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Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, A, 6th Edition

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Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, A, 6th Edition

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About

Features

  • The definitive Fedora and Red Hat resource for users, admins, and programmers at all levels of experience
  • Covers command line, GUIs, servers, security, scripting, administration, and much more
  • Expanded security coverage
  • New indexing system helps readers find answers even faster
  • DVD contains the new Fedora Core 15 distribution
  • Adding a college-style pedagogy, including Learning Objectives, Key Concepts, Labs, and End-of-Chapter Summaries.
  • There will be a comprehensive Instructor's Manual for course use.

Description

  • Copyright 2012
  • Dimensions: 7-3/8" x 9-1/8"
  • Pages: 1320
  • Edition: 6th
  • Book
  • ISBN-10: 0-13-275727-3
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-13-275727-0

“I have found this book to be a very useful classroom text, as well as a great Linux resource. It teaches Linux using a ground-up approach that gives students the chance to progress with their skills and grow into the Linux world. I have often pointed to this book when asked to recommend a solid Linux reference.”

Eric Hartwell, Chair, School of Information Technology, ITT Technical Institute

The #1 Fedora and RHEL resource—a tutorial AND on-the-job reference

Master Linux administration and security using GUI-based tools, the command line, and Perl scripts

Set up key Internet servers, step by step, including Samba, Apache, sendmail, DNS, LDAP, FTP, and more

Master All the Techniques You Need to Succeed with Fedora™ and Red Hat® Enterprise Linux®

In this book, one of the world’s leading Linux experts brings together all the knowledge you need to master Fedora or Red Hat Enterprise Linux and succeed with it in the real world. Best-selling author Mark Sobell explains Linux clearly and effectively, focusing on skills you’ll actually use as a user, programmer, or administrator. Now an even more versatile learning resource, this edition adds skill objectives at the beginning of each chapter.

Sobell assumes no prior Linux knowledge. He starts at the beginning and walks you through every topic and task that matters, using easy-to-understand examples. Step by step, you’ll learn how to install and configure Linux from the accompanying DVD, navigate its graphical user interface, provide file/print sharing, configure network servers, secure Linux desktops and networks, work with the command line, administer Linux efficiently, and even automate administration with Perl scripts.

Mark Sobell has taught hundreds of thousands of Linux and UNIX professionals. He knows every Linux nook and cranny—and he never forgets what it’s like to be new to Linux. Whatever you want to do with Linux—now or in the future—you’ll find it here.

Compared with the other Linux books out there, A Practical Guide to Fedora™ and Red Hat® Enterprise Linux®, Sixth Edition, delivers

  • Complete, up-to-the-minute coverage of Fedora 15 and RHEL 6
  • State-of-the-art security techniques, including up-to-date firewall setup techniques using system-config-firewall and iptables, and a full chapter on OpenSSH (ssh)
  • Coverage of crucial topics such as using su and sudo, and working with the new systemd init daemon
  • Comprehensive coverage of the command line and key system GUI tools
  • More practical coverage of file sharing using Samba, NFS, and FTP
  • Superior coverage of automating administration with Perl
  • More usable, realistic coverage of Internet server configuration, including Apache (Web), sendmail, NFSv4, DNS/BIND, and LDAP, plus new coverage of IPv6
  • More and better coverage of system/network administration tasks, including network monitoring with Cacti
  • Deeper coverage of essential administration tasks—from managing users to CUPS printing, configuring LANs to building a kernel
  • Complete instructions on keeping Linux systems up-to-date using yum
  • And much more, including a 500+ term glossary and comprehensive indexes 

Includes DVD! Get the full version of the Fedora 15 release!

Downloads

Downloads

The DVD included with the book contains Fedora Linux release 15. The exact same contents in the form of an ISO image can be downloaded from this web site: http://archives.fedoraproject.org/pub/archive/fedora/linux/releases/15/Fedora/i386/iso/

Extras

Author's Site

Visit the author's web site: http://www.sobell.com

Sample Content

Table of Contents

List of JumpStarts xxxix

Preface xli

 

Chapter 1: Welcome to Linux 1

The History of UNIX and GNU–Linux 2

What Is so Good About Linux? 6

Overview of Linux 11

Additional Features of Linux 16

Conventions Used in This Book 18

Chapter Summary 20

Exercises 20

Part I: Installing Fedora/RHEL Linux 23

 

Chapter 2: Installation Overview 25

The Desktop Live CD and the Install DVD 26

More Information 27

Planning the Installation 28

The Installation Process 43

Downloading and Burning a CD/DVD 44

Gathering Information About the System 48

Chapter Summary 49

Exercises 50

Advanced Exercises 50

Chapter 3: Step-by-Step Installation 51

Running a Fedora Live Session 52

Installing Fedora/RHEL 54

Installation Tasks 67

gnome-control-center/Displays: Configures the Display 85

Chapter Summary 85

Exercises 86

Advanced Exercises 86

Part II: Getting Started with Fedora/RHEL 87

 

