SUSE Linux for Experienced Linux System Administrators — A 2-day course

 Open Public Course Closed In-House Course

Synopsis

This course is designed to teach the key administration differences of a SUSE Linux Enterprise system.

Course Objectives

On completion of this course the delegate will have knowledge of SUSE specific administration tasks within the Enterprise. They will have gained practical experience of configuring administrative, networking and security aspects of the SUSE Linux Enterprise system. The delegate will understand the technical differences to other major Linux releases.

The delegate will have knowledge in all, and practise in some, of the following:

• SUSE Product Offerings and Certification
• Use the yast tool for administration tasks
• Install the SUSE operating system from a local device
• Install the SUSE operating system from a networked server
• Monitor and manage devices with UDEV and the sysfs file system
• Manage the SUSE network environment
• Manage system services
• Troubleshoot and repair a system that can't be booted
• Manage system security with the yast tool
• Manage on-line internet updates
• System backup with the yast tool
• Miscellaneous differences

Suitable for

This course is suitable for experienced Linux System Administrators who need to acquire knowledge of the key differences of administration on a SUSE Linux Enterprise system.

Prerequisites

Delegates must have recent in-depth practical experience of administrating LINUX in a network environment on another LINUX platform such as RedHat or Mandriva.

Publicly scheduled dates, locations, and prices

Contents:

SuSe Linux Poduct Offerings and Certifications

• The SuSe Linux Poduct Offerings
• OPENSuSe(r) Linux
• Enterprise Class Product Offerings
• SuSe(r) Linux Enterprise Server
• Novell Certifications
• NCLP Practicum Examination - Examples

YaST

• The Yast System Configuration Tool

Installing SuSE

• Other Supplied DOS/Windows Utilities
• Checking Free Space
• Dual Booting
• Performing the Installation
• The Installation Program User Interface
• Virtual Consoles
• Console Keystrokes
• Boot Options
• Function Keys
• Additional Boot Options
• Turning off Frame Buffer Support (Screen Problem)
• VNC Installation Options
• Kernel Options
• Installation Procedures
• Hard Disk Partitioning
• Software Selection
• Taboo
• Booting Screen
• Time Zone Configuration
• Installation Progress
• Installation Final Stages
• Workshop Exercises

SuSE Network Installation

• Setting up an Installation Server
• Booting the Client
• Creating a PXE Boot Environment
• Setup the Server as an HTTP, FTP or NFS Server
• Install the Syslinux Package
• Install a DHCP Server with a PXE Boot Environment
• Configure the TFTP Environment
• Setup the PXE Boot Menu and Options
• Automatic Installation
• The XML Control File
• Example XML Control File
• Creating a Control File with Yast
• Editing Configuration Files and Custom Control Scripts
• The Auto-Installation Process
• Autoyast Command Line Parameters
• Combining Autoyast and PXEboot
• Troubleshooting PXEboot
• DHCP Errors
• tftpboot Errors
• Installation Errors
• Examine Network Packets
• Workshop Exercises

Monitoring and Managing Hardware

• Monitoring Hardware
• hwinfo
• The lsvpd Package
• The lscfg Command
• siga
• Detecting new/existing Hardware
• The Hotplug System
• Devices and Interfaces
• Devices under 2.4 Kernels
• The Sysfs Filesystem and Persistent Names
• Device Initialisation and Interface Configuration
• Hotplug Events
• Hot-Plug Agents
• Cold Plug
• Logging/Debugging Hotplug
• Boot Time Parameters
• The UDEV System
• Creating Rules
• Configuring UDEV
• Automatic Mounting
• Access Privileges
• Persistent Names for Mass Storage Devices
• Workshop Exercises

Managing the SuSE Network Environment

• The Basic Network Configuration Files
• The icfg-eth-id-mac File
• Managing Network Devices
• The iproute2 Suite
• Configuring the Network Card
• Configuring the Network Address
• Configuring Routing
• Configuring Interfaces: Yast
• Multiple Addresses Per Interface (Virtual Interface)
• Controlling Network Parameters
• Routing under Suse
• Configuring your Machine as a Gateway
• Remote Administration
• Workshop Exercises

Managing System Services

• Initiating a New Service
• Starting/Stopping Services Manually
• Enabling/Disabling Services using Yast
• Suseconfig and /etc/sysconfig
• The Yast Sysconfig Editor
• Workshop Exercises
• System Wide Security Settings
• Managing the Firewall
• The seccheck Tool
• Workshop Exercises

On-line Updates

• Updating your System
• Registration
• Yast Online Update
• Automatic Notification of Updates
• Command Line Tools

Backup with YaST

• Backing Up and Restoring with Yast
• The Backup Procedure
• Manual Backup
• Backup Profiles
• Restoring

Troubleshooting and Reparing a System That Can't be Booted

• Troubleshooting SUSE Overview
• Booting into Maintenance Mode (Single User Mode)
• Booting into Maintenance Mode (Forgotten Root Password)
• Booting the Rescue System
• Booting into Yast System Repair Mode
• Workshop Exercises

Miscellaneous SuSE Differences

• Printer Management
• Configuring Remote Printers - Yast
• Example of Adding a Windows (SMB) Printer
• File Systems
• File Systems Supported by SUSE
• Creating Partitions using Yast
• Package Management
• Log Files
• Managing Raid
• The Kernel
• Powertweak
• Workshop Exercises