The Unofficial Arch Linux Certified System Administrator (ALCSA) Training

The ALCSA Training Objectives

I discovered I'm allergic to pollen in my mid-twenties. For years, as summer came along, I'd experience a slight itchiness in my eyes, nose, ears and throat. However, my symptoms were minor and the onset gradual, so I didn't realize I was sick. I thought everyone felt the same way in summer. One day, out of nowhere, it dawned on me - I might be allergic. I tried an antihistamine. Suddenly, my symptoms were alleviated and the world felt crisper and clearer.

Over the course of six months or so, I've switched over all my computing tasks to Arch Linux and a Proxmox homelab. This process reminds me of how I discovered my pollen allergy. For years, I've used Google, Apple and Microsoft services, with increasing friction. (No, I don't want to open this link in Microsoft Edge. No, I don't want to backup to Google Drive. Yes, I do want to open this program that I didn't download from the Apple App Store.) However, the number of pain points increased so gradually I hardly took notice of them. Until I switched. Arch and Proxmox have a steeper learning curve than taking an antihistamine, but the effect has been similar - my computing environment now feels crisp and clear, deliberate and decluttered.

Using Arch and Proxmox has forced the command line interface (CLI) and basic system administration (sysadmin) tasks on me. Since I have no background in computer science, I often end up using commercial large language models (LLMs) for help with troubleshooting. However, that familiar friction and displeasure is now coming back. I don't like the idea of a commercial company logging my conversations about what should be my own private, secure computer system. I do find commercial LLMs helpful in many ways, but I would like to reduce my dependency on them for security-sensitive sysadmin work.

For this reason, I will be examining sysadmin for Arch Linux in a series of upcoming posts. I will use the Red Hat Certified Systems Administrator (RHCSA) Exam as a springboard, examining the RHCSA Exam's objectives one by one, and figuring out how to perform the same tasks on Arch Linux. I'll try working through these without relying on LLMs, but if needed, I'll disclose which LLM was used and for what.

Welcome to The Unofficial ALCSA Training!