Linux Basics and SLES 9 Installation

SECTION 1

Linux Basics and SLES 9 Installation

This section provides background information about Linux and guides you through an installation of SLES 9.

Objectives
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The History of Linux Understand the Multiuser Environment Identify the Components of SLES 9 Perform a Simple Installation of SLES 9 Document Installation, Configuration, and Baseline System Performance

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Objective 1

The History of Linux

Linux is closely related to the UNIX operating system. To understand the history of Linux, you need to know the following:

The Historical Development of UNIX The Development of Linux Differences between SUSE Linux and SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server

The Historical Development of UNIX

At the end of the 1960s, most operating systems were only designed for batch operations. If you wanted to run a program, you inserted a pile of punch cards or a roll of perforated strips into a reading device and waited until the result was sent to a printer. If there was an error in the program or if you did not get the required result, you had to rewrite the perforated roll or replace one or several punch cards, reread the stack, and again wait for the result. This procedure was not only long-winded, but also inefficient, which led computer developers to look for a way to allow a number of users to simultaneously use a dialog-oriented way of working with the system. MULTICS was one of the first programs created to meet this demand. It allowed you to work in a dialog with the computer, but it was still very strongly influenced by the batch operation, and it was difficult to operate. In 1969, one of the MULTICS developers, Ken Thompson, began creating an operating system that, apart from a dialog-oriented operation, aimed to provide a high functionality and structural simplicity.

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The first version of UNIX was written in Assembler, a programming language close to the machine-level. To be machine-independent in its further development, UNIX was rewritten in 1971 in the programming language C, developed by Dennis Ritchie. Because Bell Laboratories (a subsidiary company of AT&T) provided documentation and the source code of UNIX to universities almost at cost, the system spread relatively quickly. The simple operation of the system, the almost unlimited availability of the source code, and its relative portability motivated many users and companies to become actively engaged in its development, so functionalities were very quickly added to UNIX and it reached a very high level of maturity. At the same time, a series of commercial UNIX derivatives were developed including versions from IBM, DEC, and HP (HP-UX, 1982), as well as BSD UNIX (Berkeley Software Distribution, 1978), developed by the University of California in Berkeley. In 1983, AT&T began marketing UNIX System V commercially via its sister company USL, proclaiming System V as the UNIX standard. As a consequence of this, the licensing of UNIX changed considerably, leading, among other things, to a long-lasting legal battle with BSD. At the same time, with never-ending quarrels between UNIX vendors, a genuine standardization of the UNIX operating system family was prevented. Modern UNIX operating systems can still be separated as either more System V or more BSD types, although there are no pure systems of one kind or the other. Linux tries to combine the best of both worlds.

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The Development of Linux

In the spring of 1991, Linus Benedict Torvalds, a Finnish student, began to take a closer look at the memory management of his 386 PC. A few months later he had developed a rudimentary kernel that he passed on as a source text to others who were interested via the Internet with the following message:
From: [email protected] (Linus Benedict Torvalds) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix Subject: What would you like to see most in minix? Summary: small poll for my new operating system Message-ID: <[email protected]> Date: 25 Aug 91 20:57:08 GMT Organization: University of Helsinki Hello everybody out there using minix I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things). I've currently ported bash(1.08) and gcc(1.40), and things seem to work. This implies that I'll get something practical within a few months, and I'd like to know what features most people would want. Any suggestions are welcome, but I won't promise I'll implement them :-) Linus ([email protected]) PS. Yes - it's free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs. It is NOT portable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably never will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's all I have :-(.

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Linus Torvalds made the source code of his Linux kernel available with the GPL (GNU General Public License). The GPL allows everyone to read and edit the source code. The GPL license also requires any edited source code to be made available to the public. Linux rapidly developed into a project involving many people, although the development of the system's core (Linux kernel) is still coordinated by Linus Torvalds. All kernel modifications are integrated by him. The functions of the kernel include input and output control, device control, process management, and file management. Other system components (shell utilities, network programs, and implementations of the kernel for non-Intel processors) are maintained by other people or groups. As a rule, there are two current versions of Linux development: a stable one, identified by an even number after the first dot; and developer versions, identified by an odd number. Linux distributionsconsisting of the Linux kernel, applications (such as office packages, databases, and network services), and manualsare based on the even-numbered versions, but they often provide current development kernels, which, under certain circumstances, are needed for the integration of new hardware components.

