CIS223DL - Linux II – Linux System Administration – 3 credits

 

Course Description:

Students will learn to manage Linux Operating Systems including sophisticated manipulation of file structures, backup systems, printing processes, troubleshooting, user account management, hard disk maintenance and configuration, process monitoring and prioritizing, kernel customization, and system resource control. Prerequisites: (CIS126AL, and CIS126BL and CIS126CL) or CIS126DL, or Instructor Approval.

 

Course Competencies:

  1. Students will demonstrate understanding of Linux File System standards. (I)
  2. Students will utilize automated backup procedures (I, IV, V, VI)
  3. Students will manage and control system resources such as memory and CPU usage through a variety of techniques. (I, IV, VI)
  4. Students will configure printing system to local and remote network printers including print job filtering and management. (I, IV, VI)
  5. Students will create and implement a security policy including an emergency security plan. (I, II, III, V, VI)
  6. Students will design fault-tolerant systems and network environments. (I, V, VI)
  7. Students will customize system security through the use of user system profiles, user and group accounts, and file and directory privileges. (II, III, V, VI)
  8. Students will create partitions and file systems, and will manipulate access to them through the use of mount points and automated mounting techniques. (II, IV, VI)
  9. Students will recompile the kernel of the Linux operating system from source code and explain the benefits. (II, III)
  10. Students will utilize “su” and “sudo” commands to access administrative system privileges. (III)
  11. Students will monitor system functions and security through the use of a variety of system logs. (III)
  12. Students will add to their repertoire of system prompt commands used to control the Linux operating system. (I, II, III, IV, V, VI)
  13. Students will utilize a variety of command line and GUI applications to perform a variety of user and administrative tasks. (V).
  14. Students will implement a variety of troubleshooting techniques to prevent and deal with a variety of system problems including core dumps. (VI)

 

Course Outline:
I. Theory of Operation

  1. Identify and outline the file system hierarchy standards.
  2. Identify the cron daemon's (task scheduling utility) implementation in file system backup.
  3. Define system tuning and the effect that process has on the system.
  4. Outline the print process and the role of the BSD printing model.
  5. Identify common physical network problems and the measures taken to troubleshoot those vulnerable areas.
  6. Outline the emergency measures taken when network vulnerabilities are breached.
  7. Identify key system resources.
  8. List the different levels of RAID storage (Redundant Array of Independent Disks).

II. Base System

  1. Identify the key files used in configuring user profiles, and the configurations possible with those files.
  2. Outline the process of adding and removing users.
  3. Identify the role of run levels as well as the specified roles of the reserved run levels 0, 1, and 6.
  4. Define the role of the file system table configuration file (fstab) in mounting and unmounting file systems and devices.
  5. Identify the common reasons for recompiling the kernel; outline the guidelines followed prior to recompiling.

III. Shells and Commands

  1. Outline the permissions necessary for the use of the switch user (su) command.
  2. Define the message of the day (motd) and its role in user communication.
  3. Identify MS-DOS tools and their use in a Linux system.
  4. Define the role of the make command in the compilation of source code; define the function of the touch command and its effect on system logs.
  5. Outline the functions of system status, system message logging, and performance analysis.

IV. System Services

  1. Identify and describe the function of common user commands.
  2. Determine utilities used for archiving, and the differences between the programs.
  3. Describe the function of the file system check command (fsck) and determine the program's default run time.
  4. Identify the commands used for process management and the options that accompany those commands.
  5. Outline printer configuration options.
  6. Explain the function of the background line printer daemon and the foreground line printer requester.
  7. Outline the use of package managers when utilizing software packages.

V. Applications

  1. Compare and contrast backup applications.
  2. Utilize and configure mail exchange programs.
  3. Install and configure Web server daemons.
  4. Describe the role of benchmarks in assessing CPU and system architecture as well as compiler design.
  5. Compare and contrast File Transfer protocol (FTP) clients and servers.
  6. Describe the integration of Secure Shell (SSH) into a network.
  7. Describe and contrast common GUI configuration tools.

VI. Troubleshooting

  1. Use a variety of troubleshooting tools, procedures, and techniques for administering a variety of systems within the Linux architecture.
  2. Outline measures taken to prevent and control core dumps.
  3. Prepare rescue environment utilities

 

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