Linux Technical Overview

 Closed In-House Course

Background

Linux has stopped being a curiosity known only to the technical community and become a direct threat to Microsoft's alleged dominance of the low-end server market. Not only that, but voices can now be heard muttering the unthinkable - that it represents a viable alternative for many types of corporate desktop. Do you feel confident that you know what Linux is really about? What does it have to offer, how does it compare with other systems, how much does it cost? Why have IBM, HP, Oracle and others rushed to offer support?

How, for example, is it possible for a free system to provide as standard:

• Windows file-sharing, printer support and NT Domain Controller services
• Internal/External email and Internet services
• SQL Database Engines
• TCP/IP Networking, Firewalling, Network Address Translation and Management
• C, C++, Java, Perl and other languages and development tools
• Local and remote Windowing Systems
• Internet/Intranet Web Server based on industry-leading software
• Fax server
• Administrative task scripting and scheduling
• Remarkable robustness
• Efficient use of low-cost commodity hardware
• Office automation suites comparable with MS Office
• Outstanding, auditable security

Synopsis

This course is aimed at delegates who require an understanding of the dynamic world of Open source software. This course specifically discusses the main features and benefits offered by today's leading open source operating system, Linux.

Objectives

By the end of the course the users will be able to:

• Appreciate the history of Open Source, GNU Project and GPL
• Understand the F.S.F. and Open Source movements today
• Identify the major distributions available and their strengths/weaknesses
• Appreciate RedHat/Suse distributions for corporate solutions
• Become familiar with the KDE & GNOME graphical environments
• Become familiar with the various Open Source office solutions
• Identify the disadvantages of using Open Source as a corporate solution

Prerequisites

• Basic computer literacy
• Basic Internet literacy

N.B. For closed company courses this course can be tailored to suit requirements. The Linux overview course comes in two flavours: both share the same basic content, but one is more technically oriented than the other. The Linux Commercial Overview is gives more emphasis to the concerns of non-technical commercial managers (e.g. strategy, costs, marketplace, etc.), whereas the Linux Technical Overview provides more detail on practical issues of technical implementation (e.g. tools, architectures, etc.).

Delivery

This outline is intended to show the general direction of the ground to be covered and will be supported with handouts (approx 100 slides in all).

The trainer will ensure that the focus is on the principal reasons for the growth of the Linux phenomenon and will illustrate points by reference to other technologies in the marketplace, amongst them the proprietary Unix derivatives and Microsoft Windows in its various forms.

Delegates will be strongly encouraged to ask questions: provided that the numbers are keep within reason it should be entirely possible to take a number of questions in depth during the session.

Closed-Company Courses

Depending on the audience, this one day briefing gives either a technical overview or commercial overview of Linux, what it provides, how it works, its cost structure and its likely level of adoption in the enterprise. It is suitable for managers, administrators and developers who wish to understand where Linux fits in the future of network and desktop operating systems.

The focus is on the services offered by Linux, its suitability as an Enterprise Operating System and its use in business. The Linux Commercial Overview keeps technical content to an appropriate level and avoids excessive detail. The Linux Technical Overiew, by contast, provides added technical detail and cuts the commercial content to the necessary minimum.

GBdirect has been running the business on Linux since 1998 and have seen the cost of ownership plummet as a direct result. Crashes, re-installs and frequent maintenance are quite simply things of the past. Unlike others, our trainers are, therefore, able to report on over 8 years of direct practical experience with Linux in a range of production environments (on top of decades of experience in Open Source software and other Unix-like systems).

Outline Course Contents

Basics of Open Source and Linux

A Brief History of Open Source

• The GNU Project
• Richard Stallman and the GPL
• The Kernel : Linus Torvalds
• GU/Linux Timeline
• Distributions, the main players
• The Free Software Foundation
• Disadvantages of Open Source Solutions

RedHat/Suse and other solutions

• The RedHat product offerings and positioning
• New features just announced
• Support and features of each product
• The Suse distribution
• Novell's impact on Suse
• Administering the main distributions

Linux : A practical tour

• Basic installation procedures
• Basic administration techniques
• Network tools and utilities
• A desktop guide
• General Overview of drivers, updates and patches

X,the Desktop and Office Solutions

• RedHat's BlueCurve theme
• Gnome 2.0 and KDE V3.0 desktops
• New features of graphical systems
• OpenOffice.org programs
• The "k" Office offerings
• The Star Office product offering
• Other Office solutions available

Open Source vs Proprietry Solutions

• Deployment and training issues
• Migrating to Open Source issues
• Windows/Open Source integration
• Integration Issues
• PIM offerings