Linux System Administration

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Linux System Administration

Solve Real-life Linux Problems Quickly

By: Tom Adelstein, Bill Lubanovic
Publisher:: O'Reilly Media
Released:: March 2007
Pages:: 304

Description

For experienced system administrators looking to acquire Linux skills, and seasoned Linux users facing a new challenge, this book offers practical knowledge for managing a complete range of Linux systems and servers. It summarizes the steps you need to build everything from standalone SOHO hubs, web servers, and LAN servers to load balanced clusters and servers consolidated through virtualization. You'll also learn to back up data and create shell scripts.

Full Description

If you're an experienced system administrator looking to acquire Linux skills, or a seasoned Linux user facing a new challenge, Linux System Administration offers practical knowledge for managing a complete range of Linux systems and servers. The book summarizes the steps you need to build everything from standalone SOHO hubs, web servers, and LAN servers to load-balanced clusters and servers consolidated through virtualization. Along the way, you'll learn about all of the tools you need to set up and maintain these working environments.

Linux is now a standard corporate platform with users numbering in the hundreds of millions, and there is a definite shortage of talented administrators. Linux System Administration is ideal as an introduction to Linux for Unix veterans, MCSEs, and mainframe administrators, and as an advanced (and refresher) guide for existing Linux administrators who will want to jump into the middle of the book. Inside, you'll learn how to:

Set up a stand-alone Linux server

Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot a DNS server using BIND

Build an Internet server to manage sites, perform email and file transfers, and more

Set up an email service for a small-to-medium-sized site, complete with authentication

Install and configure Apache, PHP, and MySQL on a web server built from scratch

Combine computers into a load-balanced Apache web server cluster based on the free Linux Virtual Server

Set up local network services from distributed file systems to DHCP services, gateway services, print services, user management and more

Use Linux virtualization with Xen or VMWare to run multiple kernels on one piece of hardware; manage each kernel's access to processor time, devices, and memory

Create shell scripts and adapt them for your own needs

Back up and restore data with rsync, tar, cdrecord, Amanda, and MySQL tools

Linux System Administration is not only knowledgeable and practical, but convenient. The ingredients for this book had been scattered throughout mailing lists, forums, and discussion groups, as well as books, periodicals, and the experiences of colleagues. Everything is now in one handy guide. In the course of their research, the authors also solved many problems whose solutions were completely undocumented. They now pass their lessons on to you.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Requirements for a Linux System Administrator
1. About This Book
2. How Can We Help?
3. Where Do You Start?
4. Do You Need a Book?
5. Who Needs You?
6. What System Managers Should Know About Linux
7. What's Next
Chapter 2 Setting Up a Linux Multifunction Server
1. Server Requirements
2. Installing Debian
3. Logging in Remotely
4. Configuring the Network
5. Changing the Default Debian Packages
6. Setting Up Quotas
7. Providing Domain Name Services
8. Adding a Relational Database: MySQL
9. Configuring Mail Securely with Postfix, POP3, and IMAP
10. Putting Apache to Work
11. Adding FTP Services with ProFTPD
12. Summarizing Your Web Statistics with Webalizer
13. Synchronizing the System Clock
14. Installing Perl Modules Needed by SpamAssassin
15. What's Next
Chapter 3 The Domain Name System
1. DNS Basics
2. Getting into the BIND
3. Setting Up a DNS Server
4. Configuring an Authoritative DNS Server
5. Editing the Configuration Files
6. BIND Tools
7. Troubleshooting BIND
8. What's Next
Chapter 4 An Initial Internet-Ready Environment
1. Installing ISPConfig
2. Setting Up a Server and Users with ISPConfig
3. Safeguarding a Linux Web Server
4. What's Next
Chapter 5 Mail
1. Key Mail Service Terms
2. Postfix, Sendmail, and Other MTAs
3. The Postfix SMTP Mail Server on Debian
4. Adding Authentication and Encryption
5. Configuring POP3 and IMAP Mail Delivery Agents
6. Email Client Configuration
7. What's Next
Chapter 6 Administering Apache
1. Static and Dynamic Files
2. A Simple LAMP Setup
3. Installation
4. Apache Configuration Files
5. Logfiles
6. SSL/TLS Encryption
7. suEXEC Support
8. Benchmarking
9. Installing and Administering Drupal
10. Troubleshooting
11. Further Reading
Chapter 7 Load-Balanced Clusters
1. Load Balancing and High Availability
2. Scaling Without LB and HA
3. Further Reading
Chapter 8 Local Network Services
1. Distributed Filesystems
2. Introduction to Samba
3. Configuring the Network
4. DHCP
5. Gateway Services
6. Print Services
7. User Management
Chapter 9 Virtualization in the Modern Enterprise
1. Why Virtualization Is Popular
2. High-Performance Computing
3. Installing Xen on Fedora 5
4. Installing VMware
5. Virtualization: A Passing Fad?
Chapter 10 Scripting
1. bash Beginnings
2. Useful Elements for bash Scripts
3. Scripting Language Shootout
4. Further Reading
Chapter 11 Backing Up Data
1. Backing Up User Data to a Server with rsync
2. tar Archives
3. Saving Files on Optical Media
4. Backing Up and Archiving to Tape with Amanda
5. Backing Up MySQL Data

