You can see it againUnder pressure people bring back shapes and positions long after the wording has gone.
Picture superiority · Shepard 1967, Standing 1973
LINUX PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTELPIC-3 Mixed Environments
The LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification validates your ability to integrate Linux services into enterprise-wide mixed environments, with a focus on OpenLDAP, Samba, and Windows interoperability. It is designed for senior Linux administrators and engineers who manage heterogeneous networks. Earning it demonstrates advanced skills in directory services, authentication, file sharing, and domain integration.
Exam formatMultiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank
Duration90 minutes
DeliveryPearson VUE
Free questions535
Content last reviewed 30 July 2026 · Up to date
The certification
What LPIC-3-MIXED-ENVIRONMENTS proves, and what it asks of you
What this certification covers, who it is written for, and what the exam itself looks like on the day.
8domains
22objectives
169concepts
What it is
What this certification is
What it validates, who it is written for, and the experience it assumes.
About this certification
The LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification is the highest level in the Linux Professional Institute's Linux Professional track, focusing on the integration of Linux systems into enterprise environments that also include Windows and other heterogeneous systems. This certification validates your ability to design, configure, and maintain services such as OpenLDAP, Samba, and Kerberos to ensure seamless interoperability across platforms.
Earning this certification demonstrates that you can manage complex directory services, implement secure authentication mechanisms, and configure Samba for file, print, and domain services. It is ideal for senior Linux administrators and engineers who are responsible for the smooth operation of mixed IT environments and who need to bridge the gap between Linux and Windows-based systems.
Who it’s for
This certification is for experienced Linux system administrators and engineers who work in enterprise environments where Linux coexists with Windows and other systems. It is particularly relevant for those responsible for directory services, authentication, file sharing, and domain integration. Candidates should have a strong background in Linux administration and be comfortable with command-line tools, configuration files, and network services. They are expected to have a deep understanding of OpenLDAP, Samba, and related technologies.
Recommended experience
While not mandatory, LPI recommends that candidates have a solid understanding of Linux system administration and networking, as well as experience with directory services and file sharing in mixed environments. Experience with Linux system administration, including user management, file permissions, and network configuration; Familiarity with LDAP concepts and directory services; Understanding of Samba and its role in mixed environments; Knowledge of TCP/IP networking and common network services
The syllabus
What you’ll learn
Every domain and objective Linux Professional Institute measures, with the weight they carry on the exam.
The official Linux Professional Institute exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
Topic 390: OpenLDAP Configuration
- 390.1 OpenLDAP Replication (weight: 3)
- 390.2 Securing the Directory (weight: 3)
- 390.3 OpenLDAP Server Performance Tuning (weight: 2)
Topic 391: OpenLDAP as an Authentication Backend
- 391.1 LDAP Integration with PAM and NSS (weight: 2)
- 391.2 Integrating LDAP with Active Directory and Kerberos (weight: 2)
Topic 392: Samba Basics
- 392.1 Samba Concepts and Architecture (weight: 2)
- 392.2 Configure Samba (weight: 4)
- 392.3 Regular Samba Maintenance (weight: 2)
- 392.4 Troubleshooting Samba (weight: 2)
- 392.5 Internationalization (weight: 1)
Topic 393: Samba Share Configuration
- 393.1 File Services (weight: 4)
- 393.2 Linux File System and Share/Service Permissions (weight: 3)
- 393.3 Print Services (weight: 2)
Topic 394: Samba User and Group Management
- 394.1 Managing User Accounts and Groups (weight: 4)
- 394.2 Authentication, Authorization and Winbind (weight: 5)
Topic 395: Samba Domain Integration
- 395.1 Samba as a PDC and BDC (weight: 3)
- 395.2 Samba4 as an AD compatible Domain Controller (weight: 3)
- 395.3 Configure Samba as a Domain Member Server (weight: 3)
Topic 396: Samba Name Services
- 396.1 NetBIOS and WINS (weight: 3)
- 396.2 Active Directory Name Resolution (weight: 2)
Topic 397: Working with Linux and Windows Clients
- 397.1 CIFS Integration (weight: 3)
- 397.2 Working with Windows Clients (weight: 2)
On the day
The exam itself
Everything Linux Professional Institute publishes about sitting it, and nothing we inferred.
Prerequisites
Active LPIC-2 certification
Exam codeLPIC-3-MIXED-ENVIRONMENTS
CertificationLPIC-3 Mixed Environments
Exam formatMultiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank
Duration90 minutes
Questions60 questions
DeliveryPearson VUE
LanguagesEnglish, Japanese
After you pass
Where this credential goes next
The path Linux Professional Institute lays out, how the credential is kept, and where to book.
Step-by-step path to LPIC-3 Mixed Environments
PrerequisiteActive LPIC-2 certification
Credential earnedLPIC-3 Mixed Environments Certification Renewal and maintenance
LPIC-3 certifications are valid for 5 years. To maintain the certification, you must retake the exam or achieve a higher-level certification before the expiration date. Stay current with the latest technologies and maintain your certification.
Learn more about renewal requirements Lifecycle status
This certification is currently active and available. Linux Professional Institute maintains this certification to validate current skills and industry relevance.
Exam status: ActiveMaintained by Linux Professional Institute
Exam registration
Register for the exam through Pearson VUE, Linux Professional Institute’s authorized testing partner.
Schedule your examVisit the official Linux Professional Institute certification page for exam policies and requirements.
View the official pageYour coach
And when you are serious, your coach Pip takes over
Your coach in the app reads what you have answered with the book closed and tells you one thing to do tonight. It will not count an answer you gave with the page open, and it will tell you when you are not ready.
See how the coach worksBefore you book
Questions people ask
How does the LPIC-3 300 exam relate to the retired 301 and 302 exams?
The LPIC-3 300 exam was partially formed from content in the 301 and 302 exams, consolidating them into a single exam for the Mixed Environments certification.
Do I need to earn LPIC-1 and LPIC-2 before taking the 300 exam?
Yes, an active LPIC-2 certification is required to be awarded the LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification. LPIC-1 is a prerequisite for LPIC-2.
Can I take the 300 exam before completing LPIC-2?
Yes, you can take the exam in any order, but the LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification will only be awarded after you have an active LPIC-2 certification.
Is there a hands-on or lab component in the 300 exam?
No, the 300 exam consists of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions only.
What is the retake policy for the 300 exam?
LPI does not publish a specific retake policy for this exam. Please refer to the LPI website or contact LPI for the most current information.
What job roles does the LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification map to?
This certification is designed for senior Linux administrators, systems engineers, and IT professionals responsible for integrating Linux services in enterprise mixed environments.
Can I recertify by passing a different LPIC-3 exam?
Yes, achieving a higher-level certification, such as another LPIC-3 specialization, will renew your LPIC-3 Mixed Environments certification.
Information freshness · Content last reviewed on 2026-07-30 Up to date
Practice free questions 535 questions, free, no account needed.
The curriculum
The whole exam, mapped and written
Every domain, every objective, and every concept Linux Professional Institute measures — each one written out.
8domains
22objectives
169concepts
115free pages
The domains, and what sits inside them
Every objective below is a page you can open and practise now, without an account.
The official Linux Professional Institute exam outline · checked 30 July 2026 · See the source
1Topic 390: OpenLDAP Configuration57 questions
2Topic 391: OpenLDAP as an Authentication Backend56 questions
3Topic 392: Samba Basics127 questions
392.1 Samba Concepts and Architecture (weight: 2)10 concepts · 7 pagesOpen →392.2 Configure Samba (weight: 4)8 concepts · 4 pagesOpen →392.3 Regular Samba Maintenance (weight: 2)6 concepts · 5 pagesOpen →392.4 Troubleshooting Samba (weight: 2)12 concepts · 9 pagesOpen →392.5 Internationalization (weight: 1)5 concepts · 3 pagesOpen →
4Topic 393: Samba Share Configuration78 questions
5Topic 394: Samba User and Group Management53 questions
6Topic 395: Samba Domain Integration70 questions
7Topic 396: Samba Name Services46 questions
8Topic 397: Working with Linux and Windows Clients48 questions
Not a table of contents
Every line on this map already opens
In front of every objective the practice pages are already there, free and without an account. This is one objective, opened.
