A Practical Guide to Red Hat Linux : Fedora Core and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, 2/e (Paperback)

Description:

The best just became BETTER! Completely revised to meet all your Red Hat Linux needs!

Fedora Core and Red Hat Enterprise Linux are advanced operating systems. You need a book that's just as advanced. This book explains Linux clearly and effectively--with a focus on the features you care about, including system security, Internet server setup, and sharing files and printers with Windows systems. Best-selling Linux author Mark Sobell starts at the beginning and walks you through everything that matters, from installing Fedora Core using the included CDs to GNOME, KDE, Samba 3, sendmail, Apache, DNS, NIS, and iptables. Along the way, you learn the "hows" and the "whys." Whether you are a user, an administrator, or a programmer, this book gives you all you need and more. Mark Sobell knows every Linux nook and cranny, has taught hundreds of thousands of readers, and never forgets what it's like to be new to Linux.

Don't settle for yesterday's Linux book...get the ONLY book that meets today's challenges and tomorrow's!

Compared with the other Linux books out there, A Practical Guide to Red Hat® Linux®, Second Edition, delivers...

• The full Fedora Core operating system on 4 CDs (not the truncated "Publisher's Edition") AND complete coverage of Fedora Core and the 2.6 Linux kernel, PLUS coverage of Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Deeper coverage of GNOME and KDE, including customization
• More practical coverage of file sharing with Samba, NFS, and FTP
• Easier-to-follow coverage of Internet server configuration including Apache, sendmail, NFS, and DNS
• More up-to-date coverage of security, including SELinux (Security Enhanced Linux), OpenSSH, and firewall setup using iptables
• Better coverage of "meat-and-potatoes" system/network administration tasks
• A more practical introduction to writing bash shell scripts
• More complete coverage of configuring local and network printers using CUPS
• And much more...including a 500+ word glossary and a comprehensive index to help you find what you need fast!

Includes 4 CDs!
Get the full version of Red Hat's Fedora Core 2 release!

 

Table of Contents:

Preface.

1. Welcome to Linux.

The GNU-Linux Connection.

The Linux 2.6 Kernel.

The Heritage of Linux: UNIX.

What Is So Good About Linux?

Overview of Linux.

Additional Features of Linux.

Conventions Used in This Book.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

I. INSTALLING RED HAT LINUX.

2. Installation Overview.

More Information.

Planning the Installation.

How the Installation Works.

The Medium: Where Is the Source Data?

Downloading, Burning, and Installing a CD Set (FEDORA).

Rescue CD.

Collecting Information About the System.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

3. Step-by-Step Installation.

Installing Red Hat Linux.

Installation Tasks.

The X Window System.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

II. Getting Started with Red Hat Linux.

4. Introduction to Red Hat Linux.

Curbing Your Power: Superuser/root/Administrator Access.

A Tour of the Red Hat Linux Desktop.

Getting the Facts: Where to Find Documentation.

More About Logging In.

Controlling Windows II.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

5. The Linux Utilities.

Special Characters.

Basic Utilities.

Working with Files.

| (Pipe): Communicates Between Processes.

Four More Utilities.

Compressing and Archiving a File.

Locating Commands.

Obtaining User and System Information.

Communicating with Other Users.

Email.

Tutorial: Creating and Editing a File with vim (vi).

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

6. The Linux Filesystem.

The Hierarchical Filesystem.

Directory and Ordinary Files.

Working with Directories.

Access Permissions.

Links.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

7. The Shell I.

The Command Line.

Standard Input and Standard Output.

Redirection.

Pipes.

Running a Program in the Background.

Filename Generation/Pathname Expansion.

Builtins.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

III. DIGGING INTO RED HAT LINUX.

8. Linux GUIs: X, GNOME, and KDE.

X Window System.

Using GNOME.

Using KDE.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

9. The Shell II: The Bourne Again Shell.

Background.

Shell Basics.

Separating and Grouping Commands.

Redirecting Standard Error.

noclobber: Avoids Overwriting Files.

Manipulating the Directory Stack.

Processes.

Parameters and Variables.

History.

Editing the Command Line.

Alias.

Command Line Expansion.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

10. Networking and the Internet.

Types of Networks and How They Work.

Communicate over a Network.

Network Utilities.

Distributed Computing.

Usenet.

WWW: World Wide Web.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

IV. SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION.

11. System Administration: Core Concepts.

System Administrator and Superuser.

Rescue Mode.

SELinux (FEDORA).

System Operation.

Useful Utilities.

Setting Up a Server.

nsswitch.conf: Which Service to Look at First.

PAM.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

12. Files, Directories, and Filesystems.

Important Files and Directories.

File Types.

Filesystems.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

13. Downloading and Installing Software.

system-config-packages: Adds and Removes Software Packages.

rpm: Red Hat Package Manager.

Installing Non-rpm Software.

Keeping Software Up-to-Date.

Keeping the System Up-to-Date.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

14. Printing with CUPS.

Introduction.

JumpStart I: Configuring a Local Printer Using system-config-printer.

JumpStart II: Configuring a Remote Printer Using CUPS.

