Linux Administration Technical Screening

Linux Administration Technical Screening

Course Content:

System Administration Overview:

• UNIX, Linux and Open Source
• Duties of the System Administrator
• Superusers and the Root Login
• Sharing Superuser Privileges with others (su and sudo Commands)
• TCP/IP Networking Fundamentals
• Online Help

Booting and Shutting Down Linux:

• Boot Sequence
• The systemd Daemon
• The systemctl Command
• Targets vs. Run Levels
• Modifying a Target
• Service Unit Scripts
• Changing System States
• Booting into Rescue Mode
• Shutdown Commands

Managing Users and Groups:

• Setting Policies
• User File Management
• The /etc/passwd file
• The /etc/shadow file
• The /etc/group file
• The /etc/gshadow file
• Adding Users
• Modifying User Accounts
• Deleting User Accounts
• Working with Groups
• Setting User Environments
• Login Configuration Files

Linux File Security:

• File Permissions
• Directory Permissions
• Octal Representation
• Changing Permissions
• Setting Default Permissions
• Access Control Lists (ACLs)
• The getfacl and setfacl commands
• SUID Bit
• SGID Bit
• The Sticky Bit

Working with the Linux Kernel:

• Linux Kernel Components
• Types of Kernels
• Kernel Configuration Options
• Recompiling the Kernel

System Backups:

• Backup Concepts and Strategies
• User Backups with the tar Command
• System Backup Options
• The xfsdump and xfsrestore Commands

Basic Networking

• Networking Services Overview
• NetworkManager Introduction
• Network Configuration Files Locations and Formats
• Enabling and Restarting Network Services with systemtcl
• Configuring Basic Networking Manually
• Configuring Basic Networking with NetworkManager

Introduction to System Security:

• Security Overview
• Maintaining System Security
• Server Access
• Physical Security
• Network Security
• Security Tools
• Port probing with nmap
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention
• PAM Security Modules
• Scanning the System
• Maintaining File Integrity
• Using Firewalls
• Introduction to firewalld

Networked File Systems (NFS)

• Using NFS to Access Remote File Systems
• Configuring the NFS Server
• Configuring the NFS Client
• Exporting File Systems from the NFS Server to the NFS Client

Installation and Configuration:

• Planning: Hardware and Software Considerations
• Site Planning
• Installation Methods and Types
• Installation Classes
• Partitions
• Logical Volume Manager - LVM
• File System Overview
• Swap Partition Considerations
• Other Partition Considerations
• The Linux Boot Loader: grub
• Software Package Selection
• Adding and Configuring Peripherals
• Printers
• Graphics Controllers
• Basic Networking Configuration
• Booting to Recovery Mode

Managing Software and Devices:

• Identifying Software Packages
• Using rpm to Manage Software
• Using yum to Manage Software
• Installing and Removing Software
• Identifying Devices
• Displaying Device and System Information (PCI, USB)
• Plug and Play Devices
• Device Configuration Tools

The Linux File System:

• Filesystem Types
• Conventional Directory Structure
• Mounting a File System
• The /etc/fstab File
• Special Files (Device Files)
• Inodes
• Hard File Links
• Soft File Links
• Creating New File Systems with mkfs
• The lost+found Directory
• Repairing File Systems with fsck
• The Journaling Attribute
• File and Disk Management Tools

Controlling Processes:

• Characteristics of Processes
• Parent-Child Relationship
• Examining Running Processes
• Background Processes
• Controlling Processes
• Signaling Processes
• Killing Processes
• Automating Processes
• cron and crontab
• at and batch
• System Processes (Daemons)

Shell Scripting Overview:

• Shell Script Fundamentals
• Bash Shell Syntax Overview
• Shell Script Examples

Troubleshooting the System:

• Common Problems and Symptoms
• Troubleshooting Steps
• Repairing General Boot Problems
• Repairing the GRUB 2 Boot Loader
• Hard Drive Problems
• Restoring Shared Libraries
• System Logs and rsyslogd

LAMP Server Basics:

• LAMP Overview
• Configuring the Apache Web Server
• Common Directives
• Apache Virtual Hosting

Configuring an Open Source Database

• MySQL
• MariaDB

PHP Basics

Perl CGI Scripting

The Samba File Sharing Facility:

• Configure Samba for Linux to Linux/UNIX File Sharing
• Configure Samba for Linux to Windows File Sharing
• Use the smbclient Utility to Transfer Files
• Mount/Connect Samba Shares to Linux and Windows Clients