top of page
  • Writer's pictureKaty Morgan

Introduction to LPIC-2 Linux Engineer Exam

The LPI 202-450 Exam is challenging and thorough preparation is essential for success. This exam study guide is designed to help you prepare for the LPIC-2 certification exam. It contains a detailed list of the topics covered on the Professional exam, as well as a detailed list of preparation resources. This study guide for the LPI Linux Engineer - 202 will help guide you through the study process for your certification.

202-450 LPI Linux Engineer - 202 Exam Summary


Exam Name: LPI Linux Engineer - 202

Exam Code: 202-450

Exam Price: $200 (USD)

Duration: 90 mins

Number of Questions: 60

Passing Score: 500 / 800

Schedule Exam: LPI Marketplace

Sample Questions: LPI LPIC-2 Sample Questions

Recommended Practice: LPI 202-450 Certification Practice Exam

Exam Syllabus: 202-450 LPIC-2 Linux Engineer


1. Domain Name Server


Basic DNS server configuration


Weight: 3

Description: Candidates should be able to configure BIND to function as a caching-only DNS server. This objective includes the ability to manage a running server and configuring logging.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- BIND 9.x configuration files, terms and utilities

- Defining the location of the BIND zone files in BIND configuration files

- Reloading modified configuration and zone files

- Awareness of dnsmasq, djbdns and PowerDNS as alternate name servers

The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:

- /etc/named.conf

- /var/named/

- /usr/sbin/rndc

- kill

- host

- dig


Create and maintain DNS zones


Weight: 3

Description: Candidates should be able to create a zone file for a forward or reverse zone and hints for root level servers. This objective includes setting appropriate values for records, adding hosts in zones and adding zones to the DNS. A candidate should also be able to delegate zones to another DNS server.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- BIND 9 configuration files, terms and utilities

- Utilities to request information from the DNS server

- Layout, content and file location of the BIND zone files

- Various methods to add a new host in the zone files, including reverse zones

Terms and Utilities:

- /var/named/

- zone file syntax

- resource record formats

- named-checkzone

- named-compilezone

- masterfile-format

- dig

- nslookup

- host


Securing a DNS server


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to configure a DNS server to run as a non-root user and run in a chroot jail. This objective includes secure exchange of data between DNS servers.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- BIND 9 configuration files

- Configuring BIND to run in a chroot jail

- Split configuration of BIND using the forwarders statement

- Configuring and using transaction signatures (TSIG)

- Awareness of DNSSEC and basic tools

- Awareness of DANE and related records

Terms and Utilities:

- /etc/named.conf

- /etc/passwd

- DNSSEC

- dnssec-keygen

- dnssec-signzone


2. Web Services


Implementing a web server


Weight: 4

Description: Candidates should be able to install and configure a web server. This objective includes monitoring the server’s load and performance, restricting client user access, configuring support for scripting languages as modules and setting up client user authentication. Also included is configuring server options to restrict usage of resources. Candidates should be able to configure a web server to use virtual hosts and customize file access.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Apache 2.4 configuration files, terms and utilities

- Apache log files configuration and content

- Access restriction methods and files

- mod_perl and PHP configuration

- Client user authentication files and utilities

- Configuration of maximum requests, minimum and maximum servers and clients

- Apache 2.4 virtual host implementation (with and without dedicated IP addresses)

- Using redirect statements in Apache’s configuration files to customize file access

Terms and Utilities:

- access logs and error logs

- .htaccess

- httpd.conf

- mod_auth_basic, mod_authz_host and mod_access_compat

- htpasswd

- AuthUserFile, AuthGroupFile

- apachectl, apache2ctl

- httpd, apache2


Apache configuration for HTTPS


Weight: 3

Description: Candidates should be able to configure a web server to provide HTTPS.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- SSL configuration files, tools and utilities

- Generate a server private key and CSR for a commercial CA

- Generate a self-signed Certificate

- Install the key and certificate, including intermediate CAs

- Configure Virtual Hosting using SNI

- Awareness of the issues with Virtual Hosting and use of SSL

- Security issues in SSL use, disable insecure protocols and ciphers

Terms and Utilities:

- Apache2 configuration files

- /etc/ssl/, /etc/pki/

- openssl, CA.pl

- SSLEngine, SSLCertificateKeyFile, SSLCertificateFile

- SSLCACertificateFile, SSLCACertificatePath

- SSLProtocol, SSLCipherSuite, ServerTokens, ServerSignature, TraceEnable


Implementing a proxy server


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to install and configure a proxy server, including access policies, authentication and resource usage.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Squid 3.x configuration files, terms and utilities

- Access restriction methods

- Client user authentication methods

- Layout and content of ACL in the Squid configuration files

Terms and Utilities:

- squid.conf

- acl

- http_access


Implementing Nginx as a web server and a reverse proxy


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to install and configure a reverse proxy server, Nginx. Basic configuration of Nginx as a HTTP server is included.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Nginx

- Reverse Proxy

- Basic Web Server

Terms and Utilities:

