1. Chapter 1: Introducing Linux
The Complete Guide To Linux System Administration

2. Objectives
Describe how Linux was created and how it compares to other operating systems
List versions of Linux currently available
Outline the skills required and challenges facing a system administrator
Log in and begin using a Linux system
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

3. Objectives (continued)
Explore a Linux file system from the command line
Locate additional information about commands you want to use or learn about
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

4. A Brief History Popular graphical computers Linux Apple Macintosh
Microsoft Windows
Linux
Alternative for people whose computing needs require something different
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

5. Understanding Operating Systems
Software
Collection of instructions that control the tasks a computer performs
Can be changed without disassembling the computer and rewiring
Operating system
Software that helps other programs control computer hardware and interact with users
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

6. Understanding Operating Systems (continued)
Application
Software program that provides service for computer user
Cannot act without “permission” from operating system
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

7. Operating System Functions
Initialize computer hardware
Allocate system resources to programs
Keep track of multiple programs running at same time
Provide organized method for all programs to use system devices
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

8. Operating System Functions (continued)
Major operating system components:
Kernel
Device drivers
Shell
Utility programs
Graphical user interface (GUI)
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

9. The UNIX Operating System
Originally created at AT&T Bell Labs in early 1970s
Designed to control networked computers that were shared by many users
Features and low cost of Linux effectively driving UNIX out of market
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

10. The Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project
Free software foundation (FSF)
Software itself should not be restricted in distribution by standard commercial license agreement
GNU project
Completely free version of UNIX
Written from scratch
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

11. The Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project (continued)
Software license
Legal definition of who can use software and how it can be used
GNU general public license (GPL)
Very different from standard commercial software license
Author agrees to give away source code
Anyone is licensed to redistribute it in any form
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

12. The Free Software Foundation and the GNU Project (continued)
GNU GPL
Any modifications to the source code must be licensed under the GPL
Sometimes called copyleft
OpenSource
Refers to software licensed under GPL
Public domain
No one has copyright to software
Not same as GPL
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

13. Linux Arrives Linus Torvalds Linux development method
Decided to create UNIX-like operating system kernel for IBM-compatible PC
Solicited help via Internet
Released Linux kernel under GPL
Linux development method
Person identifies need and begins writing program
Developer announces project on Internet
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

14. Linux Arrives (continued)
Linux development method (continued)
Others respond and work on different parts of project
Person leading project releases software
People download source code and try program; send back information about problems
Developers fix bugs
Forking
Creating new project based on existing source code
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

15. Motivating Free Software Developers
Why would so many people devote so much effort to something without expecting any reward?
Fills developer’s specific technical need
Respect of like-minded professionals
Sense of contribution and community
Valuable boost to developer’s resume
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

16. The Strengths Of Linux Stability Security Speed Cost
Multiprocessing and other high-end features
Applications
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

17. Linux In The Market Linux is packaged and sold Red hat software
Current market leader
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

18. Linux Distributions Linux distribution System utilities Price
Productized version of Linux
Includes operating system kernel along with other components
System utilities
Related to managing Linux system
Price
Generally between $2 and $100
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

19. Linux Distributions (continued)
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

20. Red Hat Software Fedora distribution
Free product
Red Hat Enterprise Linux configurations
WS (workstation)
ES (enterprise server)
AS (application server)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Sold as subscription service
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

21. Red Hat Software (continued)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Updates from Red Hat Network (RHN)
Red Hat
Excels in service and support offered to large companies using Linux
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

22. Hardware Requirements
Can run on very minimal hardware
Recommend that computer have minimum of:
1 GB of free disk space
64 MB of RAM
For Red Hat Enterprise Linux installations:
256 MB of RAM
300 MHZ CPU
800 MB of free disk space
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

23. Version Numbering Version numbers assigned to:
Each release of Linux kernel
Each component of Linux distribution
Linux distributions
Most users select latest available version
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

24. Version Numbering (continued)
Kernel version number components
Major version number
Minor version number
Even indicates production release
Odd indicates development release
Patch-level number
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

