The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12

The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12

by Sander van Vugt
Released November 2014
Publisher(s): Apress
ISBN: 9781430268208

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Book description

The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 is a task-oriented book designed for self-study as well as classroom environments, which will also serve you as a reference guide. The book covers all skills that system administrators typically need to posses to administer SUSE Linux Enterprise Server in corporate environments. It starts at the beginning, which makes The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 suitable for people without any preliminary Linux knowledge, and yet works up to advanced SUSE Linux administration tasks, such as building a cluster, optimizing performance or managing SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with SUSE Manager.

The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 is an ideal reference guide for system administrators, but is also perfect as a study book to prepare for the CLA, CLP as well as the CLE exams. This book contains step-by-step exercises, and scenario based exercises at the end of each chapter to help readers getting familiar with the subjects that are required to pass these three exams. The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12also contains test exams, so you can use it as a study guide in a formal learning environment or as a book that you can learn and test your own progress as you master SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.

You'll learn everything you need to know and the skills you need to manage SUSE Linux Enterprise Servers, from installing a secure server, to performing the day-to-day management tasks on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. Along the way you'll encounter and master SUSE Linux Enterprise Server in a data center environment, how to manage your SUSE Enterprise Server for High Availability, and you'll see how to manage your SUSE Linux Enterprise Server with SUSE Manager. From installation to expert management, The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 will show you the ways to succeed with Linux Enterprise Server 12.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents at a Glance
  6. Contents
  7. About the Author
  8. About the Technical Reviewer
  9. Acknowledgments
  10. Introduction
  11. Part I: Basic Skills
    1. Chapter 1: Introduction and Installation
      1. Understanding SUSE Linux Enterprise
        1. Versions of SUSE
        2. About Supported Linux
      2. Working with SUSE Linux Enterprise 12 Modules
      3. Installing SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
        1. Performing a Basic Installation
        2. Installing with a Custom Partition Scheme
      4. Summary
    2. Chapter 2: Basic Skills
      1. Exploring SLES Interfaces
        1. Graphical or Not?
        2. GNOME or KDE?
        3. Exploring GNOME
        4. GNOME Configuration Editor
        5. Network Tools
        6. Settings
      2. Working with YaST
        1. YaST vs. Configuration Files
        2. YaST in This Book
        3. YaST Interfaces
        4. YaST Modules
        5. Behind YaST
        6. YaST Logging
        7. YaST Configuration Files
      3. Summary
  12. Part II: Administering SUSE Linux Enteprise Server
    1. Chapter 3: Managing Disk Layout and File Systems
      1. Creating a Storage Volume
        1. The Partition Table: GUID vs. MBR
        2. Partitions or Logical Volumes?
        3. Creating Partitions
        4. Creating Logical Volumes
      2. Creating and Mounting File Systems
        1. Understanding File System Features
        2. Creating and Mounting the File System
      3. Managing File Systems
        1. Checking and Repairing File Systems
        2. XFS Tools
        3. Btrfs Tools and Features
      4. Managing Logical Volumes
        1. Using LVM Snapshots
        2. Resizing Logical Volumes
      5. Creating Swap Space
      6. Summary
    2. Chapter 4: User and Permission Management
      1. Creating and Managing User Accounts
        1. Users on Linux
        2. Creating Users
        3. Managing User Properties
        4. Configuration Files for User Management Defaults
        5. Managing Password Properties
        6. Creating a User Environment
      2. Creating and Managing Group Accounts
        1. Understanding Linux Groups
        2. Creating Groups
        3. Managing Group Properties
      3. Configuring Base Linux Permissions
        1. Understanding File Ownership
        2. Changing File Ownership
        3. Understanding Base Linux Permissions
        4. Applying Base Linux Permissions
      4. Configuring Special Permissions
      5. Working with Access Control Lists
        1. Understanding ACLs
        2. Applying ACLs
        3. File System ACL Support
      6. Working with Attributes
      7. Summary
    3. Chapter 5: Common Administration Tasks
      1. Managing Printers
        1. Managing Printers from YaST
        2. Command-Line Printer Management Tools
      2. Managing Software
        1. Understanding Repositories and Meta Package Handlers
        2. Installing Software from YaST
        3. Installing Software from the Command Line
      3. Managing Jobs and Processes
        1. System and Process Monitoring and Management
        2. Managing Process Niceness
