Red Hat · EX294 on RHEL 9

Red Hat Certified Engineer

RHCE (EX294)

The RHCE is Red Hat's advanced, performance-based credential proving you can automate Red Hat Enterprise Linux with the Ansible Automation Platform. There is no theory section — you spend roughly four hours solving real automation tasks on live RHEL 9 systems, and every point comes from working configuration. With a 70% pass bar and a current RHCSA required just to qualify, a failed sitting means a paid retake and weeks of lost momentum on a job offer, promotion, or contract requirement. This page breaks down exactly what EX294 tests, how it's delivered, and how to get it done right the first time.

4 Hours
Hands-On Lab
Pass: 210 / 300
Remote or Center

Pay Only After You Pass

No upfront fee — you settle only after your verified passing result. We advertise guaranteed results — 100% pass guaranteed or money back.

Exam Spec Sheet

Provider Red Hat
Exam code EX294 (RHEL 9)
Format Hands-on, performance-based
Duration ~4 hours
Scoring 210 of 300 to pass (70%)
Prerequisite Current RHCSA (EX200)
Fee ~$500 USD
Delivery Remote Exam or test center
Validity 3 years
Languages English (plus select others)
See RHCE Help Options

EXAM FORMAT

How the RHCE EX294 is built — at a glance

4h

One hands-on session

No multiple choice. You work for roughly four hours inside a live RHEL 9 lab, configuring a control node and several managed hosts to meet a set of automation requirements.

300

Points on offer

Tasks are graded by re-running your work against expected outcomes. You need 210 points — 70% — and each requirement either works or it doesn't, so there is no partial-credit guessing.

EX294

Ansible on RHEL 9

The current exam targets the Ansible Automation Platform on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. Reference documentation is available on the exam system, but the clock keeps running while you look things up.

What the environment looks like

You're given a control node with Ansible available plus a small set of managed nodes. Your playbooks have to run cleanly and produce idempotent, repeatable results — a playbook that errors out or only "works the first time" can forfeit the points for that task entirely.

How scoring works

There is no written or theory component. Graders re-provision the managed nodes and run your automation; you score only on configurations that actually take effect and survive a reboot where required. Because RHCSA-level tasks underpin the exam, weak fundamentals quietly drain points across the whole sitting.

WHAT'S TESTED

The Ansible automation skill areas you'll be graded on — Red Hat does not publish per-objective weightings, so these are skill clusters, not fixed percentages

1

Playbooks & tasks

Write and run playbooks that execute system administration tasks across managed hosts, choosing the right modules and ad-hoc commands to reach a defined end state.

2

Inventories & configuration

Build static inventories, group hosts, and configure ansible.cfg — privilege escalation, connection settings, and roles paths — so playbooks target the right machines.

3

Variables, conditionals & loops

Use variables, facts, conditionals, loops, and handlers to make playbooks dynamic, and register task output to drive later steps.

4

Roles & content collections

Create and apply roles, install roles and content collections, and reuse community or vendor automation content inside your own playbooks.

5

Files, templates & Vault

Manage files and generate configuration from Jinja2 templates, and protect sensitive data such as passwords with Ansible Vault.

6

System administration tasks

Automate real RHEL admin work — users and groups, software, services, storage, scheduled jobs, and security settings — the RHCSA skills layered under Ansible.

Because every requirement is graded on the live result, idempotency and correctness matter more than knowing the most clever module. A playbook that "looks right" but silently skips a host, or that breaks on a second run, earns nothing for that task — which is exactly where careful, tested automation separates a pass from a near-miss.

DELIVERY & PROCTORING

Two ways to sit EX294 — and what to expect on exam day

Red Hat Remote Exam

The most popular option. You schedule an individual session and boot your own machine into Red Hat's locked-down exam environment from supplied media. A proctor monitors you live through your webcam and microphone while you work inside the provided RHEL lab. You must meet strict hardware, network, and clean-room requirements before the exam unlocks.

At a Red Hat testing center

You can also sit EX294 in person at an authorized Red Hat exam facility, where the lab environment and proctoring are provided on site. Center availability varies by region, so many candidates choose the remote option for scheduling flexibility around work commitments.