Chapter 4: Introduction to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 89

Curbing Your Power (Superuser/root Privileges) 90

A Tour of the Fedora/RHEL Desktop 90

Getting the Most Out of the Desktop 112

Updating, Installing, and Removing Software Packages 122

Where to Find Documentation 125

More About Logging In 134

Working from the Command Line 139

Chapter Summary 142

Exercises 143

Advanced Exercises 144

Chapter 5: The Linux Utilities 145

Special Characters 146

Basic Utilities 147

Working with Files 149

| (Pipe): Communicates Between Processes 156

Four More Utilities 157

Compressing and Archiving Files 159

Locating Utilities 164

Displaying User and System Information 166

Communicating with Other Users 170

Email 171

Tutorial: Using vim to Create and Edit a File 172

Chapter Summary 179

Exercises 182

Advanced Exercises 183

Chapter 6: The Linux Filesystem 185

The Hierarchical Filesystem 186

Directory Files and Ordinary Files 187

Pathnames 191

Working with Directories 194

Access Permissions 202

ACLs: Access Control Lists 208

Links 213

Chapter Summary 219

Exercises 221

Advanced Exercises 222

Chapter 7: The Shell 225

The Command Line 226

Standard Input and Standard Output 232

Running a Command in the Background 242

Filename Generation/Pathname Expansion 244

Builtins 249

Chapter Summary 250

Exercises 251

Advanced Exercises 252

Part III: Digging into Fedora/RHEL 255

 

Chapter 8: Linux GUIs: X and GNOME 257

X Window System 258

The Nautilus File Browser Window 266

The Nautilus Spatial View (RHEL) 272

GNOME Utilities 273

Chapter Summary 277

Exercises 277

Advanced Exercises 278

Chapter 9: The Bourne Again Shell 279

Background 280

Shell Basics 281

Parameters and Variables 301

Special Characters 315

Processes 316

History 319

Aliases 334

Functions 338

Controlling bash: Features and Options 340

Processing the Command Line 344

Chapter Summary 354

Exercises 356

Advanced Exercises 357

Chapter 10: Networking and the Internet 359

Introduction to Networking 360

Types of Networks and How They Work 362

Communicate Over a Network 381

Network Utilities 382

Distributed Computing 390

WWW: World Wide Web 400

Chapter Summary 402

Exercises 403

Advanced Exercises 404

Part IV: System Administration 405

 

Chapter 11: System Administration: Core Concepts 407

Running Commands with root Privileges 409

The init Daemon 426

System Operation 448

Rescue Installed System 457

Securing a System 458

System Administration Tools 469

Setting Up a Server 477

DHCP: Configures Network Interfaces 489

nsswitch.conf: Which Service to Look at First 494

Getting Help 497

Chapter Summary 497

Exercises 498

Advanced Exercises 499

Chapter 12: Files, Directories, and Filesystems 501

Important Files and Directories 502

File Types 514

Filesystems 519

Chapter Summary 528

Exercises 528

Advanced Exercises 528

Chapter 13: Finding, Downloading, and Installing Software 531

Introduction 532

JumpStart: Installing and Removing Packages Using yum 534

Finding the Package That Holds an Application or File You Need 537

yum: Keeps the System Up-to-Date 538

BitTorrent 545

RPM: The RPM Package Manager 547

Installing Non-rpm Software 551

Keeping Software Up-to-Date 553

wget: Downloads Files Noninteractively 555

Chapter Summary 556

Exercises 557

Advanced Exercises 557

Chapter 14: Printing with CUPS 559

Introduction 560

Fedora/RHEL Configures a Local Printer Automatically 562

JumpStart I: Configuring a Printer Using system-config-printer 562

JumpStart II: Setting Up a Local or Remote Printer 565

Working with the CUPS Web Interface 568

Configuring Printers 570

Traditional UNIX Printing 577

Print from Windows 579

Printing to Windows 581

Chapter Summary 581

Exercises 582

Advanced Exercises 582

Chapter 15: Building a Linux Kernel 583

Downloading, Installing, and Prepping the Kernel Source Code 585

Configuring and Compiling the Linux Kernel 588

Installing the Kernel, Modules, and Associated Files 594

GRUB: The Linux Boot Loader 595

dmesg: Displays Kernel Messages 597

Chapter Summary 598

Exercises 598

Advanced Exercises 599

Chapter 16: Administration Tasks 601

Configuring User and Group Accounts 602

Backing Up Files 605

Scheduling Tasks 611

System Reports 615

Maintaining the System 617

MySQL 635

Chapter Summary 643

Exercises 643

Advanced Exercises 644

Chapter 17: Configuring and Monitoring a LAN 645

Setting Up the Hardware 646

Configuring the Systems 650

NetworkManager: Configures Network Connections 651

Setting Up Servers 656

Introduction to Cacti 657

More Information 668

Chapter Summary 668

Exercises 669

Advanced Exercises 669

Part V: Using Clients and Setting Up Servers 671

 