- /etc/nginx/

- nginx


3. File Sharing


SAMBA Server Configuration


Weight: 5

Description: Candidates should be able to set up a Samba server for various clients. This objective includes setting up Samba as a standalone server as well as integrating Samba as a member in an Active Directory. Furthermore, the configuration of simple CIFS and printer shares is covered. Also covered is a configuring a Linux client to use a Samba server. Troubleshooting installations is also tested.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Samba 4 documentation

- Samba 4 configuration files

- Samba 4 tools and utilities and daemons

- Mounting CIFS shares on Linux

- Mapping Windows user names to Linux user names

- User-Level, Share-Level and AD security

Terms and Utilities:

- smbd, nmbd, winbindd

- smbcontrol, smbstatus, testparm, smbpasswd, nmblookup

- samba-tool

- net

- smbclient

- mount.cifs

- /etc/samba/

- /var/log/samba/


NFS Server Configuration


Weight: 3

Description: Candidates should be able to export filesystems using NFS. This objective includes access restrictions, mounting an NFS filesystem on a client and securing NFS.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- NFS version 3 configuration files

- NFS tools and utilities

- Access restrictions to certain hosts and/or subnets

- Mount options on server and client

- TCP Wrappers

- Awareness of NFSv4

Terms and Utilities:

- /etc/exports

- exportfs

- showmount

- nfsstat

- /proc/mounts

- /etc/fstab

​- rpcinfo

- mountd

- portmapper


4. Network Client Management


DHCP configuration


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to configure a DHCP server. This objective includes setting default and per client options, adding static hosts and BOOTP hosts. Also included is configuring a DHCP relay agent and maintaining the DHCP server.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- DHCP configuration files, terms and utilities

- Subnet and dynamically-allocated range setup

- Awareness of DHCPv6 and IPv6 Router Advertisements

Terms and Utilities:

- dhcpd.conf

- dhcpd.leases

- DHCP Log messages in syslog or systemd journal

- arp

- dhcpd

- radvd

- radvd.conf


PAM authentication


Weight: 3

Description: The candidate should be able to configure PAM to support authentication using various available methods. This includes basic SSSD functionality.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- PAM configuration files, terms and utilities

- passwd and shadow passwords

- Use sssd for LDAP authentication

Terms and Utilities:

- /etc/pam.d/

- pam.conf

- nsswitch.conf

- pam_unix, pam_cracklib, pam_limits, pam_listfile, pam_sss

- sssd.conf


LDAP client usage


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to perform queries and updates to an LDAP server. Also included is importing and adding items, as well as adding and managing users.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- LDAP utilities for data management and queries

- Change user passwords

- Querying the LDAP directory

Terms and Utilities:

- ldapsearch

- ldappasswd

- ldapadd

- ldapdelete


Configuring an OpenLDAP server


Weight: 4

Description: Candidates should be able to configure a basic OpenLDAP server including knowledge of LDIF format and essential access controls.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- OpenLDAP

- Directory based configuration

- Access Control

- Distinguished Names

- Changetype Operations

- Schemas and Whitepages

- Directories

- Object IDs, Attributes and Classes

Terms and Utilities:

- slapd

- slapd-config

- LDIF

- slapadd

- slapcat

- slapindex

- /var/lib/ldap/

- loglevel


5. E-Mail Services


Using e-mail servers


Weight: 4

Description: Candidates should be able to manage an e-mail server, including the configuration of e-mail aliases, e-mail quotas and virtual e-mail domains. This objective includes configuring internal e-mail relays and monitoring e-mail servers.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Configuration files for postfix

- Basic TLS configuration for postfix

- Basic knowledge of the SMTP protocol

- Awareness of sendmail and exim

Terms and Utilities:

- Configuration files and commands for postfix

- /etc/postfix/

- /var/spool/postfix/

- sendmail emulation layer commands

- /etc/aliases

- mail-related logs in /var/log/


Managing E-Mail Delivery


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to implement client e-mail management software to filter, sort and monitor incoming user e-mail.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Understanding of Sieve functionality, syntax and operators

- Use Sieve to filter and sort mail with respect to sender, recipient(s), headers and size

- Awareness of procmail

Terms and Utilities:

- Conditions and comparison operators

- keep, fileinto, redirect, reject, discard, stop

- Dovecot vacation extension


Managing Remote E-Mail Delivery


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to install and configure POP and IMAP daemons.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Dovecot IMAP and POP3 configuration and administration

- Basic TLS configuration for Dovecot

- Awareness of Courier

Terms and Utilities:

- /etc/dovecot/

- dovecot.conf

- doveconf

- doveadm


6. System Security


Configuring a router


Weight: 3

Description: Candidates should be able to configure a system to forward IP packet and perform network address translation (NAT, IP masquerading) and state its significance in protecting a network. This objective includes configuring port redirection, managing filter rules and averting attacks.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- iptables and ip6tables configuration files, tools and utilities

- Tools, commands and utilities to manage routing tables.