390.1 OpenLDAP Replication (weight: 3)4 pagesOpen →
Free in front of it
20 questions on this objective, five to a page. Every range above is a real page, open now, with no account.
Reading the map is not the same as knowing the ground
The curriculum tells you what is on the exam. Proving you know it is a different job — and it is the one the closed-book run does.
Free questions
535 questions. No account, no card.
The whole bank is open. 5 questions to a page, every answer explained, and a discussion thread on each one.
535questions
115pages
22objectives
Freealways
Browse by domain
Every objective, and every page range, is a link — so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
1Topic 390: OpenLDAP Configuration57 questions
2Topic 391: OpenLDAP as an Authentication Backend56 questions
3Topic 392: Samba Basics127 questions
4Topic 393: Samba Share Configuration78 questions
5Topic 394: Samba User and Group Management53 questions
6Topic 395: Samba Domain Integration70 questions
7Topic 396: Samba Name Services46 questions
8Topic 397: Working with Linux and Windows Clients48 questions
What a practice page gives you
1Five to a page
Short enough to finish, long enough to matter.
2Every answer explained
Not only which one is right — why the others are wrong.
3A discussion on each
Ask, answer, and vote. Every question has its own thread.
A question, and the idea behind it
Every question comes from a concept
These are not trivia. Each one is written against a concept in the book, so when you get one wrong there is somewhere to go and find out why.
The visual book
See it once. Carry it into the exam.
The pages shown here come from our AI-900 book — an example of how each concept is written in plain language and, where the idea needs one, drawn as a full page you can take in at a glance.
169concepts
535free questions
Why a picture, and not another paragraph
Three reasons, and each one is a real finding rather than a slogan.
You can see it againThe whole idea at onceWhere it starts, what happens in the middle, what comes out, and the mistake to avoid.
Multimedia principle · MayerThe look-alikes sit togetherThe pairs the exam tests are drawn side by side, so the difference is seen, not told.
Dual coding · PaivioWhat one page is made of
You are never asked to read a poster here — only to see how one is built. After that, every other page is legible at a glance.
1A numbered strip on top
The idea as a sequence, followed with a finger before a word is read.
2Panels for the parts
What it is, how the machine learns it, when it is the right tool.
3The trap, framed
The distinction the exam tests, given its own box instead of buried in prose.
4One line at the bottom
The sentence to carry into the exam room.
Open book, on purpose
Answer it with the picture beside you
This is the part that teaches. The illustration and the written explanation stay where they are while you work, so a scenario stops being a memory test and becomes something you can simply look at.
It teaches · it does not count
A smartphone uses AI to unlock when the owner looks at the camera. Which AI capability is being used?
AImage classification
BFacial recognition
COptical character recognition
DObject detection
Look at the five steps. Detect finds a face, align straightens it, encode turns it into numbers, search compares it with a stored face, and decide answers one question: is this the same person? Classification would only say “a face”. Detection would only draw a box. Neither decides whose.
Then the page shuts, and it starts counting
The same questions come back with the book closed — that run is the one that counts. After it, your coach picks one thing for tonight, sized to the time you have, and brings pages back before you lose them.
Testing effect · Roediger & Karpicke 2006 · spacing effect · Cepeda et al. 2006
Official resources
Straight from Linux Professional Institute
Where the exam is defined, scheduled and scored.
3official links
169concepts mapped
The source
Linux Professional Institute’s own pages
We link to them rather than repeat them, so nothing here goes stale behind them.
Checked against the source
Every objective on the official Linux Professional Institute outline already has questions here
We build from the official skills outline, not from a summary of it — 22 objectives, 169 concepts written under them, and free questions against every one. When Linux Professional Institute changes the outline, this page changes with it.
22objectives on the outline→169concepts written→535free questions
An official page tells you what will be asked. It cannot tell you what you will get right.
That is the only question worth answering the night before, and no link answers it. You answer it by taking the questions with the book closed, and seeing what comes back.