (SVR4) Unix Operating System, on which Solaris is based.

  • Three or more years of professional system administration experience with a thorough understanding of Solaris installation and configuration, as well as system administration duties .

  • Three or more years of professional experience working in a networked environment, preferably in a Solaris environment, including troubleshooting various network problems and using the Solaris-provided network utilities, such as ifconfig , snoop , and netstat .

I believe that well under half of all certification candidates meet these requirements; most probably meet less than half. (At least when they begin the certification process candidates generally don't meet these ideal standards.) It's worth reminding you that to take the Solaris 9 Network Administrator Exam you must be a Sun Certified System Administrator ”if you're not, you will not be allowed to take the exam. But, because all those who already have their network administrator certification have survived this ordeal, you can survive it, too ” especially if you heed what this self-assessment can tell you about what you already know and what you need to learn.

Put Yourself to the Test

The following series of questions and observations is designed to help you determine how much work you'll face in pursuing Solaris certification and what kinds of resources you may consult on your quest. Be absolutely honest in your answers, or you'll end up wasting money on exams you're not ready to take. There are no right or wrong answers, only steps along the path to certification. Only you can decide where you really belong in the broad spectrum of aspiring candidates.

Two things should be clear from the outset, however:

  • Even a modest background in computer science will be helpful.

  • Hands-on experience with the Solaris Operating System and technologies is an essential ingredient to certification success.

Educational Background
  1. Are you a Sun Certified System Administrator? [Yes or No]

    If yes, proceed to question 3; if no, proceed to question 2.

  2. Do you intend to become a certified System Administrator? [Yes or No]

    If yes, you will have to study for exams Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment Part I (CX-310-014) and Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment Part II (CX-310-015) . There is an Exam Cram 2 book available for these exams and I strongly recommend using it to gain this certification. If you are not a certified System Administrator, then you will not be able to take the Solaris 9 Network Administrator exam because it is a prerequisite that the candidate already be a Sun Certified System Administrator.

  3. Have you taken any Solaris networking classes? [Yes or No]

    If yes, then you will already have a good understanding of the underlying technologies and concepts. This book will enhance your knowledge by providing updates for the Solaris 9 Network Administrator exam. If you have not taken a course, then you should consider additional reading in this area ”a number of books are available, including Sun documentation at http://docs.sun.com. See the "Need to Know More?" section at the end of each chapter for further reading recommendations.

  4. Have you read material on Unix networking? [Yes or No]

    If your answer is yes, then studying with this book should be enough formal study to enable you to take ”and pass ”the Solaris 9 Network Administrator exam. If your answer is no, then follow closely the recommended reading section at the end of each chapter to broaden your knowledge. Increasing your background knowledge will be of great help in preparing you for this exam.

Hands-on Experience

Practical experience is one of the most important factors in achieving success on the Solaris exam. If I leave you with only one realization after taking this self-assessment, it should be that there is no substitute for time spent practicing and using the networking facilities and commands in Solaris that you'll be tested on repeatedly and in depth.

  1. Have you installed and configured Solaris 9 networking facilities and advanced functionality, such as DHCP, DNS, and IPv6? [Yes or No]

    If your answer is yes, then make sure that you understand the basic networking concepts covered in Exam 310-044.

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    You can download objectives, practice questions, and other information about Sun exams from Sun's certification Web site pages at http://training.sun.com/US/certification/solaris/ netadmin .html.


    If your answer is no, then you should obtain a copy of Solaris 9 and practice using the networking facilities, learning how they work and how they are configured and used.

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You can download the Solaris 9 Operating System (SPARC edition), free of charge, from www.sun.com. The Intel (x86) version can be downloaded at a cost of $20.00.


Before you even think about taking a Solaris exam, make sure you've spent enough time with Solaris 9 to understand how the networking functions work and are configured. Also, study how to troubleshoot the software when things go wrong. This will help you in the exam ”as well as in real life.

Testing Your Exam Readiness

Whether you attend a formal class on a specific topic to get ready for an exam or use written materials to study on your own, some preparation for the Solaris certification exam is essential. At $150.00 U.S. ( & pound ;100 U.K.) a try, pass or fail, you want to do everything you can to pass on your first attempt. That's where studying comes in.

I have included in this book several practice exam questions for each chapter, as well as two sample tests, so if you don't score well on the chapter questions, you can study more and then tackle the sample tests at the end of the book. The score needed to pass the exam is 70%. But if you don't earn a score of at least 75% on the sample tests included in this book in Chapters 14 and 16, I recommend that you investigate other practice test resources available via the Web ”locate these using your favorite search engine.

For a given subject, consider taking a class if you've tackled self-study materials, taken the test, and failed anyway. If you can afford the privilege, the opportunity to interact with an instructor and fellow students can make all the difference in the world. For information about Sun classes, visit the Sun Training Web site at http://training.sun.com/US/catalog/courses.

If you can't afford to take a class, visit the Sun Training Web site anyway, because it includes free sample questions. Even if you can't afford to spend money, you should still invest in some low-cost practice exams from commercial vendors , because they can help you assess your readiness to pass a test better than any other tool. Check with www.unixcert.net for other available resources.

  1. Have you taken a practice exam on your chosen test subject? [Yes or No]

    If you answered yes ”and you scored 75% or better ”you are probably ready to tackle the real thing. If your score isn't above this crucial threshold, keep at it until you break that barrier . If you answered no, obtain all the free and low-budget practice tests you can find (or afford) and get to work. Keep at it until you can comfortably break the passing threshold.

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When it comes to assessing your test readiness, there is no better way than to take a good-quality practice exam and pass with a score of 75% or better. When preparing myself , I always aim higher (80%), to allow for some extra contingency.




Solaris 9 Network Administration Exam Cram 2 (Exam Cram CX-310-044)
Solaris 9 Network Administrator Exam Cram 2 (Exam CX-310-044)
ISBN: 0789728702
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 174
Authors: John Philcox

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