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Because Linux is written in C, it is available for a lot of different hardware platforms, including the following:

i386: 32 bit Intel/AMD: 64 bit PowerPC (Macintosh, RS/6000) SPARC (Sun) IBM pSeries IBM zSeries (S/390) Embedded

Differences between SUSE Linux and SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) is based on the SUSE Linux Professional distribution. The time between release of the Professional distribution and release of SLES is used for intensive testing and applying patches which improve security and stability of the system. Additionally, SLES contains some features which will be made available in future versions of the Professional distribution.

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The following illustrates the relationships between open source code, SUSE LINUX Professional, and SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server: Figure 1-1

SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 has fewer packages (about 1,000) than the SUSE LINUX Professional distribution (about 3,500). Most packages that have been removed are desktop applications. SLES has a guaranteed life cycle of 5 years. During this time, you are provided patches and fixes that help you maintain SLES. In addition, you can choose from a range of support offers. Only the SLES product is certified by independent hardware and software vendors.

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Objective 2

Understand the Multiuser Environment

One of the goals of UNIX was to enable a number of users to use the system simultaneously (multiuser capability). Because several users might also want to use several different programs simultaneously, mechanisms must be available to allow these programs to run simultaneously (multitasking capability). The implementation of a multiuser and multitasking system in a single processor system only appears to be simultaneous. Truly simultaneous processing is only possible in a multiprocessor system. Even in a single-processor system, advantages can be gained through multitasking because waiting times for input or output from other processes can be used. UNIX implements preemptive multitaskingeach process is allowed a maximum time with which it can work. When this time has expired, the operating system stops processing that process and allocates processing time to another process waiting to run. Other operating systems (such as versions of MAC OS older than version X) do not intervene in this process cycle. Instead, control over the processor must be released by the running process before another process can run. This can lead to one process hijacking the processor, leaving other processes without processing time and blocking the system. The operating system coordinates access to the resources available in the system (hard drives, tapes, interfaces). If there is competition among processes for access to a tape device, only one process can be granted access. The others must be rejected.

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This coordination task is very complex and no operating system is able to implement an ideal solution. The classic problem involves a situation in which two or more processes exclusively need the same resources, as illustrated in the following resource conflict: Figure 1-2

A
Access

Request

B
Access

R1

R2

The following describes the resource conflict:

Process A needs resources R1 and R2. Process B needs resources R2 and R1. Process A has received access to R1 and would now also like access to R2. In the meantime, however, B has already gained access to R2 and, in turn, would like access to R1 as well. If these two processes now wait until what they need is available, nothing more will happenthey are deadlocked.

Multithreading is an extension of multitasking and helps solve this problem.

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In multithreading, a number of parts independent from one another (threads) can be produced within a process. Multithreading increases the level of parallel processes with each thread needing to be administered, which makes the use of a multiprocessor system more valuable. A clear distinction should be made here between programs and processes: as a rule, a program exists only once in the system, but there can be several processes that perform the same program. If a number of users are active, both programs and processes can be used independently of one another (such as a program used to display directories).

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Objective 3

Identify the Components of SLES 9

SLES 9 has several new and improved features, including the following:

Updated Core System with Latest Versions/Features of All Packages New and Improved YaST Modules Next Generation Linux Kernel 2.6.5 Improved High Availability Support Full Enablement and Support of UTF-8 Inclusion of Red Carpet Enterprise Daemon New Type of Installation Source: SLP POSIX-Compliant, High-Performance Threads Support (NPTL)

Updated Core System with Latest Versions/Features of All Packages

The following are updated core system features and versions:

SUSE Linux kernel (version 2.6.5) Main C library (glibc 2.3.3) GNU compiler collection (GCC 3.3.3) XFree X11 graphical user interface (XFree 4.3.99) KDE Desktop Environment (3.2.1) GNOME Desktop Environment (2.4.2) File, print, and other services for Windows (Samba 3.0.4) Apache web server version 2.x (Apache 2.0.49) Domain name server (BIND 9.2.3)

