What this book covers

Chapter 1, Installing CentOS, is a series of recipes that introduces you to the task of installing your server, updating, and enhancing the minimal install with additional tools. It is designed to get you started and to provide a reference that shows you a number of ways to achieve the desired installation.

Chapter 2, Configuring the System, is designed to follow on from a successful installation to offer a helping hand and provide you with a number of recipes that will enable you to achieve the desired starting server configuration. Beginning with showing you how to work with text files, then changing language and time and date settings, you will not only learn how configure your network settings but also how to resolve a fully qualified domain name and work with kernel modules.

Chapter 3, Managing the System, provides the building blocks that will enable you to champion your server and take control of your environment. It is here where you will kick start your role as a server administrator by disseminating a wealth of information that will walk you through a variety of steps that are required to develop a fully considered and professional server solution.

Chapter 4, Managing Packages with YUM, serves to introduce you to working with software packages on CentOS 7. From upgrading the system to finding, installing, removing, and enhancing your system with additional repositories, it is the purpose of this chapter to explain the open source command-line package management utility known as the Yellowdog Updater Modified (YUM) as well as the RPM package manager.

Chapter 5, Administering the Filesystem, focuses on working with your server's file system. From creating mocking disk devices to test-drive concepts expert level formatting and partitioning commands, you will learn how to work with the Logical Volume Manager, maintain your file system and work with disk quotas.

Chapter 6, Providing Security, discusses the need to implement a series of solutions that will deliver the level of protection you need to run a successful server solution. From protecting your ssh and FTP services, to understanding the new firewalld manager and creating certificates, you will see how easy it is to build a server that not only considers the need to reduce risk from external attack but one that will provide additional protection for your users.

Chapter 7, Building a Network, explains the steps required to implement various forms of resource sharing within your network's computers. From IP addresses and printing devices to various forms of file sharing protocols, this chapter plays an essential role of any server whether you are intending to support a home network or a full corporate environment.

Chapter 8, Working with FTP, concentrates on the role of VSFTP with a series of recipes that will provide the guidance you need to install, configure and manage the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) you want to provide on a CentOS 7 server.

Chapter 9, Working with Domains, considers the steps required to implement domain names, domain resolution, and DNS queries on a CentOS 7 server. The domain name system is an essential role of any server and whether you are intending to support a home network or a full corporate environment, it is the purpose of this chapter to provide a series of solutions that will deliver the beginning of a future-proof solution.

Chapter 10, Working with Databases, provides a series of recipes that deliver instant access to MySQL and PostgreSQL with the intention of explaining the necessary steps required to deploy them on a CentOS 7 server.

Chapter 11, Providing Mail Services, introduces you to the process of enabling a domain-wide Mail Transport Agent to your CentOS 7 server. From building a local POP3/SMTP server to configuring Fetchmail, the purpose of this chapter is to provide the groundwork for all your future e-mail-based needs.

Chapter 12, Providing Web Services, investigates the role of the well-known Apache server technology to full effect, and whether you are intending to run a development server or a live production server, this chapter provides you with the necessary steps to deliver the features you need to become the master of your web based publishing solution.

Chapter 13, Operating System-Level Virtualization, introduces you to the word of Linux containers using the state-of-the-art open source platform Docker, and guides you through building, running, and sharing your first Docker image.

Chapter 14, Working with SELinux, helps to understand and demystify Security Enhanced Linux, which is one of the most little-known topics of CentOS 7.

Chapter 15, Monitoring IT Infrastructure, introduces and shows how to set up Nagios Core, the de-facto industry standard for monitoring your complete IT infrastructure.