RHCSA/RHCE Red Hat Linux Certification Practice Exams with Virtual Machines (Exams EX200 & EX300) 1st Edition

This is a great book and I've been using it with Michael Jang's other book (this is just an exercise book meant to be used with the other book he wrote on this).The exercises are highly useful. I highly recommend the book.The only thing I had a problem with is with one specific file for the virtual systems on the included DVD. The file is named "gamma.example.net-1.img" According to the book, it contains some additional resources like for when you want to make an rpm, among other things. The problem I had, I could not mount the drive because while the partition was listed, it would not recognize any file system on that single partition.What was the impact? Probably not much. All of the virtual systems work fine. I did have to adjust the MAC address for the virtual systems (he mentions that in his book and gives respectable advice). I made sure the MAC matched in the /etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules file compared to the ifcfg-ethX files.NOTE: the information below is for the author Michael Jang. I noticed he replied to another purchaser of this book. This is the the specifics I encountered when attempting to use the one file "gamma.example.net-1.imge" fileHello Mr Jang,First, I have been using your books for a while and appreciate your hard work. I have recommended them to others. I'm not the person you replied to - but I thought I'd mention the issue with the practice VM I found.I had issues after importing the disk (would never mount, details below) for the disk named "gamma.example.net-1.img" which of course is just the 1GB secondary disk, not the primary disk. I am highly familiar with KVM, I have used it for years at home and also use it at my workplace.1) I verified the SELinux contexts2) I ran md5sums for your reference (I do not know the original md5sums) and included them3) I imported the 3 virtual systems (all went well, but my gamma syste could never recognize a file system for the 1gb disk named: gamma.example.net-1.img.4) I deleted the gamma system on my computer, including the associated ".img" files.5) I copied the original gamma.tar.gz and uncompressed it once again (hopeing an original copy/uncompress of the file would help, it did not)6) I recreated gamma and imported the second drive (it boots/functions fine except the original problem with the 1gb disk named: gamma.example.net-1.img persists).FIRSTI have a different storage pool for my RHEL systems under /bigdisk with the proper selinux contexts.I verified SELinux contexts were proper. I have about eight total systems and I executed the following command to set the selinux context for /bigdisk/ and all it's contents recursively.[root@rhel64 bigdisk]# semanage fcontext -a -t virt_image_t '/bigdisk(/.*)?'[root@rhel64 bigdisk]# restorecon -RFv /bigdiskdrwx--x--x. root root system_u:object_r:virt_image_t:s0 /bigdisk-rw-------. root root system_u:object_r:virt_image_t:s0 gamma.example.net.img-rw-------. root root system_u:object_r:virt_image_t:s0 gamma.example.net-1.img-rw-------. root root system_u:object_r:virt_image_t:s0 ipaserver1.img-rw-------. root root system_u:object_r:virt_image_t:s0 blackhat.example.net.img-rw-------. root root system_u:object_r:virt_image_t:s0 whitehat.example.net.imgSECOND MD5SUM CHECKS- I verified the md5sum of gamma on my system matches the file on the included DVD. (I do not know if my md5sums matches your original files for the virtual server named gamma). I did the md5sum checks because sometimes that can be an issue when transferring kvm images I've found.-- The md5sum of the gamma.tar.gz file on the CD-ROM within my book is:1717007a71420d563cadc729e939a2cc /cdrom/gamma.tar.gzAnd it matched the file after copying to disk.1717007a71420d563cadc729e939a2cc /bigdisk/mastercopy/gamma.tar.gzAfter doing the gunzip/tar -xvf (I have a separate disk for my vm images under my own default storage pool).Here are the md5sums:[root@rhel64 mastercopy]# gunzip gamma.tar.gz[root@rhel64 mastercopy]# md5sum gamma.tare1b58cd87d001812a847bc9058ca197d gamma.tarThen I did a fresh unpack of the files for gamma.tar (gunzip and tar -xvf)and here's the md5sums prior to attaching/recreating the gamma system:cd573cfaace07e7949bc0c46028904ff var/lib/libvirt/images/gamma.example.net-1.img192d8ef650e52d21b02410b8ddfbc27b var/lib/libvirt/images/gamma.example.net.img(do those md5sums match what was originally placed into the tar.gz archive file?)THIRD IMPORTING VIRTUAL KVM SYSTEMSThe import of the KVM systems went fine (except of course the 1gb gamma.example.net-1.img disk). I have my default storage pool under /bigdisk/ as mentioned previously so I made adjustments.NOTE: Importing the gamma.example.net-1.img disk had issues with the file systemI went to import the gamma.example.net-1.img disk into the gamma system. I saw on page 287 information on the gamma.example.net-1.img disk image (1gb).It mentions on page 287 of the book:"do import the gamma.example.net-1.img file as a second harddisk, configured as an old-style integrated drive electronics(IDE) disk (also known as a Serial Advanced TechnologyAttachment [SATA] disk)."I used the graphical interface to add the 1gb gamma.example.net-1.img storage, and I selected "IDE" per the first paragraph on page 287.I navigated the gui to the location of the gamma.example.net-1.img storage and added it per what I saw on page 287.- I tried IDE with raw- I tried IDE without specifying raw- I tried Sata as well-- All of these resulted in a partition being visible via the [fdisk -l] command, but no useable partition. All mount attempts resulted in the error that I must specify the filesystem type. Just for 'yuks' I downloaded gparted from the EPEL repository and installed it, and it too could not make out the format of the drive.Because the paragraph on page 287 mentioned "SATA' as well, I attempted to import the disk as SATA. This did not present any file system.When I perform the command [fdisk -l] to view the partition, it registers the partition exists, but no immediate file system.[root@gamma ~]# fdisk -lDisk /dev/sda: 1073 MB, 1073741824 bytes255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 130 cylindersUnits = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytesSector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytesI/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytesDisk identifier: 0x00000000I did no write actions against the partitions while in fdisk.FOURTH - delete and reimport virtual server named gammaI removed the gamma system from my inventory, deleted the expanded gamma image files and re-copied the gamma.tar.gz file, went through the process of expanding them and reimported the virtual system. The same result occured: the gamma.example.net.img mounted fine and the system works as advertised. the other disk is unrecognizableFIFTH - recopy files from original DVD, reset selinux contexts, re-import gamma into KVMAfter removing the original gamma virtual KVM system (and the img files).SIXTHI recopied/reimported them using the instructions in chapter 1 you provided (well, I have them on a separate disk, so a different storage pool)I then also imported the 1GB disk per the instructions on page 287:Then this is what was found in the /etc/libvirt/qemu/gamma.xml file for the /bigdrive/gamma.example.net-1.img drive:<disk type='file' device='disk'><driver name='qemu' type='raw'><source file='/bigdrive/gamma.example.net-1.img'><target dev='hda' bus='ide'><address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'></disk>I booted the system, and re-did the fdisk -l:[root@gamma ~]# fdisk -lDisk /dev/sda: 1073 MB, 1073741824 bytes255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 130 cylindersUnits = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytesSector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytesI/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytesDisk identifier: 0x00000000SUMMARY:I really do appreciate the detail you placed in your books (and your videos via safari). I thought I'd give you feedback regarding this one issue for the 1gb disk named gamma.example.net-1.img file that I could never mount because I could not find a file system. I suspect I've tried all I can think of.Do you have any recommendations on what I could do to present the 1gb disk named gamma.example.net-1.img so my system can mount it and I could use the resources on that disk?Thanks again Mr Jang,Jack