      4. Scheduling Tasks
      5. Configuring Logging
        1. Understanding rsyslog
        2. Reading Log Files
        3. Configuring Remote Logging
        4. Working with journal
        5. Configuring logrotate
      6. Summary
    4. Chapter 6: Hardening SUSE Linux
      1. Using the YaST Security Center and Hardening
      2. Working with sudo
        1. Understanding sudo
        2. Creating sudo Configuration Lines
        3. Working in a sudo Shell
        4. Replaying sudo Sessions
      3. The Linux Audit Framework
        1. Configuring Auditing from YaST
      4. Understanding PAM
        1. PAM Configuration Files
        2. Understanding nsswitch
      5. Securing SLES 12 with SELinux
        1. SELinux Backgrounds
        2. Understanding SELinux Components
        3. The Policy
        4. Installing SELinux on SUSE Linux Enterprise 12 FCS
        5. Configuring SELinux
        6. Managing SELinux
        7. Troubleshooting SELinux
        8. Switching to Enforcing Mode
      6. Summary
    5. Chapter 7: Managing Virtualization on SLES
      1. Understanding Linux Virtualization Solutions
      2. Understanding the KVM Environment
      3. Creating KVM Virtual Machines
        1. Configuring the KVM Host
        2. Creating Virtual Machines
      4. Managing KVM Virtual Machines
        1. Managing KVM Networking
        2. Managing Virtual Machine Properties
        3. Managing Virtual Machines from the Command Line
      5. Summary
    6. Chapter 8: Managing Hardware, the Kernel, and the Boot Procedure
      1. Managing the Linux Kernel
        1. Glibc and System Calls
        2. The Modular Kernel
      2. Managing Hardware
        1. Using lspic, lsusb, and lscpu
        2. Understanding udev
        3. The /dev Directory
        4. Understanding the /sys File System
      3. Managing the Boot Procedure
        1. Understanding the Boot Procedure
        2. Configuring GRUB2
        3. Starting systemd
        4. Applying Essential Troubleshooting Skills
      4. Working with systemd
        1. Understanding systemd
        2. Managing systemd Services
        3. Working with systemd Targets
      5. Summary
  13. Part III: Networking SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
    1. Chapter 9: Configuring Network Access
      1. Manual NIC Configuration
        1. Managing Device Settings
        2. Managing Address Configuration
        3. Managing Routes
      2. Name Resolving
      3. Understanding Wicked
      4. Using YaST for NIC Configuration
        1. Accessing Basic Network Configuration from YaST
        2. Using ethtool Options
        3. Changing Routing and Name Resolution from YaST
        4. Managing Interfaces from YaST
      5. Configuring IPv6
      6. Troubleshooting Networking
        1. Checking the Network Card
        2. Checking DNS
      7. Configuring SSH
        1. Enabling the SSH Server
        2. Using the SSH Client
        3. Using PuTTY on Windows Machines
        4. Configuring Key-Based SSH Authentication
        5. Using Graphical Applications with SSH
        6. Using SSH Port Forwarding
      8. Summary
    2. Chapter 10: Securing Internet Services: Certificates and SUSE Firewall
      1. Setting Up a Firewall
        1. SUSE Firewall or iptables?
      2. Setting Up a Firewall with SUSE Firewall
        1. Understanding SUSE Firewall Core Components
        2. Using YaST to Set Up a Firewall
        3. Allowed Services
        4. Understanding Masquerading
        5. Setting Up Masquerading
        6. Broadcast
        7. Logging Level
        8. Custom Rules
        9. Checking SUSE Firewall Configuration
      3. Working with SSL Certificates
        1. Understanding SSL
        2. Configuring the YaST Certificate Authority
        3. Creating Certificates
        4. Understanding Certificate Exports
        5. Working with Externally Signed Certificates
      4. Summary
    3. Chapter 11: Basic Network Services: xinetd, NTP, DNS, DHCP, and LDAP
      1. xinetd
        1. The xinetd Service
        2. The xinetd.conf File
        3. The xinetd Include Files
      2. NTP
        1. Understanding Linux Time
        2. Setting Time on SLES
        3. Managing NTP from the Command Line
        4. Using ntpq and ntpdc for NTP Server Management
      3. DNS
        1. Setting Up DNS with YaST
        2. Manual DNS Server Management
      4. DHCP
        1. Understanding DHCP
        2. Configuring DHCP with YaST
        3. Manual DHCP Configuration
        4. Monitoring and Testing DHCP Functionality
        5. Configuring the DHCP Relay Service
      5. LDAP
        1. Understanding LDAP
        2. Setting Up an LDAP Server with YaST
        3. Populating the LDAP Database
        4. LDAP Client Configuration
      6. Summary
    4. Chapter 12: Setting Up a LAMP Server
      1. Configuring Apache from YaST
        1. Setting Up a Web Server with Basic Settings
        2. Configuring Virtual Hosts
        3. Apache Modules
      2. Manual Apache Configuration
        1. default-server.conf
        2. httpd.conf
        3. Virtual Host Configuration Files
        4. SSL Configuration Files
        5. Setting Up Authentication
        6. Apache Logs
      3. Configuring the Database Part of the LAMP Server
        1. MariaDB Base Configuration
        2. Performing Simple Database Administration Tasks
        3. Managing Users
        4. MariaDB Backup and Restore
      4. Summary
