Exam: Red Hat Certified Specialist in High Availability Clustering (EX436)

The Red Hat Red Hat Certified Specialist in High Availability Clustering exam (EX436) is a performance-based test of the skills and knowledge needed to implement high-availability services on Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® using the Red Hat Enterprise Linux High Availability Add-on. 

By passing this exam, you become a Red Hat Certified Specialist that also counts towards earning a Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA®).

Objectives listed for this exam are based on the most recently released version of the exam. Once you have purchased the exam you may have older versions available.

Audience for this exam

• Experienced Linux® system administrators responsible for the planning, deployment, and management of multiple physical or virtualized servers.
• Linux® system administrators who want to demonstrate competency in configuring and managing highly available failover clusters.
• An RHCE interested in earning a Red Hat Certificate of Expertise or an RHCA credential.

• Install high availability clustering
• Install and configure a high availability cluster either manually or using Ansible
• Configure cluster quorum options

• Configure standard fence mechanisms such as fence_ipmilan
• Test fencing configurations using standard tools
• Configure fencing so that any cluster member can fence any other cluster member

• Configure cluster logging so that each node system activity is logged to a separate file
• Configure cluster logging so that logging messages will be forwarded to journald

Configure cluster monitoring

• Create and configure a cluster monitoring resource
• Log cluster events and send notification emails to a specific address
• Configure cluster alerts

• Create and configure a cluster highly available service
• Configure a specific resource group
• Configure services to use shared storage
• Configure services to use a specific IP

• Restrict where services run
• Configure service failover behavior

• Configure an iSCSI initiator
• Create and configure shared storage using provided iSCSI volumes
• Configure multipath access to shared storage
• Configure shared LVM devices
• Configure highly available LVM devices

• Create GFS2 filesystems on logical volumes
• Configure GFS filesystems to be shared between multiple nodes simultaneously
• Manage GFS2 filesystems
• Add journals to existing GFS2 filesystems

• Grow a GFS2 filesystem

What you need to know

Red Hat encourages all candidates for Red Hat Certificate of Expertise in High Availability Clustering (EX436) to consider taking Red Hat High Availability Clustering (RH436) courses to help prepare.

 Attendance in these classes is not required; students can choose to take just the exam.

While attending Red Hat classes can be an important part of your preparation, attending class does not guarantee success on the exam. Previous experience, practice, and native aptitude are also important determinants of success.

Many books and other resources on system administration for Red Hat products are available. Red Hat does not endorse any of these materials as preparation guides for exams. Nevertheless, you may find additional reading helpful to deepen your understanding.

Exam format

This exam is a performance-based evaluation of system administration skills and knowledge. Candidates perform a number of routine system administration tasks and are evaluated on whether they have met specific objective criteria. Performance-based testing means that candidates must perform tasks similar to what they perform on the job.

Scores and reporting                  

Official scores for exams come exclusively from Red Hat Certification Central. Red Hat does not authorize examiners or training partners to report results to candidates directly. Scores on the exam are usually reported within 3 U.S. business days.

Exam results are reported as total scores. Red Hat does not report performance on individual items, nor will it provide additional information upon request.

• Red Hat recommends that candidates earn Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE®) before attempting this exam but neither is required.
• Have Red Hat High Availability Clustering (RH436) or equivalent experience.
• Understand that real-world system administration experience is also an important aspect of preparation for the exam.
• Review exam objectives for the Red Hat Certificate of Expertise in High Availability Clustering exam.