Linux server administration

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Linux server administration is one of the server administration learning projects. Linux server administration studies the use of the Linux operating system as an all purpose server.

## What is Linux?

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Linux, or GNU/Linux, refers to any Unix-like computer operating system which uses the Linux kernel. It is one of the most prominent examples of open source development and free software as well as user generated software; its underlying source code is available for anyone to use, modify, and redistribute freely. See the Linux article at Wikipedia for much more information

## Choosing a distribution

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The Wikimedia server farm

Linux distributions are available in a very wide variety. Choosing only one is a difficult task. Popular examples that have been around for a while are

* Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
* Fedora core
* Debian
* Slackware
* Mandrake (now called Mandriva Linux)
* Ubuntu
* SUSE

Others like Knoppix offers live CD experience. See the Comparison of Linux distributions at Wikipedia for an exhaustive list

NOTE: Wikiversity runs from Wikimedia servers using several distributions including Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu.

## A curriculum for the Linux users and administrators

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This is for future contributers to add to and develop.

Level 1 : Introduction to Linux

* What is Linux?
* How Linux Began and Origins of Linux
* The GNU Project
* Platforms, Applications & Distributions
* Linux Resources
* Minimum System Requirements
* The Fedora Project
* Red Hat Linux 7,8,9 vs. Enterprise 3.x
* Chapter 1 Review

Level 2 : Linux Installation

* Is Your Hardware Compatible?
* System Requirements Table
* Initiating an Installation
* Hard Disk Management: fdisk, linux/mdadm, disk usage, blkid, lsblk
* Selecting an Installation Method
* Virtual Consoles
* Initiation Installation from Boot Media
* Welcome Screen and Boot Options
* Language Selection
* Keyboard & Mouse Configuration
* Installation Type Options
* Disk Partitioning Setup
* Boot Loader Configuration
* Network Configuration
* Firewall Configuration
* Language Support Selection
* Time Zone Configuration: NTP services
* Root Password Configuration
* Authentication Configuration
* Desktop Configuration
* Demo - Fedora Installation
* Directory structure[1]
* Chapter 2 Review

Level 3 : Package Managers: Red Hat Package Manager "RPM"

* What is RPM?
* Demo - Reflection X
* Downloading RPM's
* RPM's 5 Modes of Operation
* Installing with RPM
* Installation Errors/Remedies
* Uninstalling Packages
* Upgrading RPM's
* Freshening RPM's
* Querying RPM's
* Verifying RPM's
* Additional RPM Resources
* Other package management systems: dpkg, apt, yum
* Chapter 3 Review

Level 4 : Managing Users

* Linux User Types
* Adding Users
* Usernames
* Passwords
* User Home Directories
* UID and GID
* User Groups
* User Primary vs. Private Groups
* Sharing
* Files Built When Users are Created
* Files Checked by Bash
* Activating the User Manager GUI
* System Created Users & Groups
* Command Line User Deletion
* Chapter 4 Review

Level 5 : Partitioning and Filesystems

* Devices & Device Nodes
* IDE Devices
* SCSI Devices
* IDE Device Naming
* SCSI Chain
* Filesystem Management Commands
* Partition Planning
* Partition Types
* Supported Filesystems
* Creating Filesystems
* Files: (touch (command))
* Formatting devices: Floppies / USB
* More Filesystem Details
* Link Count
* Mounting Filesystems
* Unmounting Filesystems
* Mount Command Options
* Mounting Remote Filesystems
* fstab File
* Swap Space
* Special Case: Swap
* Special Case: Automounter
* Quotas
* Maintenance & Repair
* Adding a New Hard Drive
* Recovering a Partition
* LVM and ZFS
* Demo -fstab File
* Chapter 5 Review

Level 6 : Backup and Restore

* Types of Backups
* Device Naming Conventions
* Chapter 6 Review

Level 7 : Startup and Shutdown

* The Boot Process
* Run Levels
* Configuring Process Fields
* Inittab Example
* In The Beginning.Init
* The /etc/rc.d Directory
* /etc/rcX.d Script Sequencing
* Processes: `ps` and `pstree` utils
* Stop & Stop Services: systemd
* The /etc/rc.d/rc.local File
* Shutting Down Properly
* Methods of Rebooting
* Booting into Single-User Mode
* Creating a Boot Diskette
* Demo - Startup & Shutdown Procedures
* Chapter 7 Review

Level 8 : Compiling the Kernel

* What is the Linux Kernel?
* Why Compile the Kernel?
* Before You Get Started
* Four Kernel Upgrade Paths
* Check Your Tool Kit
* 4 Stages to Compile the Kernel
* Patching the Kernel
* Demo - Manually Compile the Kernel
* Chapter 8 Review

Level 9 : Scheduling

* 2 Major Scheduling Daemons
* `crontab` command
* The `/etc/crontab` File
* Simple /etc/crontab Example
* Complex /etc/crontab Example
* An actual `/etc/crontab` file
* Sample `/etc/cron.daily/` directory
* Use /etc/cron.allow or /etc/cron.deny
* Starting & Stopping cron
* The at Command
* Anacron
* Starting & Stopping Anacron
* Sample /etc/anacrontab File
* Demo - Scheduling
* Chapter 9 Review

Level 10 : Basic Networking Concepts

* Platform Compatibility
* Physical Network Support
* Protocol Suite Support
* Network Device Names
* Network Kernel Modules
* ifconfig Command
* ifup & ifdown Scripts
* Interface Configuration
* Non-root User Control
* Multiple IP's on a Single Interface
* Client DHCP/BOOTP
* Global Parameters
* Configuration Utilities
* Network Tools
* Demo - Reconfigure Network Information
* Demo - Sysconfig Directory
* Chapter 10 Review

Level 11 : Printing

* Linux Printing over the Last 2 Years
* Setup Printing
* Common Unix Printing System "CUPS"
* Printing Flow in a CUPS Environment
* CUPS Browser Interface
* Linux-Supported Printers
* Printer Configuration Tools
* User Command Interface
* Starting & Stopping Printing Services
* lpr Examples
* lpq Examples
* lprm Examples
* lpc Usage
* Printing from Linux Applications
* redhat-config-printer
* Availability
* Troubleshooting Printing
* Chapter 11 Review

Level 12 : Linux Security

* Basic Levels of Security
* Physical Security
* Grub Security
* User-based Security
* User Accounts & Patterns
* Typical User No-No's
* Delegating Root Authority
* Password Security
* Pluggable Authentication Modules "PAM"
* Permissions
* File and directory permissions
* Controlling Permissions
* Files & Filesystem Security
* Filesystem Monitoring
* Avoiding Trojan Horses
* Encryption
* Introduction to iptables: filters and SNAT/DNAT
* hardening[2]
* Response Strategies
* Demo - Base Permissions
* Chapter 12 Review

Level 13 : Popular Linux Services

* SAMBA Naming, overview and components
* Exploring/Browsing Directories
* Browsing Resources with Linux Commands
* Letting Linux Use a Windows Printer
* Official SAMBA Website
* Web Servers:
* Apache Web Server: Naming confusion and configuration files
* Nginx
* What is Squid?
* Demo - Connecting to a Linux Machine
* Demo - Getting a list of Running Services

Level 14 : Operation and Monitoring

* Configuration management
* Monitoring tools: (Nagios, Zabbix), w:Icinga

Level 15 : Performance and Troubleshooting

Level 16: Benchmarking tools

## See also

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* Installing Linux
* Linux/Basic commands
* Linux/Directories
* dbus and dbus-uuidgen utility

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filesystem_Hierarchy_Standard
2. ↑ https://dev-sec.io/baselines/linux/