Best linux course for devops if I keep getting stuck on production issues
Posted by 50lies@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 18 comments
I work in DevOps and I keep running into situations where my Linux knowledge is just good enough to get by but not good enough to confidently troubleshoot issues when something breaks. I can follow commands and piece things together from docs but when it comes to services permissions networking logs processes containers and debugging why something is failing on a server I have gaps. Looking for a decent linux course that isnt the same intro to linux stuff on youtube. Ideally something that covers the skills needed for automation cloud ops containers and running systems in production.
RepulsiveDuck331@reddit
Honestly, courses only get you so far for what you're describing. The gap you're hitting is troubleshooting under pressure, which is a different muscle.
That said, Linux Foundation's LFCS and Sander van Vugt's RHCSA/RHCE material on O'Reilly are the closest to production-grade. Sander actually breaks things and shows you how to dig out. Jay LaCroix's "Linux from Scratch to Sysadmin" is also solid for systemd, journald, networking deep dives.
What actually moved the needle for me was building a homelab with Proxmox, running a few services, then deliberately breaking them. Kill a systemd unit, corrupt a config, fill a disk. Then debug with journalctl, ss, strace, lsof. That's the stuff no course teaches well.
Carvtographer@reddit
You should take a look at SadServers. It’s specifically made for this kind of knowledge gap issue by allow you to spin up VMs with life-like production issues and it’s your job to solve it on your own. I would just take them slowly, try without looking anything up, and then if you get stuck you can start googling things.
Hazzula@reddit
that sounds awesome. like a trial by fire but in a holodeck
SadServers_com@reddit
yep 😄
Hazzula@reddit
dang, cant put off checking this out now 🤣🤣🤣
SadServers_com@reddit
cheers!
sk_sushellx@reddit
Linux Upskill Challenge is the hidden gem nobody mentions 💀 it's a free month long structured course specifically for people who already know basics but have production gaps. after that, the LFCS cert prep material covers exactly what you listed, services, permissions, networking, processes. for the production debugging side specifically, Brendan Gregg's systems performance content is the thing that actually teaches you how to diagnose issues not just follow commands lol
Automatic_Beat_1446@reddit
this is a spam account: https://old.reddit.com/search/?q=author%3A50lies&sort=new&restrict_sr=&t=all
besides "working in devops", they (within last 2 months):
reported
Burgergold@reddit
Dead internet era
CuckBuster33@reddit
whoah dood i love the internet its so full of cool and useful content
perth_girl-V@reddit
Install debian min and set it up as a workstation gui environment
MrNiceBalls@reddit
Congratulations, you missed all of the requirements!
perth_girl-V@reddit
They are asking to learn about Linux
That task will give them a fundamental understanding of it thats vastky better then most people that believe they know how windows works.
MrNiceBalls@reddit
All you learn this way is
apt install kde-plasma-desktop.If you said something like try to install the container version of AAP, or deploy Foreman + Katello, that would check all the boxes.
perth_girl-V@reddit
I said set it up as a workstation
Playful_Survey_8596@reddit
Most Linux courses kind of lie by omission. They teach you the happy path only. Start a service, check logs, done. But production is usually a broken system with half the errors missing and no obvious reason anything is failing. That’s where real debugging skills matter like strace, lsof and knowing what the kernel is doing with processes and file descriptors. That kind of understanding is what actually helps in real jobs. Boot dev has Linux content that pushes you past the surface level if your'e looking for something structured.
AdeelAutomates@reddit
I know the feeling.
Youtube and well by extension is full of beginner courses. Rarely do you ever see courses that actually dive into deeper subjects than teaching the foundations of a subject.
For one I think its too hard to build a program that teaches you real scenario troubleshooting as they are so many variables that can go wrong and are such niche problems. Often only linking back to the way your specific org is setup.
Second I dont think there is a market demand for it thats large enough for these people to put the effort in.
I am trying to do that with PowerShell Scripting for instance on youtube and I feel that going beyond the 101s is a very niche environment to try to tackle. My best videos are all the introduction to subjects rather than the script to solve a specific problem.
Cherveny2@reddit
no matter the course taken or book read, still a lot of what you describe you learn best when it happens.
a lot too is hard to find one specific course for because there can be so MANY things that could go wrong.
one suggestion though, as you solve issues, take detailed notes as you go along, what you did, what didn't work, what did, where you found it. then after, make a more concise version, with what was seen, what gave you the clues and how you solved it. its THIS info that will especially help you for your own teams infrastructure. slowly, with each oddity that happens, youll solve the next one faster than the last.