Mastering Ubuntu Server

Jay LaCroix

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781785284526
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Operating Systems
• Index: Computer Science

Get up to date with the finer points of Ubuntu Server using this comprehensive guide

About This Book

• Get well-versed with newly-added features in Ubuntu 16.04
• Master the art of installing, managing, and troubleshooting Ubuntu Server
• A practical easy-to-understand book that will help you enhance your existing skills.

Who This Book Is For

This book is intended for readers with intermediate or advanced-beginner skills with Linux, who would like to learn all about setting up servers with Ubuntu Server. This book assumes that the reader knows the basics of Linux, such as editing configuration files and running basic commands.

What You Will Learn

• Learn how to manage users, groups, and permissions
• Encrypt and decrypt disks with Linux Unified Key Setup /Luks
• Setup SSH for remote access, and connect it to other nodes
• Understand how to add, remove, and search for packages
• Use NFS and Samba to share directories with other users
• Get to know techniques for managing Apache and MariaDB
• Explore best practices and troubleshooting techniques

In Detail

Ubuntu is a Debian-based Linux operating system, and has various versions targeted at servers, desktops, phones, tablets and televisions. The Ubuntu Server Edition, also called Ubuntu Server, offers support for several common configurations, and also simplifies common Linux server deployment processes.

With this book as their guide, readers will be able to configure and deploy Ubuntu Servers using Ubuntu Server 16.04, with all the skills necessary to manage real servers. The book begins with the concept of user management, group management, as well as file-system permissions. To manage your storage on Ubuntu Server systems, you will learn how to add and format storage and view disk usage. Later, you will also learn how to configure network interfaces, manage IP addresses, deploy Network Manager in order to connect to networks, and manage network interfaces. Furthermore, you will understand how to start and stop services so that you can manage running processes on Linux servers. The book will then demonstrate how to access and share files to or from Ubuntu Servers. You will learn how to create and manage databases using MariaDB and share web content with Apache. To virtualize hosts and applications, you will be shown how to set up KVM/Qemu and Docker and manage virtual machines with virt-manager. Lastly, you will explore best practices and troubleshooting techniques when working with Ubuntu Servers.

By the end of the book, you will be an expert Ubuntu Server user well-versed in its advanced concepts.

Style and Approach

This book is an advanced guide that will show readers how to administer, manage, and deploy Ubuntu server and will also provide expert-level knowledge on advanced security and backup techniques.

Mastering Ubuntu Server

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Table of Contents

Mastering Ubuntu Server

Credits

About the Author

Acknowledgments

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

eBooks, discount offers, and more

Why subscribe?

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the color images of this book

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Deploying Ubuntu Server

Setting up our lab

Determining your server's role

Obtaining Ubuntu Server

Deciding between 32-bit and 64-bit installations

Creating a bootable Ubuntu Server flash drive (Windows)

Creating a bootable Ubuntu Server flash drive (Linux)

Creating a bootable Ubuntu Server flash drive (Mac)

Planning the partition layout

Installing Ubuntu Server

Installing Ubuntu Server (Raspberry Pi)

