Linux Training Overview
Intended for administrators proficient in Unix environments, this course helps administrators transition their Unix skills to the Linux environment. This accelerated fast track course course concentrates on the popular Red Hat Enterprise Linux distribution, and covers subjects ranging from initial installation of Linux to day-to-day administrative tasks such as management of user accounts and disk space. Also covered is setup and maintenance of many of the most popular network services available for Linux, including servers for DNS, SMB, e-mail servers, FTP, web, and caching proxy. Special attention is paid to the concepts needed to implement these services securely, and to the trouble-shooting skills which will be necessary for real-world administration of network and system services.
Individuals wishing to take this class should already have a solid grounding in UNIX administration concepts. Fundamentals such as an understanding of the Linux filesystem, process management, and the ability to manipulate and edit files is considered a must and will not be covered in class. An understanding of network concepts, and the TCP/IP protocol suite is helpful.
Linux Training Prerequisites
Courseware supports latest versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Fedora Core, SUSE LINUX Professional, and SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server.
Linux Training Course duration
40 Hours This course is intended to be taught as a five day 40 hour course. However the content supplied could span more than seven days in length. To keep the course within a targeted 40 hour time frame a consensus between the student and instructor must be made on which topics and labs not to cover. The remaining topics not targeted for exclusion should be covered at an accelerated pace.
Linux Training Course outline
Section 1 Linux Installation
- Pre-Installation Considerations
- Partition Considerations
- Partition Planning
- Filesystem Considerations
- Journaled Filesystems
- Installation Choices
- CD-ROM Installation
- Network Installation
- Local Hard Drive Installation
- FC Personal Desktop Class
- FC Workstation Class
- FC Server Class
- FC Custom Class
- Install Program Interface
- Installation Diagnostics
- Language Selection
- Keyboard Configuration
- Mouse Configuration
- Fedora Install Options
- Automatic Partitioning
- Partitioning with Disk Druid
- Installing a Boot Loader
- Network Configuration
- Security Configuration
- Language Support Selection
- Root Password Configuration
- Time Zone Configuration
- Package Group Selection
- Installing Packages
- Install Finished
- Firstboot
- Finalizing GUI Configuration
- Video Card Configuration
- Monitor Configuration
- Authentication Configuration
Lab 1 - Installation
- Perform a GUI network NFS based workstation install
- Configure LVM and Software RAID at installation time
Section 2 Post-Install System Configuration
- Configuration Utilities
- Configuration Files
- Network Services
- Managing System Time
- Managing Network-Wide Time
- Continual Time Sync - NTP
- Configuring NTP Clients
- Managing Software
- RPM Features, Architecture, and Package Files
- Working With RPMs
- Querying and Verifying with rpm
- Package Dependencies
- Intro to YUM
- Using the YUM command
- Configuring YUM
- YUM Repositories
- YUM Resources
- Common UNIX Printing System
- Defining a Printer
- Kickstart
- Creating Kickstart Files
- Using Kickstart files
Lab 2 - Post-Install Config
- Answer some questions about the system using RPM queries
- Install zsh using RPM
- Troubleshoot and repair a package using RPM verification
- Upgrade the kernel using RPM
- Install the XFCE desktop environment using YUM
- Create and test a custom YUM repository
- Create a custom YUM repository for installing software
- Setup CUPS print queues using: system-config-printer, lpadmin, and the CUPS web interface
- Modify a kickstart file using a text editor
- Create a kickstart file using ksconfig
- Start an install using a pre made kickstart file
Section 3 Boot Process and SysV Init
- Booting Linux on PCs
- GRUB Configuration
- Kernel Boot Parameters
- /sbin/init
- System init Styles
- /etc/inittab
- rc.sysinit
- /etc/init.d and /etc/rcX.d
- rc
- Typical SysV Init Script
- The rc.local file
- Managing Daemons
- Controlling Startup Services
- Shutdown and Reboot
Lab 3 - Boot Process
- Use GRUB to boot into single user mode
- Modify kernel/init parameters in GRUB
- Explore the GRUB interface
- Attach to the /boot filesystem and display the contents of the grub/grub.conf file
- Set a GRUB password
- Modify the lilo.conf creating a new stanza that passes kernel parameters
Section 4 User/Group Administration and NFS
- User Private Group Scheme
- User Administration
- Modifying Accounts
- Group Administration
- Password Aging
- Default User Files