Appendix bash Script Samples
1. Adding Users
2. Random Password Generator
3. Authoritative DNS Lookup
4. Integrating ssh and screen
About the Authors
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Product Details

Title:

Linux System Administration

By:

Tom Adelstein, Bill Lubanovic

Publisher:

O'Reilly Media

Formats:

Print
Ebook
Safari Books Online

Print Release:

March 2007

Ebook Release:

June 2009

Pages:

304

Print ISBN:

978-0-596-00952-6

| ISBN 10:

0-596-00952-6

Ebook ISBN:

978-0-596-15926-9

| ISBN 10:

0-596-15926-9

Customer Reviews

About the Authors

Tom Adelstein

Tom Adelstein works as a system administrator and a technical writer. He became a young author by accident in 1985 and has written prolifically ever since. Tom's career began in public accounting and investment banking where he excelled by using computer technology to help his companies become industry leaders in the financial service sector. In 1993, he decided to change industries completely to pursue information technology full time. He says he chose to follow his heart instead of his head.

View Tom Adelstein's full profile page.
Bill Lubanovic

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View Bill Lubanovic's full profile page.

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O'Reilly Books & Videos

Linux System Administration

Solve Real-life Linux Problems Quickly

Chapter 1 Requirements for a Linux System Administrator

About This Book

How Can We Help?

Where Do You Start?

Do You Need a Book?

Who Needs You?

What System Managers Should Know About Linux

What's Next

Chapter 2 Setting Up a Linux Multifunction Server

Server Requirements

Installing Debian

Logging in Remotely

Configuring the Network

Changing the Default Debian Packages

Setting Up Quotas

Providing Domain Name Services

Adding a Relational Database: MySQL

Configuring Mail Securely with Postfix, POP3, and IMAP

Putting Apache to Work

Adding FTP Services with ProFTPD

Summarizing Your Web Statistics with Webalizer

Synchronizing the System Clock

Installing Perl Modules Needed by SpamAssassin

What's Next

Chapter 3 The Domain Name System

DNS Basics

Getting into the BIND

Setting Up a DNS Server

Configuring an Authoritative DNS Server

Editing the Configuration Files

BIND Tools

Troubleshooting BIND

What's Next

Chapter 4 An Initial Internet-Ready Environment

Installing ISPConfig

Setting Up a Server and Users with ISPConfig

Safeguarding a Linux Web Server

What's Next

Chapter 5 Mail

Key Mail Service Terms

Postfix, Sendmail, and Other MTAs

The Postfix SMTP Mail Server on Debian

Adding Authentication and Encryption

Configuring POP3 and IMAP Mail Delivery Agents

Email Client Configuration

What's Next

Chapter 6 Administering Apache

Static and Dynamic Files

A Simple LAMP Setup

Installation

Apache Configuration Files

Logfiles

SSL/TLS Encryption

suEXEC Support

Benchmarking

Installing and Administering Drupal

Troubleshooting

Further Reading

Chapter 7 Load-Balanced Clusters

Load Balancing and High Availability

Scaling Without LB and HA

Further Reading

Chapter 8 Local Network Services

Distributed Filesystems

Introduction to Samba

Configuring the Network

DHCP

Gateway Services

Print Services

User Management

Chapter 9 Virtualization in the Modern Enterprise

Why Virtualization Is Popular

High-Performance Computing

Installing Xen on Fedora 5

Installing VMware

Virtualization: A Passing Fad?

Chapter 10 Scripting