Linux

This series provides a general overview of the Linux operating system. Topics include partitioning and the boot process, basic system configuration, file management, and text stream processing. The series also covers user management, group management, and file permissions. Administrative tasks covered in this series include basic job scheduling utilities, as well as system backup strategies and strategies for system documentation and user support.

Syllabus

PARTITIONS AND THE BOOT PROCESS

Introduces users to the process of preparing a hard drive for use with the Linux operating system and explains the Linux boot process.

• Understanding Partitions
• Understanding fdisk
• Creating a Primary Partition
• Creating a Swap Partition
• Creating an Extended Partition
• Formatting Partitions
• Understanding File System Organization
• Booting Linux
• Understanding Runlevels
• Understanding the init Daemon
• Understanding LILO
• Shutting Down Linux

FILE MANAGEMENT

Introduces users to the commands necessary to create, view, copy, move, and delete files on a Linux system.

• Using Manual Pages
• Changing Directories
• Listing Directory Contents
• Identifying File Types
• Creating, Viewing, and Appending Files
• Paging Through Files
• Modifying Access and Modification Data
• Copying Files and Directories
• Moving Files and Directories
• Creating Directories
• Deleting Files and Directories
• Understanding Regular Expressions
• Searching File Content with grep
• Archiving Files with tar
• Compressing and Uncompressing Files with gzip
• Using gzip with tar

GNU AND LINUX COMMANDS

Introduces users to shells and shows users how to configure user and environment variables and how to manage processes on a Linux system.

• Understanding Shells
• Typing at the Command Line
• Editing and the Command Line
• Understanding Variables
• Customizing Environment Variables
• Working with the PATH Variable
• Working with the PROMPT Variable
• Working with the HOME Variable
• Understanding the HISTORY File
• Viewing the HISTORY File with fc
• Understanding Processes
• Listing Processes with ps and top
• Editing Process Priority with nice
• Managing Jobs
• Sending Signals to Processes

FILE SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

Shows users how to mount and unmount file systems, verify file system integrity, perform disk maintenance tasks, manage disk quotas, create links to files, and locate files.

• Mounting Filesystems
• Unmounting Filesystems
• Filesystem Configuration Files
• Using fsck
• Checking Disk Usage
• Disk Maintenance
• Understanding Disk Quotas
• Enabling Disk Quotas
• Setting Disk Quotas
• Verifying Disk Quotas
• Understanding Links
• Creating Hard Links
• Creating Symbolic Links
• Understanding the System File Hierarchy
• Locating Files with find
• Locating Files with locate
• Locating Commands with which

USERS AND GROUPS

Shows users how to create and manage user accounts and how to manage groups.

• Using root
• Understanding the /etc/passwd File
• Managing User Passwords
• Creating Users by Editing /etc/passwd
• Creating Users with useradd
• Modifying Users with usermod
• Deleting Users
• Special User Accounts
• Understanding Groups
• Creating Groups
• Identifying Default Groups
• Modifying and Deleting Groups
• Understanding Systems Groups
• Working with Shadow Passwords
• Understanding User Startup Files

TEXT STREAMS

Shows users basic Linux commands for editing, filtering, and manipulating text.

• Filtering Text with sed
• Sorting Text with sort
• Selecting Characters with cut and paste
• Viewing Partial Files
• Editing Text with fmt
• Using join
• Modifying Tabs and Line Numbers
• Dividing Files with pr and split
• Editing File Contents with tr
• Counting Words
• Understanding Input and Output
• Redirecting Output
• Directing Output Using Pipes
• Using tee and xargs

PERMISSIONS

Shows users how to manage user and group permissions for files and directories.

• Changing the Owner of a File
• Changing the Group for a File
• Understanding File and Directory Access
• Understanding File Access
• Understanding Directory Access
• Changing Permissions with Symbols
• Changing Permissions with Numbers
• Special Permissions
• Setting Default Permissions

ADMINISTRATION AND DOCUMENTATION

Shows users how to schedule jobs, manage system logging, and document their own Linux systems.

• Scheduling Jobs with at
• Managing Jobs scheduled with at
• Scheduling Jobs with batch
• Scheduling Jobs with crontab
• Managing cron Jobs
• Managing System Logging with syslogd
• Configuring syslogd
• Managing Logs
• Rotating Logs
• Archiving Logs
• Using Logs for Troubleshooting
• Documenting and Supporting Your System
• Using Documentation
• Managing Documentation Support

BACKUP AND RESTORE

Introduces users to the process of planning a backup strategy and shows them how to create and restore a backup.

• Identifying Backup Requirements
• Choosing a Backup Strategy
• Planning a Backup
• Choosing a Backup Type
• Backup Storage and Retention
• Restoring Files from Backup
• Creating Backups with tar
• Restoring Files with tar
• Creating and Restoring Backups with cpio

Qualifications

Qualification: Printable Transcript

On completion of this course you may print a transcript off as evidence of your progression throughout the course.

Requirements for Entry

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

Study Options

If you do not have Internet access, or would prefer to study this course via the traditional paper/postal based study method, you can find more information on the course by clicking on the link below.

Study Hours

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 40 hrs.