- Controlling Logins
- PAM, PAM Services, and PAM Control Statements
- su, Wheel, and sudo
- DS Client Configuration
- NFS Server Configuration and NFS Clients
- Automounting Filesystems
Lab 4 - User Admin
- Learn to customize /etc/skel
- Learn to add new users and manage password aging
- Practice setting up wheel group behavior for su
- Configure a project directory to take advantage of the user private group scheme
- Configure autofs to access an NFS export
- Configure NIS client as part of the EXAMPLE.COM domain
- Configure autofs to mount home directories
- Switch to using LDAP for authentication
- Setup an NFS server and export directories
Section 5 Filesystem Administration
- Partition Tables
- File System Creation
- Mounting File Systems
- Filesystem Maintenance
- Persistent Block Devices
- udev
- Resizing Filesystems
- File Deletion and Undeletion
- Swap
- Disk Usage
- Configuring Disk Quotas
- Checking Disk Quotas
- Filesystem Attributes
- File Access Control Lists
- Manipulating FACLs
- Viewing FACLs
- Backing Up FACLs
- Backup Hardware
- Tape Libraries
- Backup Software
- Backup Examples
Lab 5 - Filesystem Admin
- Create and activate additional swap space
- Configure and test disk quotas on the /tmp filesystem
- Backup files using tar and cpio over ssh
- Backup files using rsync over ssh
- Backup and restore files with dump and restore
- Create and test an ISO9660 image
Section 6 LVM and RAID
- Logical Volume Management
- Implementing LVM
- Manipulating VGs and LVs
- Advanced LVM Concepts
- Graphical LVM Tool
- RAID Concepts, Tools, Implementation, and Monitoring/Control
Lab 6 - RAID and LVM
- Use command line tools to partition free space
- Configure software RAID-5 with a hot-spare
- Fail a member device of the array, examine the automatic recovery using the hot-spare
- Fail another member device testing RAID-5
- Remove failed member devices, add new devices to array examine the recovery of array
- Partition the drive and create LVM Physical Volumes
- Create a LVM Volume Group and Logical Volume to hold website content
- Verify the operation of LVM snapshots
- Extend and grow the Logical Volume and the ext3 filesystem
Section 7 Task Automation & Process Accounting
- Automating Tasks
- at Access Control
- crontab
- /etc/cron.* Directories
- anacron
- Viewing Processes
- Managing Processes
- System Logging
- /etc/syslog.conf
- Log Management
- Log Anomaly Detector
- Process Accounting
- Using Process Accounting
- Limiting System Resources
- System Status - Memory, I/O, and, CPU
- sar
Lab 7 - Cron & Process Admin
- Create and edit user cron jobs
- Add a system-wide cron task to /etc/cron.hourly
- Install and configure process accounting
- Enable and set process limits
- Remove cron jobs
Section 8 Client Networking
- Linux Network Interfaces
- Ethernet Hardware Tools
- Runtime configuration change
- Configuring Routing Tables
- Advanced Configuration
- Starting and Stopping Interfaces
- Virtual IP Interfaces
- Enabling IPv6
- Interface Bonding
- 802q VLANS
- IP Stack Configuration
- DNS Clients
- DHCP Clients
- Red Hat Configuration Tools
- Network Diagnostics
Lab 8 - Client Networking
- Enable static configuration
- Configure a virtual interface and verify connectivity through the new interface
- Verify Link-Local IPv6 Connectivity
- Configure and Test Site-Local Connectivity
Section 9 The X Window System
- The X Window System
- Xorg
- Configuring X
- X Fonts
- Using Fonts
- Display Manager Selection
- XDMCP
- Specialized X Servers
- Starting X Apps Automatically
Lab 9 - X
- Change the display manager to gdm
- Enable XDMCP to support remote desktop login
- Configure VNC to accept incoming connections
- Launch a program by creating a script in the /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/ directory
- Start a custom X session by modifying the -/.xinitrc file.
- Secure X for use in a public kiosk
- Test and verify that the special key sequences are disabled
Section 10 Security Concepts
- Tightening Default Security
- Staying Current
- Using up2date
- Security Advisories
- SELinux Security Framework
- Choosing a SELinux Policy
- SELinux Commands
- Booleans
- Graphical Policy Tools
- inetd / xinetd
- Xinetd Features
- TCP Wrappers
- hosts.allow & hosts.deny
- hosts.* Syntax Shortcuts
- Basic Firewall Activation
- Stateful Packet Filter: iptables
- Netfilter Concepts
- Using the iptables Command
- Netfilter Rule Syntax
- Targets
- Common match_specs
- Stateless Firewall Example
- Connection Tracking
- Stateful Firewall Example
Lab 10 - Security Lab
- Examine current system
- Configure Xinetd to provide a variety of limits for connecting to services
- Configure a sensor to log connection attempts
- Use TCP Wrappers to secure various services
- Use the Netfilter stateful packet filtering to protect the system-
Section 11 Linux Kernel Compilation
- Why Compile?