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New and Improved YaST Modules

YaST is the installation and administration tool for SLES 9. It includes the following improvements:

New YaST license (GPL) New and improved installation methods (NFS, HTTP, FTP, VNC, SSH, and SLP) New and improved configuration modules (such as DNS)

Next Generation Linux Kernel 2.6.5

Linux kernel 2.6.5 includes several improvements over the 2.4.x kernel versions, such as the following:

Performance Improved hyper threading (one processor can handle more processes at the same time) and NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory Access) support (memory architecture for multiprocessor systems) Full enablement and support of UTF-8 Better support of big SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) systems Fine granular locking to boost parallel execution Multiple kernel tuning parameters (like I/O scheduler) Scalability Support for more than 64 CPUs Support for thousands of devices and disks (64-bit major/minor) Improved block I/O layer Improved network stack with IPv6, IPSEC, and Mobile IPv6

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Hotplug support (SCSI, USB, Firewire, PCI, and CPU) Persistent device names and unified device handling Class-based kernel resource management (CKRM) ACPI improvements (such as suspend to disk/RAM) Infiniband support (high-speed serial computer bus)

Improved High Availability Support

The following are high availability supported features:

Cluster volume manager (EVMS) Cluster IP alias Lustre Cluster file system

Full Enablement and Support of UTF-8

SLES 9 supports Asian characters and fonts with UTF-8 support, which includes translations and commercial fonts.

Inclusion of Red Carpet Enterprise Daemon

SLES 9 includes the Red Carpet daemon.

New Type of Installation Source: SLP

SLES 9 now supports a Service Location Protocol (SLP) installation source and can send an SLP request for service install.suse to the network and prompt you to select an entry from the list of returned URLs.

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POSIX-Compliant, High-Performance Threads Support (NPTL)

SLES 9 features a new thread implementation called NPTL, which is faster and better than the old implementation (called linuxthreads).

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Objective 4

Perform a Simple Installation of SLES 9

The process of installing the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 can be divided into the following steps:

Pre-Installation Requirements and Guidelines Installation Options Basic Installation Manual Software Selection Configuration

Pre-Installation Requirements and Guidelines

The following are basic system requirements for SLES 9:

Minimum system requirements for operation:

256 MB RAM 500 MB hard disk space for software 500 MB hard disk space for user data 512 MB to 3 GB RAM, at least 256 MB per CPU 4 GB hard disk space Network interface (Ethernet or modem)

Recommended system requirements:

After installing SLES 9 some system configurations can be hard to change. In order to make sure you are prepared to install SLES 9 with the configuration settings you need, you should consider the following:

Hardware compatibility. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 supports most enterprise hardware for servers. It also supports hardware for desktops. Some laptop computer hardware might not be compatible with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.

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To verify that your hardware is compatible with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, you can use the following web site: http://www.novell.com/partnerguide/section/481.html

File system types. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 supports various file system types. Make sure you select the file system type that is right for your particular needs and requirements. For details on file system types, see Section 3 Select a Linux File System on 3-2.

Partitioning scheme. Make sure you plan for the appropriate partitions and partition sizes before starting your installation (if you are using traditional instead of virtual partitions). Modifying partition sizes after installation can be impossible or difficult to achieve. Its also easier to configure Software RAID or LVM during installation. This is especially true of configuring the root file system.

Software package selection. Although you can install software packages after installation, it can be easier to decide ahead of time which packages you want installed and do the configuration during SUSE Linux installation.
To increase the security of your system, make sure you install only required services on your computer.

Dual-boot system. If you plan on installing a dual-boot system on your computer (with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 as one of the systems), it is often better to install SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 first.

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For example, if you install SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9, and then install a Windows operating system, SUSE Linux recognizes the Windows operating system and automatically provides a dual boot screen after installing Windows.

Installation Options
Do the following:
1.

Boot your computer from the SLES 9 installation CD. The following screen appears:

Figure 1-3

2.

Select the installation option you want to use or wait for the installation program to choose one automatically.

