Linux Systems Administration

Linux training is available both on-site for corporate customers and on-campus.

The on-campus Linux class runs for ten consecutive Monday evenings from 6PM to 9PM.

The on-site Linux class for corporate customers can be delivered Monday thru Friday from 9AM to 5PM. We can also arrange to deliver the Linux Administration class in various time configurations suitable for your employee needs.

LINUX ADMINISTRATION

The LINUX course is described below. This Linux class can also be customized to meet your organizations particular needs.

Linux Course Description

This course will help you become an expert in the world's most popular open source operating system. You'll learn all the internals of how Linux boots, runs, and operates. You'll master system administration tasks ranging from adding users, disk partitions, and network routes to monitoring system resources including memory, CPU, and disk space. Learn how to install a dual boot system, set up a firewall, build a router, and run FTP and web servers all on Linux. The course will get as low-level as discussing kernel loadable modules and as high-level as understanding the Linux GUI. Upon completion students will be comfortable with installing, configuring, and maintaining all aspects of a Linux system including downloading and installing thousands of free/open source software applications. If you've always wanted to learn UNIX or simply want to free yourself from the high-cost limited-functionality of Microsoft then Linux is the perfect place to start.

LINUX Course Overview

Monday, 9AM – 5PM ( or two evening sessions)

• Linux Overview
• History of Linux
• Advantages of Linux
• Common Linux features
• Installing Linux
• Quick install
• Detailed install
• Installing Linux packages
• Troubleshooting your install
• Using Linux
• Logging in to Linux
• Understanding and using the shell
• Linux file system
• Using the GNOME desktop
• Using the KDE desktop
• Running Applications on Linux

Tuesday, 9AM – 5PM( or two evening sessions)

• Using the Internet tools
• System Administration
• Using root login
• Reconfiguring hardware with kudzu
• Checking system space
• Working with file systems
• Automating System Tasks
• System Initialization
• System start-up and shutdown
• Scheduling system tasks
• Backing Up and Restoring Files
• Selecting a backup strategy
• Backing up to Hard Drive
• Automatic backup with cron
• Network backups
• Restoring backed up files
• Computer Security Issues
• Using filtered Network access
• Using firewalls to protect your network
• Running security audits

Wednesday, 9AM – 5PM(or two evening sessions)

• Setting up a local area network
• Connecting to the Internet
• Setting up Proxy Server
• Setting up Proxy Clients
• Setting up a File Server
• Setting up an NFS File Server in Linux
• Setting up a Samba File Server in Linux
• Setting up a Print Servers
• Setting up Samba

Thursday, 9AM – 5PM(or two evening sessions)

• Setting up an FTP Server
• Understanding FTP servers
• Using the WU-FTPD (Washington University)
• Setting up a Web Server
• Understanding Web Servers
• Configuring the Apache Web Server
• Monitoring Server Activities
• Setting up Boot Servers
• Using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
• Setting up a DHCP Server
• Setting up a DHCP Client
• Understanding NIS (Network Information Service)
• Setting up Linux an NIS Client
• Setting up Linux as an NIS Master Server
• Setting up Linux as an NIS Slave Server

Friday, 9AM – 5PM(or two evening sessions)

• Setting up a DNS Server
• Linux RPM’s
• Running Network Services
• LINUX Course Outline Details

Day 1 

• Introduction and Overview
• What is Linux
• History of Linux
• What's Different about Linux/GNU
• Open Source/Free Software
• Linux Components
• Resources
• Installation
• HW Requirements
• Obtaining Linux
• Install Program
• Partitioning
• Dual Boot
• GRUB/LILO

Day 2

• Using Linux
  • User Commands
  • Pipes - I/O/ERR Redirection
  • Shells
• Boot Process
  • Boot Up/Shut Down
  • GRUB/LILO
  • Init Process
  • /etc/inittab
  • RC Scripts

Day 3

• GUI
  • X Windows (XFree86)
  • Motif/GTK/Qt
  • GNOME/KDE
• GUI Applications
  • MS-Windows/MacOS Apps. vs. Linux
  • Mozilla, OpenOffice.org, GIMP, Dia, etc.
• System Administration
  • Managing Startup Programs
  • Monitoring System Resources
  • Administrator Commands
  • Adding/Mounting Filesystems
  • Adding Users/Groups
  • Changing Hostname
  • Changing IP address
  • Changing System Settings
  • Virtual Interfaces
  • Managing xinetd Services
  • Syslog
  • /etc/syslog.conf
  • facility.level
  • loghost(s)
• Kernel Adminstration
  • /etc/sysctl.conf
  • lsmod, rmmod, modinfoksyms

Day 4

• Obtaining/Installing New Applications
  • Binary Format
  • RPM format
  • GNU (FSF)
  • Source Forge
  • TAR format
• Source Code
  • Compiling
  • nm, ldd, gcc, cc1, as
  • Stripped vs. Unstripped Binaries
• Compiling the Kernel
• Naming Services
  • /etc/nsswitch.conf
  • DNS
  • NIS
• NFS
  • mount
  • /etc/exports
  • exportfs
• FTP
  • vs-ftpd / wu-ftpd
  • Anonymous FTP
• Web Server
  • Apache

Day 5

• Samba
  • /etc/samba/smb.conf
  • smbclient
  • SWAT
• Security
  • Firewalls: ipchains, iptables
  • Tripwire
• Cron
• Backups
  • tar
  • ufsdump
• Version Differences

Please note that an on-site class day is equivalent to two evening on-campus class sessions.

For additional information contact:

Dorothy Zanni, Director of  IT and Industry Programs
  email:    Dorothy.Zanni@merrimack.edu 
  phone:   978-837-5154