- Getting Kernel Source
- Preparing to Compile
- Configuring the Kernel
- General Options
- Disk Configuration
- Network Configuration
- Expansion Port Configuration
- Multimedia Configuration
- Kernel Documentation
- RH 2.6 Kernel Extensions
- Compiling the Kernel
- Compile and Install Modules
- Installing the Kernel
- Tips and Tricks
Lab 11 - Kernel Compilation
- Compile and install a new driver for the running kernel
- Patch the Linux kernel source to add support
- Compile and install a custom Linux kernel
Section 12 DNS Concepts
- Naming Services and A Better Way
- The Domain Name Space
- Delegation and Zones
- Server Roles
- Resolving Names and IP Addresses
- BIND Administration
- rndc key configuration
- Configuring the Resolver
- Testing Resolution
Lab 12 - Configure BIND
- Install the BIND name server on the system and configure it to act as a slave for the classroom domains
- Configure the name server to support the rndc command.
Section 13 Configuring Bind
- BIND Configuration Files
- named.conf Syntax and Options Block
- Creating a Site-Wide Cache
- Zones in named.conf
- Zone Database File Syntax
- SOA - Start of Authority
- A -Address / PTR-Pointer
- NS - Name Server
- CNAME -Alias / MX-Mail Host
- Abbreviations and Shortcuts
- $GENERATE
Lab 13 - Configure BIND
- Configure the name server as the primary master name server for a new domain and it’s corresponding id-addr.arpa domain
Section 14 OpenLDAP Servers
- OpenLDAP Components
- Configuring slapd
- Global Parameters
- Schema Definition
- Access Control
- Backend Types
- Backend Configuration
- Database Configuration
- Indexes
- Replicas and Replica Configuration
Lab 14 - Configure LDAP
- Configure the LDAP server
- Create a new directory
- Add, modify, and delete entries in the LDAP server
Section 15 Using OpenLDAP
- Managing slapd
- Online and Offline Data Manipulation
- Native LDAP authentication and Client Config
Lab 15 - Configure LDAP
- Create self-signed x509 certificate for LDAP server use
- Configure LDAP server to enable secure connections
- Configure LDAP server with baseDN and rootDN settings
- Install Perl Libraries needed by ldapmigrate
- Add three UNIX users
- Use ldapmigrate to import the /etc files
- Setup LDAP client to use native LDAP authentication
Section 16 Using Apache
- Apache History, Status, and Architecture
- SSL / HTTPS and Apache
- Apache Configuration Files
- httpd.conf
- Dynamic Shared Objects
- Adding Modules to Apache
- Apache Logging
- Log Analysis
Lab 16 - Configure Apache
- Configure the ServerName directive
- Optimize Apache by turning off unneeded modules
- Create an index.html file
Section 17 Virtual Hosting with Apache
- HTTP Virtual Servers
- DNS Implications
- Security Implications
- IP-based Virtual Host
- Name-based Virtual Host
- Port-based Virtual Host
Lab 17 - Configure Apache
- Configure Apache Virtual Hosts
- Use the "Main" server for global settings
Section 18 Apache Security
- Delegating Administration
- Directory Protection
- Common Uses for .htaccess
- SSL Using mod_ssl
Lab 18 - Configure Apache
- Password protect a directory
- Override MIME types for a single directory
- Redirect traffic to a different URL
- Create a test SSL certificate
- Use Apache and SSL to setup an SSL-enabled site
Section 19 Implementing an FTP Server
- WU-FTPD
- vsftpd
- Configuring vsftpd
- Anonymous FTP with vsftpd
Lab 19 Configure VSFTPD
- Install and configure vsftpd for basic authenticated access
- Configure vsftpd for anonymous uploads
Section 20 The SQUID proxy server
- Squid Overview, Layout, Access Control Lists, and ACL application
- Tuning Squid / Hierarchies
- Bandwidth Metering and Monitoring of Squid
- Proxy Client Configuration
Lab 20 - Configure SQUID
- Define an ACL for authorized IP networks
- Apply the ACL using http_access
- Enable the Squid cachmgr.cgi program
- View Squid statistics
- Create a Proxy Auto Configuration file
- Change the mime-type in Apache for the PAC file
- Configure the web browser to use the PAC file
- Create an ICP proxy mesh
- Secure the default ICP permissions
Section 21 Samba Concepts
- SMB Network Protocol
- NetBIOS and NetBEUI
- NetBIOS Naming
- Introducing Samba
- Samba Daemons, Clients, Utilities, and Configuration Files
- The smb.conf File
Lab 21 - Configure Samba
- Install the Samba server and configure it to share the /tmp directory.