Traditional UNIX Printing.

Configuring Printers Using CUPS.

The GNOME Print Manager.

The KDE Printing Manager.

Integration with Windows.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

15. Rebuilding the Linux Kernel.

Preparing the Source Code.

Read the Documentation.

Configuring and Compiling the Linux Kernel.

Installing the Kernel and Associated Files.

Rebooting.

Boot Loader.

dmesg: Display Kernel Messages.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

16. Administration Tasks.

Configuring User and Group Accounts.

Backing Up Files.

Scheduling Tasks.

System Reports.

Keeping Users Informed.

Creating Problems.

Solving Problems.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

17. Configuring a LAN.

Setting Up the Hardware.

Configuring the Systems.

Setting Up Servers.

More Information.

Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

V. Using Clients and Setting Up Servers.

18. OpenSSH: Secure Network Communication.

Introduction.

About OpenSSH.

OpenSSH Clients.

sshd: OpenSSH Server.

Troubleshooting.

Tunneling/Port Forwarding.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

19. FTP: Transferring Files Across a Network.

Introduction.

More Information.

FTP Client.

FTP Server (vsftpd).

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

20. sendmail: Setting Up Mail Clients, Servers, and More.

Introduction.

JumpStart I: Configuring sendmail on a Client.

JumpStart II: Configuring sendmail on a Server.

How sendmail Works.

Configuring sendmail.

In Addition to sendmail.

Authenticated Relaying.

Alternatives to sendmail.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

21. NIS: Network Information Service.

Introduction to NIS.

How NIS Works.

NIS Client Setup.

NIS Server Setup.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

22. NFS: Sharing Filesystems.

Introduction.

More Information.

NFS Client.

NFS Server.

automount: Mounting Directory Hierarchies Automatically.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

23. Samba: Integrating Linux and Windows.

Which Version of Samba?

Introduction.

About Samba.

JumpStart: system-config-samba: Configuring a Samba Server.

swat: Configuring a Samba Server.

Manually Configuring a Samba Server.

Accessing Linux Shares from Windows.

Accessing Windows Shares from Linux.

Troubleshooting.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

24. DNS/BIND: Tracking Domain Names and Addresses.

Introduction to DNS.

About DNS.

JumpStart I: Setting Up a DNS Cache.

JumpStart II: system-config-bind: Setting Up a Domain.

Setting Up BIND.

Troubleshooting.

A Full-functioned Nameserver.

A Slave Server.

A Split Horizon Server.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

25. iptables: Setting Up a Firewall.

How iptables Works.

About iptables.

JumpStart: Using system-config-securitylevel to Build a Firewall.

Anatomy of an iptables Command.

Building a Set of Rules.

A Rule Set Generated by system-config-securitylevel.

Sharing an Internet Connection Using NAT.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

26. Apache (httpd): Setting Up a Web Server.

Introduction.

About Apache.

JumpStart I: Getting Apache Up and Running.

JumpStart II: Setting Up Apache with system-config-httpd.

Filesystem Layout.

Configuration Directives.

The Red Hat httpd.conf File.

Redirects.

Multiviews.

Server Generated Directory Listings (Indexing).

VirtualHosts.

Troubleshooting.

Modules.

webalizer: Analyzing Web Traffic.

MRTG: Monitoring Traffic Loads.

Error Codes.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

VI. PROGRAMMING.

27. Programming Tools.

Programming in C.

Using Shared Libraries.

make: Keeps a Set of Programs Current.

Debugging C Programs.

Threads.

System Calls.

Source Code Management.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

28. Programming the Bourne Again Shell.

Control Structures.

Expanding Null or Unset Variables.

String Pattern Matching.

Filename Generation.

Builtins.

Functions.

Chapter Summary.

Exercises.

Advanced Exercises.

VII. APPENDIXES.

A. Regular Expressions.

Characters.

Delimiters.

Simple Strings.

Special Characters.

Rules.

Bracketing Expressions.

The Replacement String.

Extended Regular Expressions.

Appendix Summary.

B. Help.

Solving a Problem.

Finding Linux-Related Information.

Specifying a Terminal.

C. Security.

Encryption.

File Security.

Email Security.

Network Security.

Host Security.

Security Resources.

Appendix Summary.

D. The Free Software Definition.

E. The Linux 2.6 Kernel.

Native Posix Thread Library (NPTL).

IPSecurity (IPSec).

Asynchronous I/O (AIO).

O(1) Scheduler.

OProfile.

kksymoops.

Reverse Map Virtual Memory (rmap VM).

HugeTLBFS (Translation Look-Aside Buffer File System).

Remap_file_pages.

2.6 Network Stack Features (IGMPv3, IPv6, and Others).

Internet Protocol Virtual Server (IPVS).

Access Control Lists (ACLs).

4GB-4GB Memory Split: Physical Address Extension (PAE).

Scheduler Support for HyperThreaded CPUs.

Block I/O (BIO) Block Layer.

Support for > 2TB Filesystem.

New I/O Elevators.

Interactive Scheduler Response Tuning.

Glossary.

Index.