Summary

2. Managing Users

Understanding when to use root

Creating and removing users

Understanding the /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files

Distributing default configuration files with /etc/skel

Switching between users

Managing groups

Managing passwords and password policies

Configuring administrator access with sudo

Setting permissions on files and directories

Summary

3. Managing Storage Volumes

Viewing disk usage

Adding additional storage volumes

Partitioning and formatting volumes

Mounting and unmounting storage volumes

Understanding the /etc/fstab file

Managing swap

Utilizing LVM volumes

Using symbolic and hard links

Summary

4. Connecting to Networks

Setting the hostname

Managing network interfaces

Assigning static IP addresses

Understanding Linux name resolution

Understanding Network Manager

Getting started with OpenSSH

Getting started with SSH key management

Simplifying SSH connections with a ~/.ssh/config file

Summary

5. Managing Software Packages

Understanding Linux package management

Installing and removing software

Searching for packages

Managing software repositories

Keeping your server up to date

Backing up and restoring packages

Making use of aptitude

Installing Snap packages

Summary

6. Controlling and Monitoring Processes

Showing running processes with the ps command

Managing jobs

Killing misbehaving processes

Utilizing htop

Managing system processes

Monitoring memory usage

Scheduling tasks with Cron

Understanding load average

Summary

7. Managing Your Ubuntu Server Network

Planning your IP address scheme

Serving IP addresses with isc-dhcp-server

Setting up name resolution (DNS) with bind

Creating a secondary DNS server

Setting up an Internet gateway

Keeping your system clock in sync with NTP

Summary

8. Accessing and Sharing Files

File server considerations

Sharing files with Windows users using Samba

Setting up NFS shares

Transferring files with rsync

Transferring files with SCP

Mounting remote filesystems with SSHFS

Summary

9. Managing Databases

Preparations for setting up a database server

Installing MariaDB

Taking a look at MariaDB configuration

Understanding how MariaDB differs in Ubuntu 16.04

Managing databases

Setting up a slave DB server

Summary

10. Serving Web Content

Installing and configuring Apache

Installing additional Apache modules

Securing Apache with SSL

Setting up high availability with keepalived

Installing and configuring ownCloud

Summary

11. Virtualizing Hosts and Applications

Setting up a virtual machine server

Creating virtual machines

Bridging the virtual machine network

Creating, running, and managing Docker containers

Summary

12. Securing Your Server

Lowering your attack surface

Securing OpenSSH

Installing and configuring Fail2ban

MariaDB best practices

Setting up a firewall

Encrypting and decrypting disks with LUKS

Locking down sudo

Summary

13. Troubleshooting Ubuntu Servers

Evaluating the problem space

Conducting a root-cause analysis

Viewing system logs

Tracing network issues

Troubleshooting resource issues

Diagnosing defective RAM

Summary

14. Preventing and Recovering from Disasters

Preventing disasters

Utilizing Git for configuration management

Implementing a backup plan

Creating system images with Clonezilla live

Utilizing bootable recovery media

Summary

Index

Mastering Ubuntu Server

Copyright © 2016 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: July 2016

Production reference: 1210716

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-78528-452-6

www.packtpub.com

Credits

Author

Jay LaCroix

Reviewers

David Diperna

Robert Stolk

Acquisition Editor

Prachi Bisht

Content Development Editor

Trusha Shriyan

Technical Editor

Vishal K. Mewada

Copy Editor

Madhusudan Uchil

Project Coordinator

Kinjal Bari

Proofreader

Safis Editing

Indexer

Hemangini Bari

Graphics

Kirk D'Penha

Production Coordinator

Shantanu N. Zagade

Cover Work

Shantanu N. Zagade

About the Author

Jay LaCroix is an open-source enthusiast, specializing in Linux. He is passionate about Linux and its long-term adoption, and has been using Linux since 2002. Jay currently works as a DevOps Engineer for SolvIT Inc, and he holds a masters degree in Information Systems Technology Management from Capella University. During the course of his studies, he's obtained several certifications, including Linux+, LPIC-2, and SUSE Certified Linux Professional, among others. In addition to a great career working with Linux technologies, Jay also has a YouTube channel, available at LearnLinux.tv, where he posts instructional tutorial videos demonstrating how to utilize Linux and open-source technologies. When not practicing with technology, Jay enjoys photography, music, classic video-games and writing. He has also written Linux Mint Essentials and Mastering Linux Network Administration, also published by Packt Publishing.

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to thank Randy Schapel at Mott Community College for conducting a Linux class back in 2002 that was responsible for creating a life-long addiction for me. During a time where Linux wasn't nearly as popular as it is today, that class spring-boarded my career and passion. In addition, I would also like to thank Packt Publishing for the wonderful opportunity I've been given, to share my knowledge with others. I never would've thought I'd be a published author, but here I am. It's hard to believe, but this is my third book, and writing it has been an incredibly enjoyable experience. I would like to thank Prachi Bisht for the opportunity of writing this book in particular, and Trusha Shriyan for supporting me as it was being written. In addition, I would also like to thank James Jones for introducing me to writing for Packt in the first place, back in 2014. I would also like to thank everyone else I've worked with at Packt, who have all been very supportive.

I would like to thank my best friend Krys for being there for me, Jim for his help and support, my two sons Alan and Johnny for being great kids, and my family on the Sherman side for not only being amazing, but also very supportive. I would like to thank the team at Security Inspection for being an amazing group of people to work with.

Last but certainly no...