Book Image

Linux for System Administrators

By : Viorel Rudareanu, Daniil Baturin
Book Image

Linux for System Administrators

By: Viorel Rudareanu, Daniil Baturin

Overview of this book

Linux system administration is an essential aspect of maintaining and managing Linux servers within an organization. The role of a Linux system administrator is pivotal in ensuring the smooth functioning and security of these servers, making it a critical job function for any company that relies on Linux infrastructure. This book is a comprehensive guide designed to help you build a solid foundation in Linux system administration. It takes you from the fundamentals of Linux to more advanced topics, encompassing key areas such as Linux system installation, managing user accounts and filesystems, networking fundamentals, and Linux security techniques. Additionally, the book delves into the automation of applications and infrastructure using Chef, enabling you to streamline and optimize your operations. For both newcomers getting started with Linux and professionals looking to enhance their skills, this book is an invaluable hands-on guide with a structured approach and concise explanations that make it an effective resource for quickly acquiring and reinforcing Linux system administration skills. With the help of this Linux book, you’ll be able to navigate the world of Linux administration confidently to meet the demands of your role.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
1
Part 1: Linux Basics
7
Part 2: Configuring and Modifying Linux Systems
13
Part 3: Linux as a Part of a Larger System

Distribution-specific configuration methods

NetworkManager is used by many distributions on desktop systems, but many Linux distributions have also used custom network configuration files and scripts. Some still use them, while other systems migrated to NetworkManager but maintain old methods as an alternative or in legacy long-term support releases.

Debian

In Debian, the configuration file for network interfaces is /etc/network/interfaces. Unlike NetworkManager’s native format, this allows keeping configurations for all interfaces in a single file. To make the configuration more modular and easier to read, it is possible to store files for individual interfaces in the /etc/network/interfaces.d/ directory.

Interface configurations are also identified by link names rather than arbitrary descriptions and UUIDs. This is how to set an onboard Ethernet device, eno1, to use static addresses for both IPv4 and IPv6, for example:

iface eno1 inet static
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