Pass XK0-004 Certification Exam Fast

XK0-004 Exam Has Been Retired

This exam has been replaced by CompTIA with new exam.

CompTIA XK0-004 Exam Details

Thinking of building a career using the CompTIA Linux+ certification? First, you have to ace its related XK0-004 exam.

CompTIA XK0-004 Exam: Which Certification Level Is It Associated with?

The CompTIA XK0-004 is a popular exam associated with the Linux+ certification path. Now, the Linux+ is an intermediate-level certificate that validates early career administrators tasked with supporting or managing Linux systems. The current Linux+ curriculum is a unique path in the sense it is the only job-oriented Linux certificate that addresses the latest fundamental skills required by recruiters. 

Who Is It Meant for?

The CompTIA XK0-004 exam should be attempted by early-career administrators whose role involves supporting Linux systems. Ideally, any IT pro who will be using Linux to manage everything on a day to day basis under the cybersecurity, cloud, web, and mobile administration applications can benefit from this certification. If you already understand basic hardware, operating systems, and software concepts and wish to upgrade your knowledge through Linux training, this is the most suitable path then.

What Does XK0-004 Entail?

Passing the CompTIA XK0-004 test grants you the aforementioned CompTIA Linux+ certification, which will help you start a career as a Linux system administrator. It is among the most sought-after certificates currently offered by the vendor that validates your skills in monitoring, supporting, and configuring servers running on Linux OS. The CompTIA XK0-004 exam has a few prerequisites that you have to fulfill to be eligible for this certification. This includes the A+ or the Network+ certification and at least 9-12 months of experience administrating Linux. Also, this certification test covers a variety of topics like Systems Operation as well as Maintenance and Linux Diagnostics & Troubleshooting. In addition, you will need to possess a solid knowledge of System and Hardware Configuration, Automation alongside Scripting, and finally, Security. All in all, XK0-004 is 90 minutes long and consists of up to 90 questions. Answering so many questions in such a short time is not an easy task, so you will need to become an effective time manager. The questions can be of various types, such as fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice, multiple-response, or performance-based. The passing score is 720 points, which should be your target when taking this test. As of now, the exam is available in the English language. A few other languages that include Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese are coming soon. You should also know that XK0-004 test costs $329 and you need to apply for it on the Pearson VUE platform.

What to Know about XK0-004 Exam Objectives?

Here’s a summary of what every domain of test XK0-004 entails:

Hardware and System Configuration

Under hardware and system configuration, learners will be required to explain the concepts of the boot process. Besides, they should be familiar with the installation, configuration, and monitoring of kernel modules, the configuration and verification of the parameters of network connection, and management of storage within a Linux environment. An in-depth understanding of localization options as well as cloud and virtualization technologies is also vital for success in this topic. Among the tested concepts, you will find the partition, line tools, bootstrapping, and hypervisors.

Systems Operation and Maintenance

Here, students should be well conversant with the following concepts:

• Conducting software installations, updates, removals, and configurations;
• Managing users and groups including query users, disk quotas, and profiles.
• Creating, modifying, and redirecting files;
• Managing services like Systemd & InitV;
• Summarizing and explaining server roles like Linux;
• Scheduling and automating jobs;
• Explaining the role of Linux devices;
• Comparing and contrasting the graphical user interfaces of a Linux system.

Security

Security is a critical component of managing Linux services and listed below are some of the objectives you should know to pass XK0-004 test:

• Applying or acquiring fitting user or group ownership and context-based permissions;
• Configuring and implementing the right authentication and access methods like PAM, and using Linux commands such as TTY, PTY, and SSH.
• Summarizing the security best practices commonly used within a Linux environment and explaining their peculiarities;
• Implementing logging services and various Linux log files;
• Implementing and configuring Linux firewalls with ACL;
• File backup, restoration, and compression.

Linux Troubleshooting and Diagnostics

This area will confirm if a student can examine the properties of a system and remediate accordingly. What’s more, it focuses on the analysis of system processes for optimizing performance, the analysis and troubleshooting of user issues, and analysis and troubleshooting of hardware and application issues. Within this section, you will describe network & storage configuration, CPU, and SELinux.

Automation and Scripting

This is the last domain that you will face on your CompTIA XK0-004 exam and it focuses on the following concepts:

• Deployment and execution of basic BASH scripts like environment variables and shell variables;
• Performing version control using Git and understanding its package;
• Summarizing the orchestration processes and concepts including infrastructure automation and agents.

Does This Certificate Open New Career Opportunities?

Yes! The CompTIA Linux+ certification is all you need to fast track your professional growth along the Linux career path. Tons of reputable companies trust the Linux+ certification and certified individuals to manage their services in the modern business landscape. They include the US Department of Defense, Aetna, General Dynamics, and Dell to mention just a few. That being said, a few job titles with the salaries reported from Payscale that will require the Linux+ skills are highlighted below:

• Linux Administrator ($74,081);
• Network Administrator ($59,974);
• Technical Support Specialist ($51,716);
• Systems Administrator ($62,746);
• Web Administrator ($57,340).

What’s Next Step?

Linux has been gaining deserved attention in recent years, as it’s become a critical aspect of day to day living and so are its certifications. If you think that this is the right path for you, you will most likely jumpstart your training using the aforementioned CompTIA Linux+ certificate. After completing this training, you will gain multiple avenues to build your knowledge or expand your technical skills even further. Here are some of the best certifications that you can take to help advance your skills along the same path:

• The GCUX-GIAC Certified Unix Security Administrator;
• The Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA).

Always remember that your training doesn’t end with the Linux certifications. So, if you are not satisfied with your accomplishments in this field, you can always tread a completely different path by focusing on other IT domains such as network, security, or cloud computing. But how about giving the new CompTIA XK0-004 exam your best shot first?