Practical Linux System Administration

This essential guide covers all aspects of Linux system administration, from user maintenance, backups, filesystem housekeeping, storage management, and network setup to hardware and software troubleshooting and some application management. It’s both a practical daily reference manual for sysadmins and IT pros and a handy study guide for those taking Linux certification exams.

You’ll turn to it frequently, not only because of the sheer volume of valuable information it provides but because of the real-world examples within and the clear, useful way the information is presented.

With this book at your side, you’ll be able to:

• Install Linux and perform initial setup duties, such as connecting to a network
• Navigate the Linux filesystem via the command line
• Install software from repositories and source and satisfy dependencies
• Set permissions on files and directories
• Create, modify, and remove user accounts
• Set up networking
• Format and mount filesystems
• Perform basic troubleshooting on hardware and software
• Create and manage logical volumes
• Work with SELinux
• Manage a firewall and iptables
• Shut down, reboot, and recover a system
• Perform backups and restores

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Getting Started with Linux

Chapter 2. Working with Permissions and Privileged Accounts

Chapter 3. Customizing the User Experience

Chapter 4. Managing Users

Chapter 5. Connecting to a Network

Chapter 6. Installing and Uninstalling Software

Chapter 7. Managing Storage

Chapter 8. Maintaining System Health

Chapter 9. Monitoring Your System

Chapter 10. Scripting and Automation

Chapter 11. Deploying Samba for Windows Compatibility

Chapter 12. Troubleshooting Linux

Chapter 13. Securing Your System

Chapter 14. Continuing Your Education

Chapter 15. Making Career Moves

I love to teach. Some of my earliest memories are of teaching other kids to do something—play chess, paint, or build forts for action figures. I taught other students in high school and college. Teaching is something I do naturally. When I write articles, whitepapers, or books, I adopt the role of a teacher. I place the reader in a classroom and teach them tasks or concepts, such as changing permissions on a file or adding a new user to a system. This is how my mind works. This book, like almost everything I write, is a manifestation of that almost innate desire to teach, pass on some knowledge, and plant a seed of curiosity that grows, blossoms, and spreads to others. I hope you find inspiration in this book that leads you to do the same.

Who Should Read This Book

This book is for anyone who wants to explore Linux for the first time as a system administrator or for someone who wants to transition to such a role for work or as a serious hobby. It’s also meant for those preparing to take certification exams requiring some Linux knowledge.

Why I Wrote This Book

I wrote this book to fill existing knowledge gaps for system administrators. I would have purchased this book for myself early in my career and kept it at my desk for reference. Sure, there’s plenty of technical information in the book, as you might expect, but there’s also career guidance and some coverage of the nontechnical aspects of being a system administrator.

About the Author

Kenneth Hess has been a Linux system administrator for more than 25 years and a technology writer and journalist for the past 20 years. Ken has written hundreds of articles covering desktop Linux, virtualization, databases, and the general topic of system administration.