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If you do not choose an option within 20 seconds, the first entry in the list (Boot from Hard Disk) is chosen automatically. To stop this countdown, simply press the Tab key once. The following describes options on this screen:

Boot from Hard Disk. Boots the standard operating system installed on your hard disk. Installation. Starts the normal installation process. Installation - ACPI Disabled. Some old computers don't have ACPI power management. This can lead to problems during the installation. If you select this option, you can disable the ACPI features of SLES 9. Installation - Safe Settings. Some older computers don't have any kind of power management or hard disk acceleration. If you have problems with your installation, select this option. Manual Installation. All automatic features of YaST (such as hardware detection) are disabled. You must configure everything manually. Rescue System. A minimal Linux system (without a graphical user interface) starts from the CD so you can repair the Linux installation on the hard disk. Memory Test. Select this option to test the RAM for physical errors.

Function keys, indicated in the bar at the bottom of the screen, let you change the following installation settings:

F1. Opens context-sensitive help for the currently selected option of the boot screen. F2. Lets you select a graphical display mode (such as 640x480 or 1024X768) for the installation. You can select one of these or select the text mode, which is useful if the graphical mode causes display problems.

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F3. Lets you select an installation media type. Normally, you install from the SLES 9 Installation CD, but in some cases you might want to select another source, such as FTP, HTTP, or NFS.

The installation method and media you select is generally determined by what is the most efficient use of your time. For example, if you do not want to bother burning the installation images to CD-ROMs, you can store them in a central location on the network and access them using one of the network protocols. If your network performance is not too slow, this option can save you a lot of time.

Most Linux distributions allow various methods of installation. For example, you can install from a CD, from another local media source, boot the system from a floppy, or install from a server on the network using HTTP, FTP, NFS, or SMB. Using FTP, HTTP, NFS, or SMB for installation requires an installation repository on another machine. Setting up such a repository is relatively easy with SLES 9. (There is a YaST module to do this, but is beyond the scope of this course.)

F4. Lets you select an installation language. F5. Lets you select the debugging output level. By default, diagnostic messages of the Linux kernel are not displayed during system startup. To display these messages, select Native. For maximum information, select Verbose. F6. Lets you add a driver update CD to the installation process. You are asked to insert the update CD at the appropriate point in the installation process.

3.

Press Enter. The installation program YaST starts.

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Basic Installation
Do the following:
1.

Read and accept the Novell Software License Agreement by selecting I Agree. Select the language to be used during the installation process; then select Accept

2.

Figure 1-4

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If Linux is already installed on your computer, the following dialog appears: Figure 1-5

3.

In this dialog, select one of the following:

New Installation (to install SLES 9) Update an Existing System Repair Installed System Boot installed system Abort installation

4.

Select OK.

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YaST displays the following information about your hardware and makes suggestions for the installation: Figure 1-6

5.

If you need to change a setting, select its headline or select the Change button; then select Accept. The following sections are available:

System. Lists details about your hardware. Mode. Lists the available installation modes. Keyboard layout. Identifies the layout of your keyboard. Mouse. Identifies your mouse type. Partitioning. Lets you create and change the partitioning table of your hard disk. If you have free space on your hard disk, the configuration program tries to use it for the installation.

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If a Windows partition exists, YaST tries to resize it. An existing Linux partition is overwritten. In any case, you should make a backup of any needed partitions.

Software: Lets you select the software to be installed (see the following section). Booting. Lets you install and configure the GRUB boot loader. Time zone: Lets you select your time zone. Language: Lets you select the default language for your installation. Default Runlevel. Lets you select your default runlevel for SLES 9. Runlevels are different modes your system can work in. Runlevel 5 offers full networking capabilities and starts the graphical user interface.

You will usually have to change the software and partitioning recommendations made by YaST depending on the intended purpose of your computer. See Pre-Installation Requirements and Guidelines on 1-15 for details. If another operating system is already installed on the computer but the hard drive has free, unpartitioned space left, YaST automatically recommends installing SLES 9 in that free space and creating a dual boot configuration for both operating systems.
6.

After selecting Accept, you need to confirm your settings again. Select Yes, Install to start the installation process. The installation can take some time, depending on your hardware.

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Manual Software Selection

1.

If you want to install software that is not included in the default installation, select the Change drop-down list and select Software. The following dialog appears:

Figure 1-7

2.