ID & identity check

A valid, unexpired government photo ID matching your Red Hat account. The proctor verifies your identity before the exam content is released.

System & environment

For the remote exam, a compatible computer that boots Red Hat's media, a single screen, a clear desk, a stable connection, and a private room with no one else present.

During the exam

Stay in frame and on-camera throughout. No phones, notes, second monitors, or outside resources beyond the documentation provided inside the exam environment.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS

RHCE is built for Linux pros moving into automation

  • RHCSA-certified administrators advancing their Red Hat credentials
  • Linux system administrators automating fleets at scale
  • DevOps and platform engineers using Ansible day to day
  • Candidates pursuing the RHCA path, which builds on RHCE
  • Professionals whose job, contract, or clearance requires RHCE

PREREQUISITES & DIFFICULTY

RHCSA is mandatory — and the hands-on bar is real

  • A current RHCSA (EX200) certification is required to earn RHCE
  • Solid command of RHEL administration from the shell
  • Working knowledge of YAML, Jinja2 templating, and Git basics
  • Comfort building idempotent playbooks under time pressure

Difficulty: RHCE is hard because it's entirely practical — you can't memorize your way through it. Four hours of live troubleshooting, strict 70% scoring, and reliance on rock-solid RHEL fundamentals catch out candidates who know the syntax but stumble on edge cases. That exam-day pressure is exactly the pinch point our help is designed to remove.

HOW EXAM ASSIST HELPS YOU PASS THE RHCE

EX294 is a high-stakes, four-hour hands-on exam standing between you and a role, raise, or contract requirement. Exam Assist pairs you with a vetted Red Hat and Ansible specialist and works on a pay-after-you-pass model — so the risk sits with us, not you. No upfront fee, guaranteed results: Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end, and you settle only after the verified result.

1

Share your exam details

Tell us your RHCSA status, target date, delivery method (remote exam or center), and any employer deadline. Takes a couple of minutes over WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord.

2

Get an honest feasibility answer

We review your timeline and the EX294 requirements and tell you plainly whether it's realistic — before any money is discussed. If it isn't a fit, we say so.

3

The sitting is handled

Exam Assist handles the sitting end to end. You're matched with an Ansible specialist who maps the work around the live lab format, the Remote Exam environment, and the idempotency the grader expects — discreetly and confidentially.

4

Settle after the verified result

You only pay once your passing result is confirmed on your official Red Hat certification record. No verified result, nothing owed.

Ready to lock in your RHCE?

Tell us about your EX294 sitting and get an honest, no-pressure feasibility answer first.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED

Straight answers about the RHCE EX294

What score do I need to pass the RHCE EX294 exam? +
The RHCE EX294 is scored out of 300 points, and you need 210 points — 70% — to pass. It is a performance-based, hands-on exam: there are no multiple-choice questions. You earn points by completing real Ansible automation tasks correctly on live Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems within the time limit.
Do I need RHCSA before taking the RHCE? +
Yes. To earn the RHCE credential you must hold a current Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA, EX200) certification. The RHCE exam itself also assumes you can perform every RHCSA-level task, since Ansible automation builds directly on core RHEL administration skills.
What does the RHCE EX294 exam actually test? +
EX294 tests your ability to use the Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. You write and run playbooks, build and manage inventories, use variables, conditionals, loops and handlers, work with roles and content collections, manage files and templates with Jinja2, protect secrets with Ansible Vault, and automate common system administration tasks across managed nodes.
How long is the RHCE exam and how is it delivered? +
The RHCE EX294 runs about 4 hours. Red Hat delivers it as a Remote Exam in an individually scheduled, proctored session using a locked-down testing environment with live webcam and microphone monitoring, and also at physical Red Hat testing centers. You work inside a real RHEL environment for the entire exam.
How long is the RHCE certification valid? +
Red Hat certifications, including RHCE, are current for 3 years from the date you pass. You keep the credential current by earning a newer version of the exam or by passing a higher-level Red Hat exam before it expires.
Do I pay Exam Assist before or after I see my RHCE result? +
You settle only after your verified passing result is confirmed. There is no upfront fee — you share your exam details, receive an honest feasibility answer, and decide before any money changes hands. We advertise a guaranteed pass with money back if you do not pass; we offer a transparent, results-first arrangement.

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