> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://academy.pentaho.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://academy.pentaho.com/administrator-path-sandbox/administrator/level-1-practitioner.md).

# Level 1 — Practitioner

The entry level of the Administrator path. 39 lessons across 6 modules, ending in a capstone where you harden and stand up a production-ready Pentaho Server. No prior Pentaho experience needed.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**🧪 SANDBOX — draft content**
{% endhint %}

Start here if you're new to administering Pentaho. By the end you'll have taken a fresh install through to a hardened, configured, production-ready server — covering both the IT Administrator tasks (installing, configuring, hardening) and the Pentaho Administrator tasks (users, roles, repository) that many teams combine into one role.

{% columns %}
{% column %}

<p align="center"><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i><br><strong>39 lessons</strong><br><em>across 6 modules</em></p>
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}

<p align="center"><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i><br><strong>32 workshops</strong><br><em>hands-on labs</em></p>
{% endcolumn %}

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<p align="center"><i class="fa-clock" style="color:cyan;">:clock:</i><br><strong>~8h 30m</strong><br><em>about two weeks part-time</em></p>
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

{% hint style="success" icon="cloud-arrow-up" %}
Every workshop is hands-on and runs on Pentaho's hosting platform. The Lab Guide is embedded in each lab and loads automatically when you open it — nothing to install.
{% endhint %}

***

<h3 align="center">Before you start</h3>

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% hint style="success" icon="circle-check" %}
**What you'll need**

No prior Pentaho experience is assumed. Comfort with the command line and basic networking (ports, certificates) will make the Tomcat module go faster, but neither is required.
{% endhint %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
{% hint style="info" icon="tag" %}
**Built against**

REPLACE-ME — source lab guide is Pentaho v9.0.0.3; confirm target version (other paths are built against 11.0.0.3-310) before the hosted labs are built. The upgrade module is sourced from the current docs.pentaho.com 11.0 upgrade guide.
{% endhint %}
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

***

{% hint style="info" icon="trophy" %}

#### What you'll build

The level ends in a capstone project: take a fresh Pentaho install, harden the Tomcat deployment, configure the server for production, and set up users, roles, connections and the repository — a fully configured, production-ready Pentaho Server you stood up yourself.
{% endhint %}

```mermaid
%%{init: {"theme":"base","themeVariables":{"fontFamily":"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif","fontSize":"13px","lineColor":"#64748b","clusterBkg":"#fafaf9","clusterBorder":"#d6d3d1","edgeLabelBackground":"#ffffff"},"flowchart":{"curve":"basis","nodeSpacing":28,"rankSpacing":44,"padding":22,"wrappingWidth":600,"htmlLabels":true}}}%%
flowchart TB
  classDef tool fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#1d4ed8,color:#1e3a8a,text-align:left,rx:6,ry:6
  classDef server fill:#ede9fe,stroke:#6d28d9,color:#3b0764,text-align:left,rx:6,ry:6
  classDef store fill:#dcfce7,stroke:#15803d,color:#14532d,text-align:left,rx:6,ry:6
  classDef check fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#b45309,color:#78350f,text-align:left,rx:6,ry:6
  classDef browser fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#b45309,color:#78350f,text-align:left,rx:6,ry:6
  classDef support fill:#f1f5f9,stroke:#475569,color:#0f172a,text-align:left,rx:6,ry:6
  B["<b>Browser</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>where you log in&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>the Pentaho User Console&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"]:::browser
  TC["<b>Tomcat</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>ports, TLS, cookies, memory&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>Tomcat Hardening and Configuration&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"]:::support
  PS["<b>Pentaho Server</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>login, widgets, sample data, logs&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>Pentaho Server Configuration&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"]:::server
  REPO[("<b>Pentaho Repository</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>users, roles, content, licenses&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>Pentaho Repository Management&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;")]:::store
  SP["<b>PDI client, Spoon</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>drivers, connections, logging&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>PDI Client Administration&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"]:::tool
  SUP["<b>Keeping it running</b>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>support, logs, upgrades&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br/>Support, Troubleshooting and Upgrades&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"]:::check
  B -->|"HTTPS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"| TC
  TC --> PS
  PS --> REPO
  SP -->|"repository connection&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"| REPO
  PS -.-> SUP
```

