Learning OpenShift in 2023

Where to start your OpenShift journey and what are your options for certification in OpenShift Administration now EX180 is retired?

Learn OpenShift and prepare for OpenShift Administration Certification

Starting January 1st 2023, Red Hat has retired exam 180 ‘Red Hat Certified Specialist in Containers and Kubernetes’. I’ve been asked numerous times since: “How should I prepare to get certified in OpenShift Administration nowadays?” This article explains how my resources will help you in your OpenShift Administration certification journey.

Learn Containerization in Cloud Computing first

Before you even consider working with OpenShift or pursue the OpenShift Administration certification, you should have fundamental knowledge of working with containers. My video course Getting Started with Containers covers the essentials of containers. In 6 hours you’ll learn the basics and key topics of what containers are and goes in depth of what working with containers entail. Each lesson provides detailed training followed by a hands-on lab, so you can practice your skills and extend your containers knowledge.

Alternatively you can join my live class Containers in 4 Hours. In this course, you’ll get an introduction to working with containers, with a focus on the entire datacenter landscape that is required for managing containers.

Now if a certificate is important for you to proof your containerization skills, you can go for the new exam 188 ‘Red Hat Certified Specialist in Containers’. If you are more interested in taking the next step and start managing container deployment in your containerized DevOps environment using OpenShift, then continue with mastering OpenShift fundamentals.

Containerization Certification EX188

EX188 is about basic container skills such as running containers, building containers using Docker file or Container file, attaching containers to networks and storage and troubleshooting containers.

The best way to prepare yourself for this exam is by joining my live class Containers in 4 Hours. Even if it’s just 4 hours, it does cover most of the topics you need to know on the new Red Hat exam 188.

If the class in not scheduled soon, you could alternatively use the video course Getting Started with Containers. The course is not designed with EX188 in mind, but it definitely covers all topics.

Hopefully in June 2023 I will be able to add a live course that focuses on EX188 to the O’Reilly schedule. Sign up to my newsletter to stay informed.

Continue with mastering OpenShift Fundamentals

Once you are familiar with containerization, the next step would be working on your OpenShift fundamental skill set. You’ll need to understand the basics before diving into OpenShift Administration (certification).

To do so, you could use my video course Red Hat OpenShift Fundamentals LiveLessons. In 3 hours you will be introduced to working with containers in an OpenShift environment. The course covers all core aspects of working with containers in OpenShift.

And if attending a live class has your preference, check the O’Reilly live events calendar for the live class Getting Started with OpenShift. In 4 hours you will learn the OpenShift basics, see how to use OpenShift using real-world demos and learn DevOps best practices for managing containers on Kubernetes.

Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration exam (EX280)

Now with OpenShift fundamentals under your belt, you are ready to up-level your basic OpenShift skills to OpenShift administration expertise. Or even certification. EX280 tests your knowledge, skills, and ability to create, configure, and manage a cloud application platform using Red Hat® OpenShift® Container Platform.

The best way to prepare for this OpenShift certification exam is to attend a live course, so you are ensured to learn the required skills according to the latest exam objectives. The 2-day Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration (EX280) Crash Course will prepare you for taking the EX280 successfully.

Please don’t join the EX280 live class if you don’t know anything about OpenShift. It’s really an advanced class that is hard – if not impossible – to follow if you don’t know anything about OpenShift yet.

So make sure you have completed one of the courses that are suggested under ‘Continue with Mastering OpenShift Fundamentals’.

Alternatively you could also use the video course Red Hat OpenShift Administration Video Course: Red Hat EX280. But remember, the course content of the live class is always the most up-to-date.

OpenShift tutorial ‘Managing OpenShift Clusters’

To get an impression of my teaching style and to learn a few things about OpenShift, watch the free video lesson Managing OpenShift Clusters on YouTube. The OpenShift training covers managing clusters, common workloads and operators, all with Web console. You will also learn how to monitor cluster events and alerts. The lesson finishes with a lab to test your newly acquired skills.