I got this to prepare for RHCSA exam. The book is concise and well written and will serve its purpose well. The one thing I didn't realize is that an internet connection is required to complete the labs utilizing the supplied virtual machines. The 4th and 5th lab require you to have the VMs connected to the internet through the host machine in order to download, install, and configure specific packages. I would have waited until I had access to a solid internet connection if I'd known this ahead of time. In the mean time, I'm reading and taking notes on the written material so its not a complete loss.

This book was written with the intentions of being used with Michael Jang's other RHCSA / RHCE Study Guide (http://www.amazon.com/RHCSA-Linux-Certification-Study-Edition/dp/0071765654/)I have both of these books. I used the RHCSA / RHCE study guide to earn my RHCE a few months ago, but I also have this companion as a tool to keep sharp. This is another well written, well thought out book by Mr. Jang. He gives excellent exercises and examples in the text, and they are all designed to work in tandem with the virtual machines he includes on the DVD that ships with the book. He gives great instructions for setting up the virtual machines in the book, which essentially gives you a perfect "Practice Lab" that is essential to retaining the RHCE knowledge.If you are looking at this book, I assume you know that the Red Hat exams are purely practical and very difficult. With both of Mr. Jangs study guide and companion (this book), you will have everything you need to go from barely knowing linux, to being able to master both the RHCSA and RHCE exams. I have been fortunate to attend actual Red Hat training, and these books were the perfect study companion as well.I honestly cant give this book a good enough review it is that good. I can only attest that without these books, earning my RHCE would have been *difficult*. In the linux field, this is the most highly recommend books for Red Hat based distributions. Not only will they serve you well in preparation for the exams, they will give you years of benefit as a solid desk reference. Mr. Jang gives great explanations of the How's and Why's of each subject, that you actually learn the materials.Just be ware, This book is designed to be used as the companion to his main study guide. I would recommend that you buy both of Mr. Jang's Red Hat books if you are planning to sit for the exams. Read them. Do the exercises at the end of each chapter, answer the questions. Don't move on to the next chapter until you feel you have mastered the current one. The questions and exercises he gives in both the Study Guide and this Companion are designed to reinforce the material he taught in that chapter. The books are also well laid out, in that you will learn all the tools you need first, before you move on to the advanced chapters.

The structure of the book follows the RHCE/RHCSA Exam objectives, although Red Hat keeps changing the knowledge area it expects to test the candidates. Anyways, not book can be 100% compatible to the exam.The book is supposed to be a supplements to the study guide. If you don't have the study guide, this book is way too thin for any concrete contents. It does contain large amount of hands-on exercises, which help improve the proficiency as the time pressure is an important factor in the real exam.For some reason, I was not able to load the 3 VM from the CD. I had to practise on the real Red Hat box.