    5. Chapter 13: File Sharing: NFS, FTP, and Samba
      1. Introducing the File Sharing Protocols
      2. NFS
        1. Setting Up an NFS Server with YaST
        2. Managing the NFS Service
        3. Creating Shares in /etc/exports
        4. Mounting NFS Shares
      3. FTP
        1. Setting Up an FTP Server from YaST
        2. Manually Configuring the vsftpd Server
        3. Using an FTP Client
        4. About sftp
      4. Samba
        1. Configuring Samba with YaST
        2. Understanding Samba Security Settings
        3. Manually Setting Up Samba
        4. Samba Printing
      5. Summary
  14. Part IV: Advanced SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Administration
    1. Chapter 14: Introduction to Bash Shell Scripting
      1. Getting Started: Shell Scripting Fundamentals
        1. Elements of a Good Shell Script
        2. Executing the Script
      2. Working with Variables and Input
        1. Understanding Variables
        2. Variables, Subshells, and Sourcing
        3. Working with Script Arguments
        4. Prompting for Input
        5. Using Command Substitution
        6. Substitution Operators
        7. Changing Variable Content with Pattern Matching
      3. Performing Calculations
      4. Using Control Structures
        1. Using if. . .then. . .else
        2. Case
        3. Using while
        4. Using until
        5. Using for
      5. Summary
    2. Chapter 15: Performance Monitoring and Optimizing
      1. Performance Monitoring
        1. Interpreting What’s Going On: top
        2. CPU Monitoring with top
        3. Memory Monitoring with top
        4. Understanding swap
        5. Process Monitoring with top
        6. Understanding Linux Memory Allocation
        7. Analyzing CPU Performance
        8. Using vmstat
        9. Analyzing Memory Usage
        10. Monitoring Storage Performance
        11. Understanding Network Performance
      2. Optimizing Performance
        1. Using /proc and sysctl
        2. Using a Simple Performance Optimization Test
        3. CPU Tuning
        4. Tuning Memory
        5. Tuning Storage Performance
        6. Network Tuning
      3. Optimizing Linux Performance Using Cgroups
      4. Summary
    3. Chapter 16: Creating a Cluster on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
      1. The Need for High-Availability Clustering
      2. Architecture of the Pacemaker Stack
      3. Before Starting
        1. Hostname Resolution
        2. Configure SSH
        3. Time Synchronization
      4. Configuring Shared Storage
        1. Setting Up an iSCSI Target
      5. Setting Up the Base Components
        1. Networks Without Multicast Support
        2. Understanding crm_mon Output
      6. Using the Cluster Management Tools
        1. CRM Shell
        2. Hawk
      7. Specifying Default Cluster Settings
        1. no-quorum-policy
        2. default-resource-stickiness
        3. stonith-action
      8. Setting Up STONITH
        1. Different Solutions
        2. Setting Up Hypervisor-Based STONITH
        3. Setting Up Shared Disk-Based STONITH
      9. Clustering Resources
        1. Clustering an Apache File Server
        2. Using a Cluster File System
        3. LVM in Cluster Environments
        4. Fine-Tuning the Cluster with Constraints
      10. Managing Resources
        1. Resource Cleanup
        2. Resource Migration
        3. Starting and Stopping Resources
        4. Using Unmanaged State for Maintenance
      11. Use Case: Creating an Open Source SAN with Pacemaker
        1. Configuring RAID 1 over the Network with DRBD
        2. Creating the Configuration
        3. Working with the DRBD Device
        4. Troubleshooting the Disconnect State
        5. Working with Dual Primary Mode
        6. Integrating DRBD in Pacemaker Clusters
        7. Testing
        8. Adding an iSCSI Target to the Open Source SAN
        9. Setting Up the LVM Environment
        10. Setting Up the iSCSI Target in the Cluster
      12. Summary
    4. Chapter 17: Creating a SLES 12 Installation Server
      1. Understanding the Components
      2. Configuring an Online Repository
      3. Creating the PXE Boot Configuration
      4. Using AutoYaST
      5. Summary
    5. Chapter 18: Managing SUSE Linux
      1. Preparing SUSE Manager Installation
      2. Installing SUSE Manager
      3. Creating the Base Configuration
        1. Using the Setup Wizard from the Web Console
        2. Managing Package Synchronization
      4. Registering SUSE Manager Clients
        1. Creating Activation Keys
        2. The Bootstrap Script
        3. Troubleshooting and Unregistering Registered Systems
        4. Working with System Groups
      5. Managing Software Channels in SUSE Manager
        1. Understanding Software Staging
      6. Patching and Updating Systems
        1. Using OSA Dispatcher
      7. Managing Configuration with SUSE Manager
      8. Auto-Installation of Systems
        1. Creating Auto-Installation Profiles
        2. Configuring DHCP and TFTP
      9. Using SUSE Manager Monitoring
        1. SUSE Manager Preparation
        2. Preparing the Registered Servers for Monitoring
        3. Analyzing Monitoring
      10. Using SUSE Manager Proxy
      11. Using Organizations
      12. Summary
  15. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
  • Author(s): Sander van Vugt
  • Release date: November 2014
  • Publisher(s): Apress
  • ISBN: 9781430268208