Fedora Linux

Managing and Configuring Services

Fedora starts a number of programs automatically when the system is booted. These services (sometimes called Disk And Execution MONitors, or daemons) perform automatic actions on the local computer and, in some cases, perform operations for remote computers on the network, such as sharing files and serving web pages.

Each service consumes memory and processor time, and each network service may provide a weak spot for an attack against your system. Disabling unused services can reduce your boot time, speed up your system, and reduce your security risk.

How Do I Do That?

Select the menu option System→Administration→Services (in KDE, it is System→Services) to start the system-config-services tool, shown in Figure 4-6.

Figure 4-6. Services configuration window

The configuration of the current runlevel is shown by default. Every service with a checkmark in front of it will be started when that runlevel is entered; to add or clear a checkmark, click on the checkbox.

Click on a service name to see a description of that service and its current status (running or stopped). Click on the Save icon (or File→Save Changes) when you’ve configured the services to your liking; your changes will take effect next time you change runlevels or boot the system.

You can edit the settings for another runlevel (3, 4, 5, or all three at the same time) using options on the Edit ...