Chapter 7. Administrative Tasks (Topic 2.11)

As a system administrator in a multiuser environment, much of your activity is related to users and their system accounts, the automation of routine tasks, and system backup. This chapter covers these administrative aspects of Linux as required for Exam 101. This chapter has five Objectives:

Objective 1: Manage Users and Group Accounts and Related System Files

This Objective covers the management of user accounts and the commands used to create and modify them. We also examine the files that store user account information. Weight: 7.

Objective 2: Tune the User Environment and System Environment Variables

A user's environment, including shell selection, environment variables, aliases, and the like, is somewhat personal. Each user will want to customize her environment for individual tastes and needs. However, a default setup is needed for new user accounts, and certain system setup items must be provided to all users. This Objective covers the system /etc/profile (a system-wide startup file for the bash shell) and the /etc/skel directory, used as an image for new user accounts. Weight: 4.

Objective 3: Configure and Use System Log Files to Meet Administrative and Security Needs

This Objective covers the configuration and use of standard system logging with the syslog system. Weight: 3.

Objective 4: Automate System Administration Tasks by Scheduling Jobs to Run in the Future

This Objective covers the use of the cron facility for automating routine system maintenance. Weight: 4.

Objective 5: Maintain an Effective Data Backup Strategy

While many commercial tools exist in the market for system backup, you can form an effective basic strategy with tools already available on your Linux system. This Objective covers basic backup strategy using the tar program, including verification of backups and restoration of files. Weight: 3.