1/29/2003 -- The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) is at the center of two new initatives which may bring the Linux certification world that much closer together.

First, UnitedLinux, a coalition of companies including IBM and HP that offers a "standards-based Linux operating system targeted at the business user," announced at Linux World New York that LPI is helping it develop a certification program for users.

Two UnitedLinux titles will be released by the end of Q1, UnitedLinux said: UnitedLinux Certified Professional (ULCP) and UnitedLinux Certified Expert (ULCE). Both will be based on passing two LPI exams plus one exam unique to the United Linux program.

"Our agreement shows the opern source community working together to achieve collective success," commented LPI President Evan Leibovitch.

LPI also announced that it is investigating a partnership with Systems Administrators Guild (SAGE), a division of USENIX that also offers a vendor-neutral certification program.

The partnership could result in mutual membership agreements between the two organizations, the companies said. "LPI is performing a great service to the sysadmin community, and we look forward to working through the partnership details that will culminate in a special SAGE membership arrangement for those certified by LPI," said SAGE's Executive Director Rob Kolstad. "SAGE is independent of particular vendors, technologies or philosophies, so our organizations are compatible and a good fit."

Neither commented in the announcement about how such a partnership might affect the organizations' certification programs.

For more information on LPI, click here. For more information on UnitedLinux, click here. For more information on SAGE, click here. - B.N.