1/23/2008 -- Sun is currently running an interesting advertising promotion. According to the banners, 479,508 certifications have been granted so far (think Java, Solaris, etc.), and the company is excited to be nearing the 500,000 mark. To commemorate this milestone, those who take an exam in February or March can get a free T-shirt.

But here's the fine print about getting that T-shirt:

"To qualify, you must respond favorably to the Agreement that will be sent to you by e-mail message after you pass the exam. To receive the gift you must have a confirmed address in the Certification database. This address is collected at the time you register to take the exam. The gift will be sent to the address you supply. Please allow 60 days for delivery of your gift."

Assuming the purpose of the promotion is to lure others toward Sun certifications, is it really that important that those who spend their own money to pass an exam in March wait 60 days, make sure they have an address on file, "respond favorably" and so on? Why doesn't Sun just mail them the shirt the minute they sign up for the exam? That would simply give people the chance to wear it -- which might attract another person or two into signing up for the certification.

Cisco Announces CCDE
Cisco recently announced a new Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) certification to complement the existing Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification.

While implementation is important (and the focus of the CCIE), according to press releases, Cisco feels that recognition is also due to those who focus on senior-level network design.

Mirroring the CCIE, the CCDE certification will require passing a two-part exam. The first part is a two-hour, multiple-choice exam administered through Vue and available now. The second part -- available only upon passing the qualifying exam -- will be an eight-hour hands-on practicum that's scheduled for release in the fall.

The tasks expected of a CCDE are:

• Gathering and clarifying network functional specifications.
• Developing network designs to meet functional specifications.
• Developing an implementation plan.
• Conveying design decisions and the rationale for the design decisions.

More on the CCDE certification can be found here.

Books of the Week: The 'Linux Toolbox' Series
Christopher Negus and Francois Caen have written a series of books that offer some of the best -- and cheapest -- Linux information on the market. The three that I have seen are: SUSE Linux Toolbox, Fedora Linux Toolbox and Ubuntu Linux Toolbox. As you may suspect, they're all three essentially the same book; each is simply customized to the particular distribution.

Boasting over 1,000 commands each, the books include coverage on the following topics: using the shell, finding software, working with files, playing with music and images, administering the file system, backing up data, locking down security, managing processes, accessing network resources, and handling remote administration. In short, any one of these approximately 300-page books has the information you need to pass the basic Linux certification exams and become an effective administrator.