Linux RH442 - Introduction - Required knowledge scope.

EX442 is one of the RedHat exams focused on performance tuning and environment optimization. This exam covers the knowledge required to utilize system tools to ensure the operating system runs as efficiently as possible. You must modify the system by configuring appropriate parameters to achieve performance gains. To be eligible for this exam, you must hold an RHCE certification. The exam lasts 4 hours, and passing requires achieving a minimum of 70 points by solving tasks related to system performance optimization. The knowledge required to pass this exam also includes the ability to use monitoring tools.



Scope of required knowledge:

1. Using monitoring tools such as vmstat, iostat, mpstat, sar, gnome-system-monitor, top, powertop and others used for analyzing and reporting system status and application behavior.
2. Configuring the system to provide performance metrics using tools such as RRDtool.
3. Applying PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) mechanisms to implement restrictions and manage critical system resources.
4. Using /proc/sys, sysctl and /sys to check and modify kernel runtime settings.
5. Using tools such as dmesg, dmidecode, x86info, sosreports etc. to verify system hardware configuration.
6. Analyzing system and application behavior using tools: ps, strace, top and Valgrind.
7. Configuring system startup using SystemTap scripts.
8. Setting priorities for new and existing processes.
9. Configuring the system to support alternative page sizes for memory-intensive applications.
10. Selecting the best version of an application to run on the system among those performing the same or similar tasks in terms of performance.
11. Configuring disk resources for optimal performance using mechanisms such as SWAP, I/O, scheduling algorithm selection, file system templates, and others.
12. Configuring kernel behavior by changing module parameters.
13. Calculating network buffer sizes based on known values such as bandwidth, transfer time, and configuring buffer settings based on these calculations.
14. Selecting and configuring tuned profiles.
15. Managing system resource utilization using control groups.