<p align="center"><em>The server you configure in Level 1, and the module that covers each part of it.</em></p>

***

<h3 align="center">What you'll learn</h3>

{% columns %}
{% column %}

* Harden a Tomcat deployment: ports, SSL/TLS, cookies, the SHUTDOWN command, memory limits
* Configure the Pentaho Server for production: login behaviour, Home widgets, sample data, log rotation
* Manage users, roles, authentication, mail, licenses and data sources through the Pentaho Repository
  {% endcolumn %}

{% column %}

* Administer the PDI client (Spoon): drivers, connections, logging, purging and version control
* Get support, read logs and diagnose problems across the whole platform
* Plan and run a Pentaho Server upgrade, including post-upgrade cleanup
  {% endcolumn %}
  {% endcolumns %}

***

<h3 align="center">Course outline</h3>

<p align="center"><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i> reading · <i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i> hands-on workshop</p>

{% hint style="info" icon="circle-info" %}
Full lessons unlock once you're enrolled — this is the outline only. All times are estimates — REPLACE-ME.
{% endhint %}

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th width="306">Module</th><th width="114" align="center">Reading</th><th width="139" align="center">Workshops</th><th width="100" align="right">Time</th><th>Videos</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Getting Started</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">—</td><td align="right">~15m</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tomcat Hardening &#x26; Configuration</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="right">~1h 45m</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pentaho Server Configuration</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="right">~1h 25m</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pentaho Repository Management</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">6</td><td align="right">~1h 30m</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PDI Client (Spoon) Administration</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">7</td><td align="right">~1h 30m</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Support, Troubleshooting &#x26; Upgrades</td><td align="center">2</td><td align="center">5</td><td align="right">~2h 05m</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Capstone Project</td><td align="center">—</td><td align="center">1 project</td><td align="right">—</td><td></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Total</strong></td><td align="center"><strong>7</strong></td><td align="center"><strong>32</strong></td><td align="right"><strong>~8h 30m</strong></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### <i class="fa-rocket" style="color:blue;">:rocket:</i> Getting Started

`1 reading · ~15m`

How to get the most out of this course, and how your lab environment is set up — a fresh Pentaho Server install you'll be working on throughout the level.

<details>

<summary>See the full breakdown</summary>

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th width="79"></th><th>Lesson</th><th width="90">Time</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>How to get the best out of this course</td><td>~15m</td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### <i class="fa-server" style="color:blue;">:server:</i> Tomcat Hardening & Configuration

`1 reading · 8 workshops · ~1h 45m`

Secure and tune the Tomcat instance that hosts the Pentaho Server before it goes anywhere near production — ports, transport security, and resource limits.

<details>

<summary>See the full breakdown</summary>

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th width="78"></th><th>Lesson</th><th width="90">Time</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>Overview</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Change the Web Application Name &#x26; Port</td><td>~15m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Remove the Server Banner</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Enable SSL/TLS</td><td>~20m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Enforce HTTPS</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Secure &#x26; HttpOnly Cookies</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Change the SHUTDOWN Port &#x26; Command</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Increase Memory Limits</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Remove Unwanted Applications</td><td>~10m</td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### <i class="fa-sliders" style="color:blue;">:sliders:</i> Pentaho Server Configuration

`1 reading · 6 workshops · ~1h 25m`

Options that live outside the Administration page of the User Console and have to be set by hand — login behaviour, Home widgets, sample content and logging.

<details>

<summary>See the full breakdown</summary>

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th width="78"></th><th>Lesson</th><th width="90">Time</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>Overview</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Disable "Login as an Evaluator"</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Login Autocomplete</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Disable Home Perspective Widgets</td><td>~15m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Remove Sample Data</td><td>~15m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Remove the Geo Plugin</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Configure Log File Rotation (log4j2)</td><td>~15m</td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### <i class="fa-database" style="color:blue;">:database:</i> Pentaho Repository Management

`1 reading · 6 workshops · ~1h 30m`

Managing the Pentaho Repository from the User Console — users and roles, content, authentication, mail, licenses and data sources.

