I really wanted to get the LPI-3 certification (note the past tense).\u00a0 It really looked like fun;\u00a0 it’s got a whole bunch of hard-core stuff about OpenLDAP and such, which I love and I’m way in to.\u00a0 Unfortunately, a great disincentive has appeared.\u00a0 First, some background…<\/p>\n
I achieved the LPI Level 1 certification on 2004-01-30.<\/p>\n
When I took the LPI-1 tests back in early 2004, they had a promise of perpetual certification.\u00a0 They were the only certification I had heard of doing that.\u00a0 Perhaps they later thought better of it, because they eventually removed that standard, and instead set time limits on all new certifications, and imposed an expiry (of 5 years after last certification) on all existing ones.\u00a0 Of course, I do not begrudge them any of those later actions;\u00a0 it is arguable that the highly relaxed initial standard was more than a bit short-sighted, and the result of an eager new organization.<\/p>\n
I achieved the LPI Level 2 on 2005-04-09.<\/p>\n
The LPI-3 didn’t exist back when I got the LPI-2…\u00a0 back when I had lots of time on my hands.\u00a0 When the LPI-3 was formulated, I watched it evolve, monitoring the news when I could, trying to hatch a plan when I could go get it.\u00a0 It was released to the public in 2007.\u00a0 I had heard the news that they were going to remove the “lifetime” certification, but then time just went by too fast for me to prepare for the LPI-3.\u00a0 Life happens.\u00a0 I’m not looking for sympathy, my life is great;\u00a0 busy, and great…<\/p>\n
During that window, it would not have made logical sense (in fact, it seems wasteful) for me to have re-taken one of the tests for an LPI level for which I was already certified in order to re-certify.\u00a0 I figured there would be plenty of time.\u00a0 But as the window was closing, I looked much more closely into the requirements, and realized I was un-prepared to take the LPI-3 test.\u00a0 And due to the limited re-take policy, my limited resources, and the fact that I’m not the type to do things un-prepared, I declined to take the LPI-3 test(s) as the last days of my window passed.<\/p>\n
My LPI-1 and LPI-2 certifications have been moved to an “inactive” state on 2010-04-09.<\/p>\n
This is because of that aforementioned expiry, and the fact that I have taken not taken any LPI test (to re-certify) since I achieved my LPI-2 certification in 2005.\u00a0 Again, I can’t blame them a bit.\u00a0 It’s been a while, and they would like to maintain current, fresh standards.<\/p>\n
But here’s the problem:\u00a0 By rule (and yes, I confirmed with an LPI official), because I didn’t get completely certified as an LPI-3 before the threatened expiry, in order to achieve the the LPI-3 at this point I must re-certify at ALL LEVELS of the LPI.\u00a0 This means that in order to be permitted to take and pass the tests for the LPI-3<\/em>, I must re-take and re-pass all the tests<\/em> necessary to re-acquire the LPI-1 (two passed tests) and the LPI-2 (two more passed tests), just to arrive right back where I was before 2010-04-09.<\/p>\n There is no tiered “grandfather” type clause.\u00a0 There’s no “refresher”.\u00a0 There is no “catch-up” or “make-up”.\u00a0 Apparently, there is no sympathy for the additional effort, just time from the last certification…<\/p>\n As a result, it seems to me that the more time and money you invest in the LPI, the more you stand to lose in the event of expiry.<\/p>\n That’s not just dis-incentivization, it’s a smack-down.<\/p>\n Now I think I’m glad I didn’t get the LPI-3, because since there’s no LPI-4 now, my LPI-3 would be expiring shortly anyway, then I’d just have to do it all over again if they ever did make the LPI-4…<\/p>\n 8|<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I really wanted to get the LPI-3 certification (note the past tense).\u00a0 It really looked like fun;\u00a0 it’s got a whole bunch of hard-core stuff about OpenLDAP and such, which I love and I’m way in to.\u00a0 Unfortunately, a great…
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