Linux Module 4 (Revision Series)

Sem 4 BCA/B.Sc. Computer Science MGU

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Common administrative tasks
• System automation: includes user account maintenance, periodic data backups, free disk space
checking etc.
• Documentation: A good system admin should document changes, procedures & policies
• Communication: Good system administrator should be a good communicator. All users should
aware of what is doing, going to do, what he has done.

• Management of File systems, Software installations, setting up security features, network

configurations, management of user accounts.

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Types of users in Linux
• Root User: also known as super user & would have complete control of the system. Able to run
any commands without any restrictions. This user is assumed as system admin. Default symbol of
prompt is: #
• Regular User: Have common privileges to perform standard tasks such as running word
processors, database & web browser. Able to store files in their home directory. Default prompt
symbol is $.
• System User: These are system accounts those are required for the operation of system specific
components eg: mail accounts.

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Ways to ask admin privileges
• su command : used to open shell as root user. Once it’s open admin can run any commands
without any restrictions.
• Sudo command: gives root privileges to regular user when sudo command is executed.after
running one command using sudo. The use will act as a regular user again.
• GUI windows : While using system in GUI mode, if there is a need of root privilege, you are
prompted for the root password.

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Ways to ask admin privileges
• su command : used to open shell as root user. Once it’s open admin can run any commands
without any restrictions.
• Sudo command: gives root privileges to regular user when sudo command is executed.after
running one command using sudo. The use will act as a regular user again.
• GUI windows : While using system in GUI mode, if there is a need of root privilege, you are
prompted for the root password.

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Managing user accounts
Adding users
• Syntax: useradd options username
• After adding user system admin must set initial password for the user using passwd command
• Syntax: passwd options username
• Options used with useradd command:
• -c “comment” – provides description for new user account.
• -D – rather than creating a new account, save the supplied information as new default settings for any new account
created.
• -e expiry_date – assigns the expiry date for an account. Date format is YYYY-MM-DD.
• Options used with passwd command:
• -l Lock the password of specified user
• -u Unlock the user password

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Managing user accounts
Modifying users
• Syntax: usermod options username
• Useful in scenario where we need to change attributes of an existing user such as
login name, password, expiry etc.
• Options used with usermod command:
• -c “comment” – provides description for new user account.
• -D – rather than creating a new account, save the supplied information as new default settings for any
new account created.
• -e expiry_date – assigns the expiry date for an account. Date format is YYYY-MM-DD.

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Managing user accounts
Deleting users
• Syntax: userdel options username
• Options used with userdel command:
• -f : forces the removal of user even if the user is till logged in. Also forces to remove user’s
home directory or her mail spool.

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Temporary disabling of user accounts
1. Editing /etc/shadow/ file

• You can disable an account by adding a * or ! At the beginning of the second

field in /etc/shadow
• To unlock account just remove the * or ! Added.
• Second field is the encrypted password
• Eg: anto: *$ghujgh#nm$NJK$J$N
2. Using passwd command.
• Use –l to lock the account (Adds ! In front of the user password)
• User –u to unlock the account (You can also remove the ! From /etc/shadow/)

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Managing groups
• Groups are useful in case if we want share a set of files with multiple
users.
• By default every user is assigned to primary group.
• Root user can assign users to any group

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Managing groups
Creating group
• Syntax: groupadd option groupname
• When a group is added to system, the system places the group name
in the /etc/group file and gives it a group ID number.
• Options:
• -p : to set an encrypted password for the group
• -r : create a system group.
• -g : used to provide a group id to new group. Should be unique & non-
negative.

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Managing group
Modifying group
• Syntax: groupmod options groupname
• Useful in scenario where we need to change an existing group on Linux system.
• Options used with groupmod command:
• -n : name of the group will change into newname
• -g : to change group id
• -p: to change password of group

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Managing group
Deleting group
• Syntax: groupdel groupname
• Deletes all entries that refer to the group, modifies the system
account files, & handled by root user

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Changing Permissions & ownerships
For every file & directory on Linux is assigned 3 types of owner
• User: owner of the file, the person who created the file.
• Group: A user group can contain multiple users
• Other: any other users who have access to the files.

3 types of permissions for user, group & other

• Read: Permission which allows user to open and read the contents of
the file
• Write: Permission to modify the contents of the file
• Execute: Allows you to execute the file.
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Changing Permissions & ownerships
The 9 bits assigned to each file for permissions.
File permission for regular file appears as –rwxrwxrwx.
r : read, x : execute, w: write, - : no permission granted.

To change permission of the file, you need to use the chmod command.
Syntax: chmod permission filename

Supports two modes for modifying permissions:

• Symbolic Mode
• Absolute Mode

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Changing Permissions & ownerships
Symbolic mode:
Uses letters & some operators to set permission. When using
symbolic mode the chmod command has following syntax:
chmod [u g o a][ + - = ] permission filename
u : specifies the user who owns the file
g: specified the group which owns the file
o: specifies other users who are not the members of the group or
owner of the file
A: specifies all users available on the system

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Changing Permissions
Symbolic mode:

• + : add a permission to file

• - : removes the selected permission from the file
• = : overwrite existing permission of file and add new one.
• Eg: chmod a+x sample.sh
• Eg: chmod go-x sample.sh
• Eg: chmod g=u sample.sh

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Changing Permissions
Absolute mode:
Uses numerical values [0 -
7] to set permission.
syntax:
chmod numerical_value filename

Eg: chmod 777 file.txt

-R : to apply changes recursively to
multiple files & directory

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Managing ownerships
To change ownership of user or group for file or directory. The chown
command is used.
Syntax: chown options user :group filename
Options:
-f: don’t print error msg about files whose ownership can’t be
changed
-R: make changes recursively
-c: reports when a file ownership is changed.

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Getting system information - uname
Prints information about current system.
Syntax: uname options
By default without any options, prints kernel name.
Options:
-a: prints all information in order: kernel name, network mode,
hostname, kernel release date, kernel version, machine hardware
name, hardware platform, OS
-v: prints kernel version

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Getting system information - hostname
Displays or set hostname or domain name.
Used to identify system in a network
Syntax: hostname options
To set new hostname: hostname new_name
Options:
-a : displays the alias name of the host.
-d : prints the domain name
-I : display IP address

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Installing & removing packages with RPM
command
An RPM package is contains all the files that are required to install a
software such as word,file server etc.
RPM – Red Hat Package Manager: default package manager to install &
remove applications.
Ends with extension: .rpm
Allows admin to install, remove, update, query & manage software
packages.

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Installing & removing packages with RPM
command
5 Basic modes:
1. Install: It is used to install any RPM package.
2. Remove: Used to remove any RPM package
3. Upgrade: Used to update any RPM package
4. Verify: Used to verify an RPM package
5. Query: Used to query an RPM package

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Installing & removing packages with RPM
command
Syntax: rpm options packagename
Options:
-i : Install the package
-U : update package
-e : remove package
-q: query

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