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

Centralized Authentication

User access control is a critically important part of information security. On a single machine, keeping track of users and making sure only authorized people have access is simple, but as networks become larger, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep user accounts in sync on all machines, which is why large networks use centralized authentication mechanisms. Historically, UNIX-like systems usually used Network Information Service (NIS), developed by Sun Microsystems – a once widespread but now mostly unused protocol. These days, the choice is wider and includes standalone LDAP directories, Kerberos realms, or authentication solutions that provide a combination of a directory service for storing user information and single sign-on protocols, such as FreeIPA and Microsoft Active Directory.

In this chapter, we will learn about the following:

  • Authentication and user information lookup frameworks in Linux
  • The roles of the Name Service...