Linux Server Administration

Overview

Linux is a powerful open-source operating system widely used in servers, embedded systems, and enterprise environments. This instructor-led course is aimed at beginner and intermediate system administrators who want to gain practical knowledge on managing Linux servers, configuring system components, securing access, and supporting organizational IT needs.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Install and configure a Linux server from scratch.
• Effectively manage users, groups, and access permissions.
• Create and manage local file systems and partitions.
• Configure basic networking and essential services.
• Manage packages depending on the Linux distribution.
• Implement basic security practices and automation scripts.

Requirements

• Basic knowledge of computer systems
• Understanding of basic computer networking
• Prior experience with Linux is not required, but helpful

Target Audience

• System Administrators
• IT Support Staff
• Technical specialists managing Linux environments

Introduction to Linux and Server Environments

• What is a Linux server?
• Types of Linux distributions
• Installing a Linux server (Ubuntu/CentOS)
• Basic configuration and updates

Working with the Linux Shell

• Using the terminal and basic shell commands
• Understanding the file system hierarchy
• Shell navigation and file manipulation

User and Group Administration

• Creating, modifying, and deleting users
• Creating groups and managing membership
• Understanding permissions and file ownership
• Access control using chmod, chown, and umask

File System and Storage Management

• Mounting and unmounting file systems
• Working with partitions and disk utilities
• Managing file system types (ext4, xfs, etc.)
• Backup and restore techniques

Linux Networking Fundamentals

• Network configuration files and interfaces
• Configuring static and dynamic IP addresses
• Testing network connectivity (ping, traceroute, netstat)
• DNS basics, hostnames, and routing

Essential Network Services

• Installing and configuring OpenSSH
• Basic web server configuration (Apache/Nginx)
• Basic mail server components (Postfix overview)
• Network Time Protocol (NTP)

Software Management and Package Installation

• Using APT (Debian/Ubuntu) and YUM/DNF (RHEL/CentOS)
• Installing, updating, and removing packages
• Enabling and disabling software repositories

Security, Monitoring, and Automation

• Best practices for system hardening
• Using system logs and monitoring tools
• Scheduling tasks using cron
• Introduction to Bash scripting

Summary and Next Steps