LPIC-3 Mixed Environment
LPIC-3 Mixed Environments
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ExploreAbout this exam
LPIC-3 Mixed Environments is one of four LPIC-3 specialty certifications from the Linux Professional Institute. LPI describes LPIC-3 as the culmination of its multi-level programme and the highest level of professional, distribution-neutral Linux certification in the industry; passing any one of the four specialty exams grants the LPIC-3 certification for that specialty. This one covers administering Linux systems enterprise-wide in mixed environments - Samba domain controllers, file and print shares, and identity services sitting next to Windows infrastructure. It is aimed at enterprise-level administrators who already hold an active LPIC-2 certification, which LPI lists as a prerequisite for receiving the credential alongside passing the 300 exam.
The exam is version 3.0, code 300-300, and covers Samba 4.8 or higher across five topics: Samba Basics; Samba and Active Directory Domains; Samba Share Configuration; Samba Client Configuration; and Linux Identity Management and File Sharing, which includes FreeIPA and NFSv4. LPI weights each objective from 1 to 5 and asks more questions on the heavy ones, so Samba as an Active Directory Domain Controller and Linux Authentication Clients matter most. The test is 60 multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions in 90 minutes, delivered in English or Japanese, and the certification is valid for five years.
Prepare by reading the official 300-300 objectives line by line and building a lab: a Samba AD DC, a domain member using Winbind ID mapping, a CIFS client, and a FreeIPA server. Command-level fluency with samba-tool, net ads, wbinfo, tdbbackup and ldbsearch counts more than reading alone. This page is independent study material and is not published by or affiliated with LPI.
What you'll study
About LPIC-3 Mixed Environment preparation
How many questions are on the LPIC-3 Mixed Environments exam, and how long do I get?
Exam 300 contains 60 questions and runs 90 minutes. Items are multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank, so expect to type exact command names, smb.conf parameters and options rather than only recognise them. That works out to roughly 90 seconds per item, which leaves little slack for recalling syntax you have never typed.
Do I need LPIC-2 before I can take exam 300?
LPI lists an active LPIC-2 certification as a prerequisite for receiving the LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification, and passing the 300 exam as the requirement. The LPIC-2 is therefore not optional: plan your timetable so the LPIC-2 is active before you claim the specialty credential, even if you sit exam 300 first.
How long is the certification valid, and how do I renew?
LPI states a validity period of five years and points candidates to options for extending beyond five years. Renewal is not automatic, so check the current extension and renewal rules on LPI's site well before your expiry date rather than in the final weeks.
What does the exam cost?
LPI does not publish a single global fee on its overview page. Exam pricing depends on your country, and the overview directs candidates to a country-specific price list. Check the current price for your location through your LPI account or the pricing page before purchasing a voucher, and ignore second-hand figures.
Which languages is the exam available in?
English and Japanese, both at VUE test centres and online via OnVUE. The exam objectives wiki is also translated into English and Japanese. If you plan to test in another language, verify availability with LPI before scheduling, since the overview lists only these two.
Which exam version and Samba version are covered?
The current objectives are version 3.0 with exam code 300-300, and Samba 4.8 or higher is covered. The previous version 1.0 used code 300-100 and was available only until 23 February 2022, so study material written against it is outdated. Check your lab's Samba release before you start.
Where should I spend most of my study time?
LPI weights each objective from 1 to 5 and asks more questions on the heavy ones. Two objectives sit at weight 5: 302.1 Samba as an Active Directory Domain Controller and 304.1 Linux Authentication Clients. Weight 4 objectives include 301.2 Samba Configuration, 302.3 Active Directory User Management, 302.4 Samba Domain Membership, 303.1 File Share Configuration and 305.2 FreeIPA Entity Management.
In what order should I work through the topics?
Follow the published topic order. Build a Samba AD domain first (topics 301 and 302), because share, Winbind client and trust exercises all assume a working domain controller. Then configure file and print shares (303), join a Linux client using mount.cifs and SSSD (304), and finish with FreeIPA and NFSv4 (305). Each stage reuses the previous one.
What do candidates most often get wrong when preparing?
The objectives are tool-heavy rather than concept-only: samba-tool subcommands, tdbbackup and tdbrestore, ldbsearch and ldbmodify, Winbind idmap backends, rpcclient queries. Reading smb.conf documentation is not enough for fill-in-the-blank items that expect exact syntax. Type every command in a lab, including testparm validation and TDB backup and restore, until the flags are automatic.
What is the retake policy if I fail?
LPI's overview page does not state a retake policy, waiting period or fee, so we do not publish a figure. Retake terms are set by LPI together with the delivery provider used for VUE test centres or OnVUE. Confirm the current conditions in your LPI account before scheduling a second attempt.