Select one of the following:

Minimum System. Installs a minimum SUSE LINUX configuration without a graphical system. Minimum Graphical System (without KDE). Installs a standard software selection but with limited graphical capabilities. Instead of the powerful KDE or GNOME environments, only the basic window manager fvwm2 is installed.

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Full Installation. Installs most packages available on the SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server CDs. Default System. Installs a standard software selection, including KDE as the desktop environment.

3.

If you want to select individual packages, select Detailed Selection. The following dialog appears:

Figure 1-8

SLES 9 contains a broad range of software. When selecting individual packages, you can use different filters to display the available software packages. These filters are available from the Filter drop-down list in the top left corner and include the following:

Selections. Displays grouped selections of packages. Package Groups. Displays all software packages that are available on the installation media.

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Search. Lets you enter a search term and select where you want YaST to search. Enter the full package name, part of the name, or keywords in the Search text field and select Search. The results are listed in the right window. The installation state is shown by a small symbol in front of the package name. The most important symbols are shown in the following (view a complete list by selecting Help > Symbols):

Figure 1-9

Select the symbol of the package you want to install until the install symbol appears.

Installation Summary. Displays all the packages with the status marked.

4.

Once your software selection is complete, select Accept

You might see a dialog indicating that the dependencies between the packages cannot be resolved and that some other packages need to be installed, too. In most cases, you can simply confirm this dialog. If the wrong CD is in the drive, a warning appears.

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Configuration
During the configuration phase of the installation, you configure the following:

Root Password Network Devices Services Users Hardware

Root Password

If the installation was successful, the computer reboots. YaST starts again because you need to configure some basic settings.

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Do the following:
1.

Specify the password for the administrator root in the following dialog:

Figure 1-10

Warnings appear if the selected password is too simple.

Network Devices

Do the following:
1.

After you have specified a password, review your network configuration.

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YaST displays a summary of the network devices it has discovered: Figure 1-11

The following types of network devices are displayed:

Network interfaces DSL connections ISDN adapters Modems

2.

By default, YaST selects the DHCP configuration for the network interfaces. If you need to change the network configuration, select the headline of the section or select the Change. Select Next.

3.

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4.

Test your Internet connection in the Test Internet Connection dialog:

Figure 1-12

5.

Select Yes, Test Connection to the Internet if you want the latest release notes to be downloaded and if you want YaST to check for new updates. If new updates are found, YaST asks you to verify the download and installation. You should apply any updates to ensure your new system has the latest patches applied.

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Services

Do the following:
1.

In the Service Configuration dialog, you can configure two very important services:

Figure 1-13

These services are:

CA Management. A CA (Certificate Authority) guarantees a trust relationship among all network services communicating with each other. OpenLDAP Server. You run an LDAP server on your host to provide a central facility managing a range of configuration files. Typically, an LDAP server handles user account data, but with SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server, it is also used for mail-, DHCP-, and DNS-related data.

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If you decide not to use an LDAP server, the YaST mail server module will not work because it depends on LDAP functionality. Nevertheless, you can still set up a mail server on your system with the help of the Mail Transfer Agent module. By default, a CA is created and an LDAP server is set up during the installation.
2.

Select Next.

Make sure the Server Name is set correctly before selecting Next, because it is in the CA and the LDAP server configuration. If the server name is incorrect, select Back to return to the Network Configuration Dialog and set the name in the Network Interface dialogs.

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Users

After you configure the services, you configure user authentication. First, select the authentication method you want to use: Figure 1-14

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Three different methods are available:

NIS. User account data is managed centrally by a NIS server. NIS can only be used in pure UNIX environments. LDAP. User account data is managed centrally by an LDAP server. Users should be authenticated via LDAP if you are working in a network environment that has both UNIX and Windows computers. Local (/etc/passwd). This setup is used for systems where no network connection is available or where users are not supposed to log in from a remote location at all. User accounts are managed using the local file /etc/passwd.

The next dialog displayed depends on the authentication method you select. Figure 1-15

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x
Figure 1-16

LDAP authentication isnt used in this course. The topic is covered in the SUSE LINUX Advanced Administration course (3038). In this course, only the local authentication is explained.

