Building a Linux Server

Overview

For all the incredible progress that Linux has been making in the desktop arena, the biggest impact of Linux is in the server marketplace, where it has been competing with both Windows and UNIX products. For many years now, several vendors have been providing a professional maintenance and support contracts for Linux, and this facilitated a reliable deployment of Linux machines in high availability 'mission critical' enterprise installations.
This course will guide the delegates through the complete process of building a Linux server. We will start by installing a very basic, minimal system. As we progress through the course, we will continue building an effective server machine, by adding and configuring most commonly used server applications, tools and programs. Many third-party applications will be referred to. Some will be installed and discussed with fair amount of detail, some will be mentioned and given only a brief recognition.

The course platform will be a distribution best lending itself to the smallest initial footprint. However, the discussions, material and exercises address every major Linux strand, and wherever specific tool, technique or method is relevant, Red Hat and other distribution specifics will be pointed out.

Target audience

All existing Linux administrators, analysts, or system architects responsible for building, deploying and maintaining servers based on a Linux operating system. Also, experienced UNIX or network administrators who need to port their skills to Linux.

Prerequisites

• Delegates should have previously attended the Advanced Linux Administration course (or have equivalent knowledge) and have several months-worth of practical experience of administering a Linux system
• Alternatively, they must be able to demonstrate a solid experience (typically several years) of any UNIX system administration

Delegates will learn how to

Delegates will learn how to:

• Install a minimal server
• Configure and use tools for direct and remote server connectivity
• Install and configure DHCP
• Install and configure DNS server
• Share files through SAMBA
• Build and use a local software repository (YUM and APT)
• Install and configure LDAP server and client
• Implement a selection of file integrity techniques and tools
• Understand and be able to apply backup tools and applications
• Understand the architecture and install a basic LAMP server system
• Make use of integral and third party server monitoring tools
• Understand the architecture and components of a mail server
• Build a fully automated server deployment infrastructure

Course Outline.

Introductions

Course pre-requisites; Linux server market; Introduction to distributions considered in this course - Red Hat and Debian derivatives (CentOS and Ubuntu); Understand your kernel; Webmin - common denominator GUI administration; Web resources and forums

Server Installation

What's a server...; Server choices: Red Hat, SUSE, Debian, LFS; Installing bare-bone server: no GUI, only SSH service installed

Basic Server Maintenance

Working as super-user: su vs. sudo; Interesting directories: /boot, /proc, /etc/sysconfig; Kernel parameters: changing values dynamically in /proc and changing values permanently with sysctl command; Review of essential OS-level tools: process, network and service control tools; Software packages - formats and management tools

Software Management

Linux Software Package; Packaging in Red Hat and SUSE; Packaging in Debian and Ubuntu; Installing, checking status and removing packages; Installing software supplied as source code; Handling kernel patches; Automatic software updates; Using yum in Red Hat and SUSE; Using APT tools in Debian and Ubuntu

Getting Connected

Obtaining IP configuration: RARP, BOOTP, DHCP; Network time protocol; Hardware vs. software clock; Daemons and configuration

Configuring DNS

DNS - purpose and principles; Configuring a client to use a nameserver: setting your domain and order of searching; Downloading and installing BIND9 software components; Implementing a nameserver; Writing resource records; Setting up the server software; Debugging your nameserver

Samba Server

What is SAMBA: SMB protocol and its purpose; Installing and configuring SAMBA components: configuration file: /etc/samba/smb.conf, special and user sections, the [global] section; SAMBA daemon and diagnostic tools: smbd, nmbd, smbstatus, testparm, SWAT; SAMBA client tools: nmlookup, smbclient, smbtree, smbtar; Viewing SAMBA shares in Windows

Building a Local Repository

Repository replication types: local repository, proxy mirror, full mirror; Repository structures: RPMs and DEBs are organised differently; Creating local repository; Pros and cons for having local repository; Steps in building the local repo, for YUM or APT

Grasping LDAP

LDAP introduction: the need and origins; Database and LDAP schemas: object classes and attribute grouping, schema files; Client and server installation; Software elements and configuration; Client/server communication; Command line administration tools

Backup Tools and Applications

Standard copying and saving tools: dd, rsync, pax; Backup applications: BackupPC, Bacula, Amanda.

Overview of File Integrity Tools

AppArmor ; etckeeper; logwatch

Server Monitoring

Kernel parameter tuning and tracing; Traditional system performance tools: sar, family of *stat tools; Add-on applications: Nagios, Munin, Zabbix, others...

Overview of Serving Mail

Protocols & Services; Network super-daemons: inetd, xinetd ; TCP wrapper with tcpd; Network time protocol; Hardware vs. software clock; Daemons and configuration