- Use smbclient and smbfs to access SMB shares
Section 22 Using Samba
- Unix and DOS Permissions
- Unix and Windows Concepts
- Name and Case Mangling
- Sharing [homes] and Printers
- Restricting Access
- Share-Level Access and User-Level Access
- Mapping Users
- SMB and Passwords
- The smbpasswd Database
- User Share Restrictions
Lab 22 - Configure Samba
- Examine Samba’s behavior when handling symbolic links and file permissions
- Configure the Samba server to use share-level access and user-level access
- Compare encrypted user-level access with unencrypted user-level access
- Configure Samba to share users home directories on demand
- Configure a new group and add the user to the group
- Create a directory for use by the group
- Configure the share to support the group that is read only for some users and read write for others
Section 23 Sendmail
- sendmail Features, Process, Architecture, Components, and Configuration
- Configuration Files
- Databases
- Text Files
- Network Access
- Masquerading Sendmail
- Controlling access
- Configuring SMTP AUTH and SMTP STARTTLS
Lab 23 - Configure Sendmail
- Install the Sendmail SMTP server on the system and configure it to serve domains
- Configure Sendmail to accept remote network connections
- Configure virtual hosts on Sendmail
- Configure Sendmail to support STARTTLS
Section 24 Postfix
- Postfix Features, Architecture, Components, and Configuration
- master.cf and main.cf
- Postfix Map Types and Pattern Matching
- Advanced Options
- Virtual Domains
- Mail Filtering
- Configuration and Management Commands
- Postfix Logging and Logfile Analysis
- chroot’ing Postfix
- Postfix and SMTP AUTH
- SMTP AUTH Server and Clients
- Postfix Extensions
- Postfix/TLS
- TLS Server Configuration
- Postfix Client Configuration
- Other TLS Clients and Ensuring TLS Security
Lab 24 - Configure Postfix
- Install the Postfix SMTP server on the system and configure it to serve domains
- Configure Postfix to accept network connections
- Configure virtual hosts on Postfix
- Configure Postfix to use SMTP AUTH for secure relaying
- Configure Postfix too support STARTTLS to secure SMTP AUTH
Section 25 IMAP, POP, Spam Filtering and Web Mail
- Filtering Email
- procmail
- SpamAssassin
- Sendmail Mail Filter (milter)
- Amavisd-new Mail Filtering
- Accessing Email
- The POP3 and IMAP4 Protocol
- Dovecot POP3/IMAP Server
- Cyrus IMAP/POP3 Server
- Cyrus IMAP MTA integration
- Cyrus Mailbox Admin
- Fetchmail and SquirrelMail
Lab 25 - Filtering/Web Mail
- Install the procmail mail-filtering software and configure it as the default MDA on the server
- Install SpamAssassin and configure it to flag spam on the server
- Install and configure Cyrus IMAP
- Enable POP3 and IMAP over SSL
- Install and configure the SquirrelMail web email client
Section 26 Troubleshooting
- Basic Troubleshooting
- Gathering Information
- Information from df,and mount
- Information from Log Files
- Information Regarding Network Settings
- Information from ps, chkconfig, dmesg, w, and netstat
- Useful Debugging Aids
- Common Problems
- Incorrect File Permissions
- Inability To Boot
- Corrupt File Systems
- Typos in Configuration Files
- Disks Full?
- Runaway Processes
- Shared Libraries
- The Rescue Environment
Lab 26 - Troubleshooting
- Explore troubleshooting and disaster recovery on non-mission-critical machines
- Practice troubleshooting common system and daemon errors
Appendix 1 - Using NIS
- NIS History, Overview, Limitations, Advantages, and Implementation
- Creating a NIS Master Server
- NIS Client Configuration
- Slave Server Configuration
- Troubleshooting Aids
Appendix NIS - Lab 1
- Configure a NIS master server and NIS client
- Configure a NIS slave server
- Enable ypxfrd for high-performance database transfers between master and slave NIS servers
- Configure a NIS client system
- Observe client usage of a NIS slave server when a NIS master server fails
|