For this course, do the following:

1.

Select Local (/etc/passwd); then select Next. The following dialog appears:

2.

Add a user by providing the following information:

Full User Name. The complete name of the user. User Login. The login name of the user. This name must be unique on the system.

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Password and Verify Password. The case-sensitive login password for the user. You have to enter the password twice for verification. For security reasons, the letters of the password are shown as stars. YaST displays warnings if the password is insecure.

3.

If you want the user to receive automatically generated email for root, select Receive System Mail. If you use your Linux computer only at your own desk and you want to avoid the login after startup, select Auto Login.

4.

For security reasons, we recommended that you deselect this option.

5.

After setting up one or more users, the system information is written to disk. YaST opens a window with the release notes. Select Next to go to the next step of the installation.

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Hardware

At this point, the final configuration dialog appears (the hardware configuration dialog, as shown below): Figure 1-17

Do the following:
1.

Configure additional hardware items such as the following:

Graphics cards Printers Sound cards

YaST configures the graphics card and the sound card automatically.
2.

YaST also detects most printers automatically. Confirm the settings and write them to the system by selecting Next.

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3.

A dialog appears, explaining that the installation was successful. Select Finish.

SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 is now ready for use.

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Exercise 1-1

Install SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server 9 The purpose of this exercise is to guide you through an installation of SLES9. A working installation of SLES9 is basic to all further exercises. To install SLES 9, do the following:
1. 2. 3. 4.

Insert SLES 9 CD 1 into your CD drive. Reboot your computer. From the Installation menu, select Installation. From the Novell Software License Agreement dialog, select I Agree. From the Language dialog, select your language; then select Accept. Select New Installation; then select OK. Verify that the correct keyboard layout is selected in the section Keyboard Layout. (Conditional) If the correct keyboard layout is not selected, from the Change drop-down list select Keyboard Layout; then select the correct layout and select Accept. From the Change drop-down list, select Software. select Selections.

5.

6. 7.

8.

9.

10. Select Detailed Selection; then from the Filter drop-down list

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11. In the left window, select GNOME system and C/C++

Compiler and Tools; then select Accept.

12. Confirm the YaST installation suggestions by selecting Accept. 13. Confirm the installation settings by selecting Yes, Install. 14. (Conditional) If YaST indicates that another installation CD is

needed, insert the correct CD. After copying files and finishing a basic installation, YaST reboots your computer to a Password for root dialog.
15. Specify the root password by entering novell (twice); then select

Next.
16. Confirm the two warning messages by selecting Yes.

You should use an insecure password (such as novell) only for the purpose of training. Choose a more secure password on a live system.
17. Confirm the network configuration by selecting Next. 18. Select Yes, Test Connection to the Internet; then test your

Internet connection by selecting Next.

19. Do one of the following:

If the connection test fails (you see a failed message for the release notes), select OK. or If the connection test is successful, select Next.

20. Do not install the updates found by selecting No, Skip Update;

then select OK.

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21. In the Service Configuration dialog, make sure that Use

Following Configuration is selected; then select Next.

22. In the User Authentication Method dialog, select Local

(/etc/passwd); then select Next.

23. Add a local user by entering the following:

Full Name: Geeko Novell User Login: geeko Password: N0v3ll (use a zero, not an uppercase O) Verify Password: N0v3ll

24. When you finish, select Next.

YaST begins configuring your SLES 9 system.

25. Confirm that you want to view the release notes by selecting

Next.
26. Accept the default hardware configuration by selecting Next. 27. When the installation is complete, select Finish.

