ITP377X - Linux System Administration
U.S.C.
David Morgan
Welcome
I am enthusiastic about linux. Because you chose to join this course you must be too. Good to have you here. It should be fun.
Course Particulars
|
Prerequisites |
familiarity with a unix or linux environment |
|
Recommended textbook |
Linux Administration Handbook Evi Nemeth, Trent H. Hein, Garth Snyder |
|
Catalog description |
This course covers local and network system administration functions. Configuration files, the foundation of operation and control, are emphasized. The critical ones are studied. Then, local and web-based interfaces to the power of these files will be demonstrated. The most basic functions are user, process, and filesystem administration. Beyond that are specialized responsibilities like one-time and recurrent task scheduling, local and remote logging, trans-network backup and filesystem synchronization, and network time control. The network servers that implement these features and their clients are introduced, as are general management and startup control of these servers. Students will recompile linux itself, the ultimate form of system control in linux. Once grounded in the nuts and bolts, students will learn automation and frontend techniques to rationalize and ease the tasks. Some user-level familiarity with the Unix environment and a Unix editor is helpful. |
Grading
A=90% B=80% C=70% D=60%
Percentages are approximate. Grade determination can also depend on non-numeric factors and is ultimately at my discretion. There will be a mix of homework, in-class labs, and examinations.
Website – http://homepage.smc.edu/morgan_david/linadmin/usc-linadmin.htm I will make extensive use of this website to communicate with you. You are responsible for awareness of the information posted there, e.g., announcements, grade reports, assignments.
Course topics - here is an approximate outline of the topics we may cover. We may vary these by omission or addition.
TOUR OF THE CONFIGURATION LANDSCAPE & TOOLS
BOOTUP AND INITIALIZATION CONTROL
USERS AND USER INTERFACES (SHELLS)
PROCESSES AND FILESYSTEMS
BACKUP
SOFTWARE UPDATING
TASK SCHEDULING
TIME SYNCHRONIZATION AND CONTROL
LOGGING
SECURITY TOPICS
confidential communication
authenticated communication
local security
RECOMPILING THE KERNEL
To reach me outside class:
Other books worth special recommendation:
Automating Unix and Linux Administration, Kirk Bauer, Apress, 2003
Practical Guide to Red Hat Linux: Fedora Core and Red Hat Enterprise
Linux, Mark Sobell, Prentice Hall, 2006
Fedora 7 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux Bible, Christopher Negus, Wiley, Paperback, January
2007
Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux & Fedora, Bill McCarty, O'Reilly & Associates, April 2004
UNIX Unbounded: A Beginning Approach (5th Edition), Amir Afzal, Prentice Hall,
April 2007
Beginning Linux Programming (3rd Edition), Neil Matthew and Richard Stones, Wrox Press, December 2003
Understanding Unix/Linux Programming: A Guide To Theory and
Practice, Bruce Molay, Prentice Hall, 2003
UNIX Shells by Example, Ellie Quigley, Prentice Hall, Paperback, September 2004