- Private address ranges (IPv4) and Unique Local Addresses as well as Link Local Addresses (IPv6)

- Port redirection and IP forwarding

- List and write filtering and rules that accept or block IP packets based on source or destination protocol, port and address

- Save and reload filtering configurations

Terms and Utilities:

- /proc/sys/net/ipv4/

- /proc/sys/net/ipv6/

- /etc/services

- iptables

- ip6tables


Securing FTP servers


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to configure an FTP server for anonymous downloads and uploads. This objective includes precautions to be taken if anonymous uploads are permitted and configuring user access.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Configuration files, tools and utilities for Pure-FTPd and vsftpd

- Awareness of ProFTPd

- Understanding of passive vs. active FTP connections

Terms and Utilities:

- vsftpd.conf

- important Pure-FTPd command line options


Secure shell (SSH)


Weight: 4

Description: Candidates should be able to configure and secure an SSH daemon. This objective includes managing keys and configuring SSH for users. Candidates should also be able to forward an application protocol over SSH and manage the SSH login.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- OpenSSH configuration files, tools and utilities

- Login restrictions for the superuser and the normal users

- Managing and using server and client keys to login with and without password

- Usage of multiple connections from multiple hosts to guard against loss of connection to remote host following configuration changes

Terms and Utilities:

- ssh

- sshd

- /etc/ssh/sshd_config

- /etc/ssh/

- Private and public key files

- PermitRootLogin, PubKeyAuthentication, AllowUsers, PasswordAuthentication, Protocol


Security tasks


Weight: 3

Description: Candidates should be able to receive security alerts from various sources, install, configure and run intrusion detection systems and apply security patches and bugfixes.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- Tools and utilities to scan and test ports on a server

- Locations and organizations that report security alerts as Bugtraq, CERT or other sources

- Tools and utilities to implement an intrusion detection system (IDS)

- Awareness of OpenVAS and Snort

Terms and Utilities:

- telnet

- nmap

- fail2ban

- nc

- iptables


OpenVPN


Weight: 2

Description: Candidates should be able to configure a VPN (Virtual Private Network) and create secure point-to-point or site-to-site connections.

Key Knowledge Areas:

- OpenVPN

Terms and Utilities:

- /etc/openvpn/

- openvpn


LPI 202-450 Certification Sample Questions and Answers


To make you familiar with LPI Linux Engineer - 202 (202-450) certification exam structure, we have prepared this sample question set. We suggest you try our Sample Questions for LPIC-2 202 202-450 Certification to test your understanding of LPI 202-450process with real LPI certification exam environment.


202-450 LPI Linux Engineer - 202 Sample Questions:-


01. Which of the following describes a fundamental difference between named-compilezone and named-checkzone?


a) named-checkzone and named-compilezone do the same thing.

b) named-checkzone checks a zone for syntax errors; named-compilezone checks a zone for syntax errors and sends output to a file.

c) named-checkzone performs syntax checking, while named-compilezone converts the zone to a different format.

d) named-checkzone performs syntax checking, while named-compilezone prepares the zone for usage with BIND.

02. Which of the following configuration lines sets the domain suffix search order to example.com followed by example.org within a DHCP configuration?


a) open domain-search "example.com", "example.org";

b) option domain-search "example.com, example.org";

c) option domain-search "example.com", "example.org";

d) option domain-suffix "example.com", "example.org";

03. When creating a zone file, a record contains the following: www IN A 192.168.1.1. To what does the IN refer in the record?


a) Internal

b) Internet

c) Inner

d) IN Priority

04. Which Sieve action retains the message in the mailbox?


a) keep

b) remain

c) store

d) file

05. On which ports does DHCP traffic communicate?


a) 50 and 51

b) 143 and 144

c) 530 and 531

d) 67 and 68

06. Which configuration option for Apache changes how the version information is returned by the server for server-generated documents?


a) Version

b) ServerVersion

c) ServerTokens

d) VersionToken

07. Which of the following best describes the difference between the DROP and REJECT targets in iptables?


a) Both DROP and REJECT do the same thing.

b) DROP silently discards packets, while REJECT sends back an ICMP acknowledgement.

c) REJECT silently discards packets, while DROP sends back an ICMP acknowledgement.

d) DROP sends back a direct message, and REJECT sends a redirect.

08. Which directive within a BIND configuration specifies the addresses or networks that are allowed to query the nameserver?


a) query-addresses

b) query-auth

c) query-allow

d) allow-query

09. Within which log file does Apache record requests to the server?


a) access_log

b) access-log

c) access.txt

d) syslog

10. Which of the following commands enables forwarding such as would be used for NAT?


a) echo "1" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/nat

b) echo "1" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward

c) iptables --enable-forwarding

d) ip-forward --enable


Answers:

Question: 01- b

Question: 02- c

Question: 03-b

Question: 04-a

Question: 05-d

Question: 06-c

Question: 07-b

Question: 08-d

Question: 09-a

Question: 10-b

bottom of page