Linux Administration Made Easy

by Steve Frampton, <frampton@LinuxNinja.com>

The “Linux Administration Made Easy” (LAME) guide attempts to describe day-to-day administration and maintenance issues commonly faced by Linux system administrators. Part of the Linux Documentation Project.

Table of Contents

1. Preface

Acknowledgements
Copyright Information and Legal Disclaimers
A Plea for Help

2. Introduction

Scope
Choosing a Linux Distribution

3. Linux Overview

What is Linux?
Breaking the Myths
One User's Perspective

4. Installation and Hardware Configuration

Creating an Installation Diskette

Booting Linux Installation Program

Partitioning Hard Drive(s)

Setting up Swap Space

Choosing Partitions to Format

Choosing Desired Packages to Install

Hardware Configuration

Booting with LILO

Multi-boot with Other Operating Systems

Downloading and Installing Red Hat Updates

5. Configuring the X Window System

Getting the X Window System Working with X-Configurator
Using the X Desktop Manager
Improving Font Appearance Under X
Choosing a Window Manager for X
GNOME Installation and Configuration
KDE Installation and Configuration

6. General System Administration Issues

Root Account
Creating User Accounts
Changing User Passwords
Disabling User Accounts
Removing User Accounts
Linux Password & Shadow File Formats
System Shutdown and Restart

7. Custom Configuration and Administration Issues

Web Server and HTTP Caching Proxy Administration
Domain Name Server (DNS) Configuration and Administration
Internet User Authentication with TACACS
Windows-style File and Print Services with Samba
Macintosh-style File and Print Services with Netatalk
Network File System (NFS) Services
Configuration from A-Z with Linuxconf

8. Backup and Restore Procedures

Server Backup Procedures

Backing up with ``tar'':
Backing up with ``KDat'':

Server Restore Procedures

Restoring with ``tar'':
Restoring with ``KDat'':

Cisco Router Configuration Backups

9. Various & Sundry Administrative Tasks

Checking Storage Space
Managing Processes
Starting and Stopping Processes
Automating Tasks with Cron and Crontab files

10. Upgrading Linux and Other Applications

Using the Red Hat Package Manager (RPM)
Installing or Upgrading Without RPM
Strategies for Keeping an Up-to-date System
Linux Kernel Upgrades
Upgrading a Red Hat Stock Kernel
Building a Custom Kernel
Moving to the Linux 2.2.x Kernels
Configuring the Apache Web Server
Configuring the Squid HTTP Caching Proxy Daemon
Configuring the Sendmail E-mail Daemon

11. Enterprise Computing with Linux

Performance Tuning
High Availability with RAID
Server Migration and Scalability Issues

12. Strategies for Keeping a Secure Server

13. Help! Trouble in Paradise!

Getting Linux Installed on new, Unsupported Hardware
File System Corruption after Power Outage or System Crash
Where to Turn for Help
Pointers to Additional Documentation

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		Preface