25. Linux Certification Industry certification programs
Red Hat Certified Technician
Red Hat Certified Engineer
LPI Certification
Linux Certified Administrator (LCA) Certification
Linux+ Certification
Novell Certified Linux Engineer
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

26. Linux Certification (continued)
Red Hat’s certification program
Very highly regarded
Training program consists of three courses
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

27. The Work of a System Administrator
Linux is increasingly part of information technology infrastructure of large organizations
Knowledge of Linux can set you on path to a fulfilling and profitable career
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

28. Careers in Linux System administrator Network administrator
Software engineer
Trainer
Technical writer
Product marketing
Business consultant
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

29. The Duties of a System Administrator
Role
Make technology work and continue to work for those who do “real work” of organization
Enable others to use technology benefits
Responsibilities
Create new user accounts
Maintain system hardware
Train end users
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

30. The Duties of a System Administrator (continued)
Responsibilities
Keep system running smoothly
Document system
Define procedures and policies
Recover from emergencies
Plan systems
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

31. Ethics, Privacy, and the Law
Working as system administrator involves many ethical issues
Fellow employees count on your work to do theirs
Best route to success comes through making employer successful
System administrators guild (SAGE)
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

32. Starting To Use Linux
Should have access to computer with Linux installed
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

33. Logging In Log in User account
Identify yourself to operating system so that it knows:
You are authorized to use system
Which parts of system to permit you to access
User account
Set of permissions to use system
Has associated user name and password
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

34. Logging In (continued)
Modes
Graphical
Text
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

35. Graphical Environments
Popular desktops
KDE desktop
GNOME desktop
Features
Taskbar
Main menu
Desktop icons
Multiple overlapping windows
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

36. Opening a Terminal Window
Resembles console
Enter commands from keyboard
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

37. Exploring the File System
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

38. File System Concepts Files are organized into directories
Names are case sensitive
Names can be long
Names may contain many different types of characters
Can include file extensions
Not required
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

39. File System Concepts (continued)
Directory relationships
Parent directory
Subdirectory
Path
List of directories
Absolute path
Relative path
Linux does not have separate drives
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

40. File System Concepts (continued)
Root directory
Parent of all directories /
/Usr subdirectory
Contains the greatest number of files and subdirectories on newly installed systems
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

41. Managing Files With Graphical Utilities
File manager
Displays contents of a directory as collection of icons or file names
Manage files and directories
Choose Browse Filesystem on main menu
Home directory
Subdirectory where all personal files are stored
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

42. Working at a Command Line
Linux system administrators should be very comfortable working at command line
Much faster way to perform most tasks
Some tasks cannot be use graphical interface
Commands
pwd  mv  slocate
cd  ls  file
mkdir  cat  cp
rmdir  touch
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

43. Working at a Command Line (continued)
Command-line prompt consists of:
User name
Name of computer at which you are working
Last directory name in current working directory
$ character
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

44. Working at a Command Line (continued)
Parameters
Define what command will operate on
Options
Alter how command operates
Timestamp
Information about date and time when event occurred
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

45. Finding Command Help Learn more details
Explore additional Linux topics
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

46. Reading Linux Documentation
Linux documentation project (LDP)
HOWTOS
Linux on the internet
Documentation included with software packages
Software packages provide some documentation
/Usr/doc
/Usr/share/doc
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

47. Linux Command Information
Man pages
Online manual pages
Man command
Info page
Definitive source of information
Info command
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

66. Summary Operating system Linux offers important features, such as:
Provides interface between computer hardware and applications run by user
Linux offers important features, such as:
Stability
Speed
Security
Flexibility
Low cost
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

67. Summary (continued) Several Linux certification programs are available
Several versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Most users rely on GUI to log in and use Linux
Text-only mode also available
Information in Linux is stored in directories
Begins with root directory /
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration

68. Summary (continued) Linux files can include file extensions
Few Linux programs rely on file extensions to define what file contains
Information about Linux is available online
Part of LDP
The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration