Linux Junior Administration and Support

Course Overview

The increasing popularity of open source software and operating systems allows organisations to deliver cost-effective complex systems. The need for administrators who can leverage the benefits of these systems continues to grow.

In this course, you gain the knowledge and skills required to create, manage and tune a Linux server that can provide business-critical solutions.

Audience

This course is valuable for those responsible for the design, support and maintenance of new and existing Linux systems. Knowledge of Linux at the level of Course 143, " Linux Introduction ", is assumed.

Skills Gained

• Install, configure and support Linux servers for reliability, functionality and performance
• Control and troubleshoot the boot process
• Create and extend volume management and mount external media
• Deploy software components from source and packaged distributions
• Deliver file, print and network services for both UNIX and Windows clients
• Build, install and tune a customised Linux kernel for improved functionality

Course Outline

Installing Linux

Administering open source systems

• The roles of an administrator
• Open source licensing
• Acquiring your Linux distribution

The installation process

• Structuring the file system
• Selecting software packages
• Ensuring future expansion
• Performing the installation

Workstation configuration

• Supporting audio and X
• Video card, monitor, keyboard, mouse

Booting Linux

Managing the boot process

• Choosing the boot loader
• Specifying the target run level
• Following the boot scripts sequence
• Controlling initwith inittab
• Assigning services with chkconfig
• The /etcconfiguration hierarchy

Rescuing an unbootable system

• Troubleshooting a boot loader
• Recovering with rescue media

Developing an Administrative Framework

Users and groups

• Defining users in passwdand shadow
• Assigning users to groups
• Enforcing password quality and aging
• Establishing and modifying accounts

Process control and logging

• ps
• pstree
• top
• vmstat
• Examining the /procfile system
• Signalling processes with killand pkill
• Capturing important events with syslog

Managing File Systems

Device and volume management

• Installing new disks
• Establishing and extending logical volumes

Mounting file systems

• Creating and tuning journalled file systems
• Supporting DVDs and USB devices
• Attaching to network file servers
• Accessing non-Linux file systems

Ensuring availability

• Backing up and restoring data
• Repairing file systems with fsck
• Measuring disk usage

Adding and Updating Software

Employing package management schemes

• Manipulating portable tararchives
• Installing and updating software with Red Hat Package Manager (RPM)
• Querying package details
• Listing and checking system software
• Alternative packaging schemes

Building software from source

• The installation 3-step dance
• Working with SRPMs
• Resolving dependency issues
• Packaging binary RPMs

Configuring Networks

Connecting to an IP network

• Specifying interface device drivers
• Setting IP addresses and netmasks
• Monitoring network activity

Controlling network services

• Configuring stand-alone network services
• Running services through xinetd
• Enforcing network access control rules

Supporting Print and File Services

Service for UNIX clients

• Offering local and network print services
• Updating printer drivers
• Sharing files with NFS

Service for Windows clients

• Emulating Windows services with Samba
• Authenticating users

The Linux Kernel

Kernel function and structure

• Determining kernel inventory
• Detecting hardware through sysfs

Kernel configuration and tuning

• Manipulating kernel data structures
• Discovering new hardware with udev
• Probing the PCI bus with lspci
• Loading modules dynamically

Building an improved kernel

• Deciding when to upgrade
• Inserting new device drivers
• Determining required functionality
• Compiling components for installation

Linux Junior Administration and Support / LIN-JAS