6/16/2004 -- Those interested in become SuSE Certified Linux Professionals (SCLPs) can do so beginning next week, although the exact name of the credential may change in the near future.

According to Novell Spokesperson Bruce Lowry, the SCLP exam (#SL 103) will debut Monday for $125 at Prometric testing centers worldwide. Those interested in earning the title must first hold the Linux Professional Institute's two-exam Level I certification, then pass the SL 103 exam.

SuSE developed this certification with the help of LPI last year -- prior to its acquisition by Novell.

When Novell announced the new title in January, said it had not yet decided if it would change the branding of the credential to integrate it better into Novell's certification program, which features the new Novell Certified Linux Engineer (NCLE) title, a hands-on practicum exam.

Lowry told CertCities.com Monday that the company has decided it will be renaming the SCLP to the Novell Certified Linux Professional to better integrate it into the company's existing certification program, although a time frame for this has yet to be finalized. He also said that information about the credential will be migrated from the current location on the SuSE site to the Novell certification Web site. "We are melding these programs," he explained.

Lowry said Novell sees these two Linux titles as complementary, since the SCLP "focuses on the distribution," while the CLE focuses on "services."

More information on the SCLP can be found here. More information on Novell's other certifications can be found here. -Becky Nagel