Mastering the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) Exam
Luca Berton ••
#rhce#redhat#linux#certification#ansible#sysadmin
Intro
Earning the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) credential isn’t just about passing an exam — it’s about proving your ability to manage and automate complex Linux systems in the real world.
But let’s face it: the journey can be overwhelming. Between systemd, SELinux, DNF, Ansible, and RHEL 9’s latest tools… where do you even start?
That’s exactly why Luca Berton, creator of Ansible Pilot, wrote this guidebook — a modern, hands-on companion for both certification success and practical mastery.
Here’s why it’s a must-read for every RHCE candidate in 2025.
🆕 New to Red Hat Enterprise Linux or coming from a different distro
🎓 Preparing for the RHCE certification
👩💻 Sysadmins ready to automate with Ansible
🏢 Professionals aiming for better job roles (and salaries)
🛠️ What’s Inside?
Luca has trained over 15,000 students in automation and Linux administration. This book is the culmination of his experience — no fluff, just what you actually need.
✅ Starts from Scratch:
Installing RHEL (Anaconda, headless installs, containers, and VMs)
Navigating the terminal, bash scripting, su/sudo, and file permissions
🧠 System Essentials:
File systems (ext4 vs XFS)
Privilege escalation and account management
Using the Cockpit web UI
Managing users (including no-login system users)
Handling processes and services with systemd
🌐 Networking & Security:
Modern tools: NetworkManager, replacing legacy ifconfig/iptables
FirewallD, SELinux deep dive, secure service setup
File sharing with NFS and SMB (cross-platform with Windows)
⚙️ Deep Dive into Ansible
RHCE now emphasizes automation — and that’s where this book truly shines.
You’ll learn:
Writing Ansible Playbooks, managing Inventories, Roles, and Collections
Using variables, loops, conditionals, and ensuring idempotency
Creating dynamic config files with Jinja2 templates
Encrypting secrets with Ansible Vault
Real-world automation for:
Service management
System updates
Backups
User provisioning
File configuration
All examples are tested and production-ready — not hallucinated.
🧪 Practice Makes Perfect
Every chapter includes:
📝 Exam-style Q&A
🧩 Real-world scenarios
🧠 Expert tips and pitfalls to avoid
Hands-on exercises cover:
Boot process customization
Logging, journaling, and troubleshooting
Role-specific server setup (web, mail, file, compute)
System messaging and user communication
💼 Career-Boosting Extras
You’ll also explore:
Working with Kubernetes, OpenShift, and UBI (Universal Base Images)
Performance tuning and system optimization
Secure auth with Kerberos, SSSD, and centralized login
Job scheduling using cron and at
Integrating AI tools into Linux workflows
📖 Table of Contents
Introduction
Structure
Objectives
IT industry
Overview of RHCE certification
RHCE and RHCSA
Getting certified
Already certified
RHCA
Open hybrid cloud program
DevOps, containers, and OpenShift program
Telco cloud program
Linux mastery program
Exam blueprint
Essential tools
After certification
Conclusion
Points to remember
Multiple choice questions
Answer
Questions
Key terms
Introduction
Structure
Objectives
Getting started
Installation methods
Anaconda
Subscription manager
IT Operations
Login
Command line interface
Logout
Shutting down
Reboot
Suspending and hibernating
Graphical user interface
Bash scripts
Getting help post-installation
Red Hat support tool
Red Hat Developer
Red Hat Insights
Users and groups
Switch user
Sudo
Storage
Configure devices
Manual mount
Persistent mount
Configure and maintain systems
Additional software
Update
Updating all packages
Updating a specific package
Kernel management
Removing a package
Log
Remote access
SSH network login
SSH key authentication
Network interfaces and settings
Manage files
Conclusion
Points to remember
Multiple choice questions
Answers
Questions
Key terms
Introduction
Structure
Objectives
Bash scripting versus Ansible
Ansible architecture
Quick start
Ansible ad hoc
Inventories
Modules
Using modules in playbooks
Documentation
Command line interface
Ansible language
Advanced playbook techniques
Plays
The power of multiple plays
Structured organization and task execution
Variables
Facts
Filters
Retrieve results
Capturing command output
Using registered variable
Practical use cases
Loops
LAMP example
Execution and output
Conditional
when statement
Conditional execution based on variable values
Handlers
Defining and using handlers
Multiple handlers
Conditional tasks
Practical example of conditional task execution
Handling task failure
Creating Ansible plays and playbooks
Crafting our first playbook
Error handling
Blocks, rescue, and always
Advanced error handling strategy
Testing a playbook
Configuration management
Conclusion
Points to remember
Multiple choice questions
Answers
Questions
Key terms
Introduction
Structure
Objectives
Ansible installation
Control node
Best practices and tips
Linux managed nodes
Configuring privilege escalation on managed nodes
Deploying files to managed nodes
Analyzing shell scripts and converting them to playbooks