There are certain system administrator certifications one should obtain in order to scale up the career ladder. Professional certification is the quickest way to check on all the skills that employers typically look for in a system administrator’s resume.

However, it doesn’t mean all certifications serve the same purpose. Like all things, some are good, and some are simply not worth it. Investing time and money on the wrong certifications can potentially wreck your career.

Following are four system administrator certifications that will help you gain new skills, earn more money, and keep pace with the latest tech jobs.

1. MCSE: Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert

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Cloud computing is the goose that's laying the golden eggs for the IT world. Six decades back, the cloud was introduced as an idea for ‘intergalactic computer network'. This idea has come so far that cloud computing is on its way to becoming a $150 billion industry by the end of 2020.

As a result, MCSE certification has gained immense popularity. IT professionals get an in-depth understanding of the latest technologies: cloud infrastructure, business applications, data management and analytics, mobility, and productivity.

Pre-requisites:

Certification fees: $165, but they do provide discounts and offers, so the fees might vary.

Resource: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcse-certification.aspx

• IT professionals looking to complete an expert level certification should have 3+ years of experience working with Microsoft Azure.
• One needs to first earn an associate level certification (MCSA) in order to be eligible for expert level certification

2. Oracle Linux System Administrator (Oracle)

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Oracle Linux is a widely used Linux OS for a very simple reason — it's free and it’s good. To support the OS, Oracle offers a Linux System Administrator Certification that empowers you with the knowledge of the Kernel model, configuring Linux services and Oracle IaaS Cloud Solution, among other things.

Pre-requisites:

Certification fees: 

Online training. $3400 

Classroom training. $3875 

Virtual classes. $3675 

Resource: https://education.oracle.com/operating-systems/oracle-linux/pFamily_358

• First, one needs to obtain Oracle Certified Associate (OCA) Oracle Linux 5 and 6 System Administrator certification and pass one exam.
• Well-versed with types of user accounts and working with files and directories in Unix.
• Basic shell scripting and Unix Shell command.
• Executing remote connections and file transfers.

3. RHCE (Red Hat): Red Hat Certified Engineer

Want a certification that’s recognized by IT pros as well as employers? Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) is the answer.

RHCE is highly regarded because the tests are intense and demanding. Obtaining the certification fundamentally translates as mastery over Red Hat system administrations. It is also important to acquire skills like operating running systems, configuring local storage, manage security, and more. It is not surprising that employers are ready to offer a handsome salary for such expertise. In fact, fresh on the boat certified engineers are offered a median annual salary of $75000.

Pre-requisites:

Certification fees: 400 USD (Plus all applicable taxes) for 2 Training Units 

Resources: https://www.redhat.com/en/services/certification/rhce

• Red Hat Certified Administrator (RHCSA) certification
• Hands on experience of Red Hat Linux system administrations

4. CompTIA Server+

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CompTIA Server+ certified candidates can apply their knowledge in any environment as it is a vendor-neutral certification. System administrators get in-depth know-how on server hardware, OS, storage systems, networking, security and so on. As a result, system administrators can forge new career paths as server support technicians, server administrators, IT/server technicians, and storage administrators.

Pre-requisites:

There are no pre-requisites but a CompTIA A+ certification is good before taking Server+ certification. The A+ module will introduce many concepts that will be later dealt with in detail in the server+ certification. This helps candidates to obtain the certification easily as they are already familiar with the concepts.

Certification fees: $319 USD

Resources: https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/server

While you're preparing for the exam, check CompTIA Security+. It's an entry-level security certification that will be a great value addition to your resume.

Here are a couple of other security certifications you can consider:

GIAC Information Security Fundamentals (GISF)

(ISC)2 Associate

Update system administrator professional certifications

IT pros tend to forget certifications competency for the specific version of the technology, which means a new version can reduce the value of your certifications. So, you need to update, renew, or reactivate certifications to ensure that you are well equipped with latest skills in information technology.