Chapter 18: OpenSSH: Secure Network Communication 673

Introduction to OpenSSH 674

Running the ssh, scp, and sftp OpenSSH Clients 677

Setting Up an OpenSSH Server (sshd) 688

Troubleshooting 695

Tunneling/Port Forwarding 696

Chapter Summary 698

Exercises 699

Advanced Exercises 699

Chapter 19 FTP: Transferring Files Across a Network 701

Introduction to FTP 702

Running the ftp and sftp FTP Clients 704

Setting Up an FTP Server (vsftpd) 712

Chapter Summary 726

Exercises 726

Advanced Exercises 726

Chapter 20: sendmail: Setting Up Mail Servers, Clients, and More 729

Introduction to sendmail 730

Setting Up a sendmail Mail Server 732

JumpStart I: Configuring sendmail on a Client 733

JumpStart II: Configuring sendmail on a Server 734

Working with sendmail Messages 735

Configuring sendmail 739

SpamAssassin 744

Additional Email Tools 749

Authenticated Relaying 754

Chapter Summary 756

Exercises 757

Advanced Exercises 757

Chapter 21: NIS and LDAP 759

Introduction to NIS 760

Running an NIS Client 763

Setting Up an NIS Server 769

LDAP 776

Setting Up an LDAP Server 779

Tools for Working with LDAP 784

Chapter Summary 788

Exercises 789

Advanced Exercises 789

Chapter 22: NFS: Sharing Directory Hierarchies 791

Introduction to NFS 793

Running an NFS Client 795

Setting Up an NFS Server 801

automount: Mounts Directory Hierarchies on Demand 811

Chapter Summary 814

Exercises 815

Advanced Exercises 815

Chapter 23: Samba: Linux and Windows File and Printer Sharing 817

Introduction to Samba 818

Running Samba Clients 822

Setting Up a Samba Server 826

Troubleshooting 840

Chapter Summary 843

Exercises 844

Advanced Exercises 844

Chapter 24: DNS/BIND: Tracking Domain Names and Addresses 845

Introduction to DNS 846

Setting Up a DNS Server 858

Configuring a DNS Server 866

Setting Up Different Types of DNS Servers 879

Chapter Summary 889

Exercises 890

Advanced Exercises 890

Chapter 25: system-config-firewall and iptables: Setting Up a Firewall 891

JumpStart: Building a Firewall Using system-config-firewall 893

Introduction to iptables 895

Building a Set of Rules Using iptables 902

Copying Rules to and from the Kernel 908

system-config-firewall: Generates a Set of Rules 909

Sharing an Internet Connection Using NAT 910

Chapter Summary 914

Exercises 914

Advanced Exercises 915

Chapter 26: Apache (httpd): Setting Up a Web Server 917

Introduction 918

Running an Apache Web Server 920

Filesystem Layout 923

Configuration Directives 925

The Fedora/RHEL httpd.conf File 947

Advanced Configuration 950

Troubleshooting 956

Modules 957

webalizer: Analyzes Web Traffic 963

MRTG: Monitors Traffic Loads 964

Error Codes 964

Chapter Summary 965

Exercises 965

Advanced Exercises 966

Part VI: Programming Tools 967

 

Chapter 27: Programming the Bourne Again Shell 969

Control Structures 971

File Descriptors 1003

Parameters and Variables 1006

Builtin Commands 1018

Expressions 1032

Shell Programs 1040

Chapter Summary 1050

Exercises 1052

Advanced Exercises 1053

Chapter 28: The Perl Scripting Language 1057

Introduction to Perl 1058

Variables 1066

Control Structures 1073

Working with Files 1082

Sort 1086

Subroutines 1087

Regular Expressions 1090

CPAN Modules 1095

Examples 1098

Chapter Summary 1101

Exercises 1102

Advanced Exercises 1102

Part VII: Appendixes 1103

 

Appendix A: Regular Expressions 1105

Characters 1106

Delimiters 1106

Simple Strings 1106

Special Characters 1106

Rules 1109

Bracketing Expressions 1110

The Replacement String 1110

Extended Regular Expressions 1111

Appendix Summary 1113

Appendix B: Help 1115

Solving a Problem 1116

Finding Linux-Related Information 1117

Specifying a Terminal 1122

Appendix C: Security 1125

Encryption 1126

File Security 1131

Email Security 1131

Network Security 1132

Host Security 1135

Security Resources 1140

Appendix Summary 1143

Appendix D: The Free Software Definition 1145

 

Glossary 1149

JumpStart Index 1199

File Tree Index 1201

Utility Index 1205

Main Index 1211

Appendix

Download the Appendix: A Practical Guide to the CompTIA® Linux+ Exams LX0-101 and LX0-102

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