<details>

<summary>See the full breakdown</summary>

<table><thead><tr><th width="78"></th><th>Lesson</th><th width="90">Time</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>Overview</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Users &#x26; Roles</td><td>~20m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Upload &#x26; Download Content</td><td>~15m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Authentication Method</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Mail Server</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Licenses</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Settings &#x26; Data Sources</td><td>~15m</td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### <i class="fa-diagram-project" style="color:blue;">:diagram-project:</i> PDI Client (Spoon) Administration

`1 reading · 7 workshops · ~1h 30m`

Administer Spoon for the team — drivers, connections, the repository link, logging, purging and version control.

<details>

<summary>See the full breakdown</summary>

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th width="78"></th><th>Lesson</th><th width="90">Time</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>Overview</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>JDBC Drivers</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Database Connections</td><td>~15m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Repository Connection</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>kettle.properties</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>PDI Logging</td><td>~15m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Purging the Repository</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Version Control &#x26; Comments</td><td>~10m</td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### <i class="fa-life-ring" style="color:blue;">:life-ring:</i> Support, Troubleshooting & Upgrades

`2 readings · 5 workshops · ~2h 05m`

Keep a running Pentaho Server healthy: get help when you're stuck, read the logs to find out what actually happened, and plan an upgrade without breaking anything.

<details>

<summary>See the full breakdown</summary>

<table data-search="false"><thead><tr><th width="78"></th><th>Lesson</th><th width="90">Time</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>Overview</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Getting Help — Support Portal, Tickets &#x26; the Support Utility</td><td>~20m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-file-lines" style="color:green;">:file-lines:</i></td><td>Identifying &#x26; Reproducing Issues</td><td>~10m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Logging Framework — log4j2, BareTail &#x26; Security Logging</td><td>~20m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Advanced Logging — Mondrian, Reporting SQL, HTTP &#x26; Tomcat Manager</td><td>~20m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>BA &#x26; PDI Operations Mart</td><td>~20m</td></tr><tr><td><i class="fa-flask" style="color:orange;">:flask:</i></td><td>Upgrading the Pentaho Server</td><td>~25m</td></tr></tbody></table>

</details>

{% hint style="info" icon="circle-check" %}
Confirmed: the current build uses **log4j2.xml**, not the older `log4j.xml` both source manuals reference — lesson content above updated accordingly. The Upgrading lesson is sourced from the current docs.pentaho.com 11.0 upgrade guide (Pentaho Upgrade Installer, archive vs. manual installs, post-upgrade tasks) rather than the older manual.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### <i class="fa-trophy" style="color:red;">:trophy:</i> Capstone Project

`1 project`

Bring it all together: take a fresh Pentaho install, harden it, configure it, and set up its users, connections and repository — a production-ready server you stood up yourself.

<details>

<summary>See the project brief</summary>

You've just been handed a fresh Pentaho install for a new client engagement. Before it goes anywhere near the analytics team, you need to harden the Tomcat deployment, configure the server for production use, set up users and roles, connect the repository and PDI client, and confirm everything's ready to hand over.

</details>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

***

{% columns %}
{% column %}
{% hint style="warning" icon="file-certificate" %}
**Course accreditation**

Course accreditation applies to Levels 1 and 2. Finish the lessons and workshops and pass the exam embedded in the guide, and you'll automatically be able to download your course accreditation. It states your name, the course, and the Pentaho version you studied against. Unlike certification, this exam is self-paced and not proctored.
{% endhint %}
{% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
{% hint style="warning" icon="award" %}
**Certification**

Certification is only available at Level 3 — Certified — not this level. It's a separate, proctored credential that organisations look for when engaging Pentaho consultants: the more advanced courses and the Speciality course feed into it, and the exam itself is proctored — unlike the embedded exam for course accreditation.
{% endhint %}
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}

***

<p align="center"><a href="/administrator-path-sandbox/administrator.md" class="button secondary" data-icon="arrow-left">Back to the Administrator path</a></p>


---

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