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Administration
A Batch Job to Add New User IDs
A common system administration task is to add new users. In
large installations, such as central computing servers at
universities or in large companies, adding users is often best
performed as a "batch'' job, one that is automated with
scripts. Consider, for example, the start of a new semester at
a large public university, where there are hundreds, if not
thousands, of new students. Creating accounts by hand would be
impossible, so we need to automate the task.
Administer Linux on the fly
The /proc filesystem is one of Linux's great features, and this article gives you a thorough grounding in some of its most useful aspects. With it, you can administer many details of the operating system without ever having to shut down and reboot the machine, which is a boon for those who need to keep their systems as available as possible.
An Introduction to Webmin
In the first of a two-part series, introduces the Webmin server. Learn how to configure and view information about your FreeBSD computer, all through a web browser.
Automating UNIX system administration with Perl
UNIX system administration, always a thorny problem, is easier with the right tools. In this installment, Teodor presents ideas on the use of Perl to streamline and foolproof system administration. The system configuration engine, cfengine, is an extremely important tool in this context.
Back Up My Linux
The loss of critical data can prove devastating. Still,
millions of professionals ignore backing up their data. While
individual reasons vary, one of the most common explanations is
that performing routine backups can be a real chore. Because
machines excel at mundane and repetitive tasks, the key to
reducing the inherent drudgery and the natural human tendency
for procrastination, is to automate the backup process.
Basic Tasks for New Linux Developers
Linux systems require you to log in, become the super user (or root) for some tasks, open a terminal or shell window, and mount a CD-ROM. If you are new to Linux, this article will guide you through these tasks and more.
Boot Linux from a FireWire device
Say you want to use Linux in a dual-boot arrangemen, but you
don't have any free space on your computer's hard drive. One
solution would be to use a "live" Linux distribution such as
Knoppix, which can be run directly from CD. This is certainly
viable for occasional use, but it has a number of serious
drawbacks.
Creating Filesystem Backups with 'rsync'
Sometimes the simple, cheap solution wins out over cool technology. At my ISP, we still use a tape backup system for long-term backups but we also have two identical disk drives in each server. A RAID-1 mirror would be the obvious way to get the data onto both drives to protect against failures. But what's more common in your experience -- a hard drive failure or accidentally deleting an important file? Instead of using RAID-1, I use a Perl script called "synchro" to synchronize the drive pairs each night. In this article, I will present the reasons I decided do it this way, and share my script with you.
Cultured Perl: Intro to cfengine for system administration :The breakfast of UNIX champions
Cfengine (configuration engine) is a UNIX administration tool that aims to make the easy administrative tasks automatic, and the hard tasks easier. Its goal is system convergence from any state towards an ideal state. According to its author, Mark Burgess, cfengine always brings your system closer to the configuration you have defined; it never makes it worse. In this article its author acquaints you with this unique system administration tool by demonstrating some simple uses of cfengine.
Install SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 on a JS20 blade server
This article describes the steps of a basic installation of Linux on an <a href=http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-slesjs20/?ca=dgr-lnxw961SuseOnBlade>IBM eServer BladeCenter JS20</a> blade server, starting with the BladeCenter Management Module and ending with the installation of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8.
Installing and securing Red Hat Linux in less than an hour
Want a quick guide to installing and securing Red Hat Linux? This article details the steps required to install Red Hat Linux 8.0 on a production server. It covers the procedures necessary to get the operating system from the setup CDs to your system's hard disk (along with the configuration details to remove any unnecessary packages), shutting down any unnecessary system services, and applying any required system updates from Red Hat. The article is a good reference for Red Hat users who want simple instructions on advanced boot loader options, firewall configuration, security fixes and info about controlling system services.
Intro to cfengine for system administration
Cfengine (configuration engine) is a UNIX administration tool that aims to make the easy administrative tasks automatic, and the hard tasks easier. Its goal is system convergence from any state towards an ideal state. According to its author, Mark Burgess, cfengine always brings your system closer to the configuration you have defined; it never makes it worse. In this article, Ted acquaints you with this unique system administration tool by demonstrating some simple uses of cfengine.
Linux Tip: Job Scheduling with Cron and At
You need to run a job at midnight, daily, or weekly, but you would rather be sleeping, or enjoying life some other way. This tip helps you use the cron and at capabilities to schedule jobs periodically or at a single future time, so you can sit back and let routine tasks happen automatically and consistently while you enjoy life.
Managing Linux configuration files
The average developer spends more time navigating, learning,
and debugging configuration files than you'd expect. But you
can save that time -- and loads of energy and frustration --
with one of the tools you probably use every day: your CVS
tree. Take these tips on backing up, distributing, and making
portable your peskiest Linux (and UNIX) config files.
Migrating to the Newest Linux File System ext4
Ext4 is the latest in a long line of Linux file systems, and it's likely to be as important and popular as its predecessors. As a Linux system administrator, you should be aware of the advantages, disadvantages, and basic steps for migrating to ext4. This article explains when to adopt ext4, how to adapt traditional file system maintenance tool usage to ext4, and how to get the most out of the file system.
Simplify administration of Linux clusters with xCAT
XCAT (Extreme Cluster Administration Toolkit) is a tool kit that can be used for the deployment and administration of Linux clusters. Its features are based on user requirements, and many of its features take advantage of IBM xSeries hardware. This software is from IBM’s alphaWorks research and is free. It includes a completely rewritten installation system and support for more versions of RedHat and SUSE.
System recovery with Knoppix
This article shows how to access a non-booting Linux system with a Knoppix CD, get read-write permissions on configuration files, create and manage partitions and filesystems, and copy files to various storage media and over the network. You can use Knoppix for hardware and system configuration detection and for creating and managing partitions and filesystems. You can do it all from Knoppix's excellent graphical utilities, or from the command line.
Understanding Linux configuration files
This article explains configuration files on a Linux system
that control user permissions, system applications, daemons,
services, and other administrative tasks in a multi-user,
multi-tasking environment. These tasks include managing user
accounts, allocating disk quotas, managing e-mails and
newsgroups, and configuring kernel parameters. This article
also classifies the config files present on a Red Hat Linux
system based on their usage and the services they affect.
Upgrading applications from sources
So, you've compiled and installed your first application from source code, and it's working great. Congratulations! But now, there's a new version of the sources available and you'd like to upgrade, but you want to make sure that everything goes smoothly. What practical steps can you take to avoid pitfalls? In this tip, I'll show you several.
Using NFS for Networked Backups
Arguments abound between system administrators as to the
correct way to back up a network of Unix hosts. Some argue that
tapes are the answer, while others lean toward more modern
means, such as rewritable CD-ROMs. No matter the method, the
end goal remains: to back up hosts over a network, in a manner
that is conveniently indexed and easily retrieved.
Using the xinetd program for system administration
Every UNIX administrator is familiar with inetd, the daemon that manages most incoming network connections through a centralized configuration file (inetd.conf). The xinetd daemon is a replacement for inetd that offers many improved or new features, and easier configuration. Ted explains the concepts behind inetd, and gives examples for setting up xinetd at your own site.
Windows-to-Linux roadmap: Pt 8:Backup and recovery
IBM e-business architect Chris Walden is your guide through a nine-part developerWorks series on moving your operational skills from a Windows to a Linux environment. In this part, we take stock of what is on the system, and plan and implement regular backups with an eye to recovery as well as security.
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