Six Hot IBM and Red Hat Certifications for 2022

2021 was a relatively quiet year for the corporation formerly known as International Business Machines. The global pandemic continued to take its toll on IBM's revenue and overall growth last year, but some investors are feeling bullish about Big Blue in 2022. The company is clearly committed to continue building on its product and service offerings around artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and blockchain technology.

And then there's Red Hat, the open source software business IBM acquired in 2019. Red Hat's 2022 Global Tech Outlook report hints at a growing number of organizations looking to increase their efforts (and investment) in digital transformation. Survey respondents cited IT security, cloud infrastructure, and IT operations automation as target areas for development. Red Hat products slot nicely into all of these requirements.

There's also a transformative technology that IBM has gone all-in on in recent years: quantum computing. While most experts consider quantum computing to be a 'not ready for primetime' technology, IBM is actively working with dozens of companies around the world to determine how its nascent quantum computing services could be used to solve the most complex operating challenges.

IBM's unveiling of its 127-qubit quantum processor — codenamed "Eagle" — in late 2021 telegraphed the company's intention to dominate the quantum computing revolution when it inevitably reaches critical mass in the IT industry.

Keeping all of this in mind, let's take a look at a half-dozen IBM and Red Hat certifications that may receive heightened attention in 2022.

IBM Certified Associate Developer - Quantum Computation using Qiskit v0.2X

IBM's commitment to developing future-ready quantum computing solutions is a top priority. But one of the key challenges it faces in this endeavor is the lack of developers trained in coding quantum programs. IBM's Quantum Computation using Qiskit certification was launched in 2019 to address this need.

According to IBM, this credential is aimed at developers looking to "demonstrate fundamental knowledge of quantum computing concepts, and are able to express them using the Qiskit open source SDK." Given the potential applications for quantum computing in the near future, this certification could be of great interest to software developers looking to build their skills in an up-and-coming technology.

Exam at a Glance:
- IBM exam number: C1000-112
- Number of questions: 60
- Correct answers needed to pass: 44
- Exam time limit: 1.5 hours

IBM Certified Professional Architect - Cloud v5

IBM Cloud solutions continue to make up a significant portion of its annual business. The IBM Certified Professional Architect - Cloud v5 certification covers a full range of cloud computing subjects including storage, security, and data management.

While the IBM Cloud doesn't have the same level of market share as bigger players like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, it is still a relevant industry entity that generates a need for IT pros trained in its specialities.

Exam at a Glance:
- IBM exam number: C1000-118
- Number of questions: 61
- Correct answers needed to pass: 39
- Exam time limit: 1.5 hours

IBM Certified Solution Advisor - Blockchain Platform V2

It seems like the conversation around blockchain is solely devoted to cybercurrency and NFTs. But there are other real-world use cases for blockchain technology (i.e., supply chain management and commodity trading) which have gained traction in a number of different global industries.

An IBM Certified blockchain solution advisor consults with organizations to match their requirements with solutions based on IBM's Blockchain Platform v2. It's a multidisciplinary role that combines technical knowledge with use case analysis skills.

This is also a great credential for anyone who just wants to develop a working understanding of blockchain technology in case it becomes relevant to a future job role.

Exam at a Glance:
- IBM exam number: C1000-068
- Number of questions: 62
- Correct answers needed to pass: 45
- Exam time limit: 1.5 hours

Red Hat Certified Specialist in Cloud Infrastructure

Red Hat software and cloud computing go together like peanut butter and jam. This advanced certification focuses on the Red Hat OpenStack Platform, the company's chief cloud computing foundation. This is an excellent credential for existing network admins who want to work towards managing OpenStack-based cloud infrastructures.

The Certified Specialist in Cloud Infrastructure certification is also an ideal steppingstone for Red Hat Certified Engineers (RHCEs) who want to advance to the expert-level Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) credential.

Exam at a Glance:
- Red Hat exam number: EX210
- Exam format: Performance-based (actual tasks in a simulated environment)
- Exam time limit: 4 hours

Red Hat Certified Specialist in Security: Linux

IT security hasn't gotten easier or less complex during the global pandemic. To earn the Red Hat Certified Specialist in Security: Linux certification, candidates must be well-versed in physical, virtual, and cloud security concepts and best practices.

This is an intermediate-to-advanced level certification that tests the candidate's ability to secure a Red Hat Enterprise Linux environment.

Exam at a Glance:
- Red Hat exam number: EX415
- Exam format: Performance-based (actual tasks in a simulated environment)
- Exam time limit: 4 hours

IBM Certified Administrator - Security Guardium v11.x

While it may sound like the name of a superhero, Security Guardium is IBM's data security software suite. An IBM Certified Security Guardium admin must be able to plan, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot the full Guardium system.

The Security Guardium suite needs to live everywhere sensitive data exists in an information system, structured, unstructured, or otherwise. Given the ongoing number and severity of high-profile data breaches, this credential can help IT security pros find a working niche in enterprise data protection.

Exam at a Glance:
- IBM exam number: C1000-127
- Number of questions: 60
- Correct answers needed to pass: 40
- Exam time limit: 1.5 hours