The GUI login screen appears. Leave this screen open for the next exercise.
(End of Exercise)

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Objective 5

Document Installation, Configuration, and Baseline System Performance

As your Linux system grows, you will find your documentation of installation decisions, configuration options, and baseline performance to be invaluable. There is no set rule where to keep such a documentation. If there is no company policy to follow you might want to keep it in a binder near the machine itself. A copy of it should be kept at another place, so that the documentation is not destroyed in a disaster. Documentation makes it easier to add new systems, to troubleshoot most problems, and to optimize system and network performance. In this objective you learn to

Document Installations and Maintenance Document Configuration Changes Document System Baseline Performance

Document Installations and Maintenance

You should document every aspect of each of your Linux installations. For each computer, you should document the following:

Hardware specifications for the computer Linux is installed on Installation sources (such as an installation server or CDs) Installation options you used Installed packages Services configured during installation TCP/IP assignment

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Network settings Who performed the installation and when it was done

You can facilitate the installation documentation process by creating a form where you just fill in the blanks as you go through the installation steps. You can also set up a database where this information is stored. As important as it is to record information pertaining to the installation of each new system, it is also important to keep the information up to date as you maintain each system on your network. This means that your documentation should reflect maintenance procedures that are performed on each system, such as:

Upgrades to or maintenance of hardware Packages that are added, removed, or updated Changes made to the configuration of services Changes made to TCP/IP assignments Changes made to network settings The order of steps used in the maintenance procedure Who performed the maintenance procedure and when it was done Tools that were used to facilitate or perform the procedure

Much of the time, maintenance procedures are performed in response to a user or customer complaint. In these cases you should also document information about

Information about the user or customer, such as name, phone number, and department The date the problem was reported

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A brief description of the problem (for example, user cannot log in) A detailed description of the problem (for example, the user is a member of the Accounting department, has recently upgraded to the latest version of the desktop, and cannot log in to the accounting server) Steps taken to resolve the issue, including steps that didnt work as well as those that did The name of the technician who resolved the issue and when it was resolved Confirmation from the customer that the problem is resolved

Document Configuration Changes

Documenting changes made to the configuration of hardware and software is so important a topic that it deserves more discussion. Documentation of configuration changes should be kept as though it is a history of each system. All records of changes made to a system should be kept together and in chronological order of when the changes were made. This documentation will help you when troubleshooting a problem as well as when you want to refer to configurations that are tested and known to work the way you want them to. Details regarding configuration changes must include a history of the following:

Operating system distributions and version numbers Software configuration changes Software version numbers Hardware configuration changes

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Hardware brand names and version numbers System behavior before the change and system behavior after the change

Keeping a history of this information helps you review and compare original settings and new settings, similar to before and after snapshots of your systems.

Document System Baseline Performance

To accurately identify system performance problems you must start with a knowledge of the systems baseline performance. Baseline performance is established by regularly analyzing the performance of a healthy system during normal operating hours. Once you have recorded a systems baseline performance information, you have something to refer to if you suspect that a system has started to perform poorly. With this baseline information in hand, you can analyze the systems performance statistics and compare them with the baseline statistics. First, this tells you if the system is performing poorly and how far from the baseline it is. Second, it tells you which specific components of the system are having a problem, so you know where to start looking for solutions. Examples of command line utilities that you can use to analyze system performance are

top free vmstat

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These utilities are discussed in more detail later in the course.

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Summary
Objective
1. The History of Linux

Summary The development of UNIX started in the 1960s. UNIX comprises two main development lines: System V and BSD. The development of Linux was begun in 1991 by Linus Benedict Torvalds.

2. Understand the Multiuser

Environment

Linux is a multitasking system; in other words, the processes seem to be executed concurrently. An important task of the operating system is to coordinate access to the resources available in the system. Multithreading is an extension of multitasking. Here, within a process, a number of parts independent from one another (threads) can be produced. A program exists only once in the system, but there can be several processes using the same program at the same time.

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Objective
3. Identify the Components of SLES
9

Summary SLES 9 provides advantages in the following areas:

Latest versions and features of all packages New and improved YaST modules Next generation 2.6.5 Linux kernel Improved HA (high-availability) support Full enablement and support of UTF-8 Inclusion of Red Carpet Enterprise daemon New type of installation source: SLP POSIX-compliant, high-performance thread support (NPTL)

4. Perform a Simple Installation of

SLES 9

The process of installing the SLES 9 can be divided into the following steps:

Choose the installation option Perform a basic installation Configure the system

The most important installation options are

Installation Installation - ACPI Disabled Installation - Safe Settings

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Objective
5. Document Installation,
Configuration, and Baseline System Performance

Summary Documentation is an essential part of system administration. You should document

Installation data and installed software Maintenance operations Configuration and configuration changes System performance

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