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

Network troubleshooting

Network troubleshooting is a vast subject. However, most of the time, experts use the same tools that are available to every novice and those tools are not hard to learn to use at a basic level. The main difference between a novice and an expert is how well they can interpret their outputs and choose the correct options.

Using ping

The name of the ping utility comes from the sound of sonar—a device that uses sound pulses to discover objects underwater. That command metaphorically probes a remote host by sending an ICMP packet and listening for a reply. The sonar metaphor is a bit of a stretch because sound pulses are passively reflected, while the exchange of ICMP packets requires cooperation from a remote host.

Still, a host that runs a correctly implemented network stack should reply with an ICMP echo reply packet if it receives an echo request. At the most basic level, pinging a host tells you whether the host is online and whether there is...