The Enterprise Linux Administrator

Learn the basics, followed by the more advanced skills you will need to become an Enterprise Linux administrator. This book will prepare you to use Linux effectively with a clearer understanding of what is needed to successfully leverage new opportunities.

After building a solid Linux knowledge foundation, you will learn how three major community Linux distributions are installed, configured, and used. The book will then guide you through all the different configurations a Linux administrator should know, along with some useful exercises for you to practice.

Moving on, you will look at Enterprise Linux distributions, and how they are installed and configured. This will be the step that will elevate you from being a Linux administrator to an enterprise Linux administrator. You will also learn how an enterprise Linux administrator configures Linux security, high availability, automation, and large-scale Linux deployments. These skills are required when working in larger Linux estates. Finally, you'll review backups, recovery, and some general troubleshooting.

By the end of this book, you'll not only learn how to become an Enterprise Linux administrator but will also learn what certifications are vital when competing for new career opportunities.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

* Install your own Linux environment
* Study the basics to configuring Linux
* Become an Enterprise Linux administrator and how to get there
* Review comprehensive examples on how to use Linux

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

Those in the IT industry who have no Linux training or experience who wish to learn how to manage a Linux system

Ken Hitchcock currently is a Senior Architect working for Red Hat, with over twenty years of experience in IT. He has spent the last eleven years predominantly focused on Red Hat products, certificating himself as a Red Hat Architect along the way. The last eleven years have been paramount in his understanding of how large Linux estates should be managed and in the spirit of openness, was inspired to share his knowledge and experiences in this book. Originally from Durban, South Africa, he now lives in the south of England where he hopes to not only continue inspiring all he meets but also to continue improving himself and the industry he works in. Part 1 - Requirements and Linux Background (35 pages)

This section is a complete introduction to Linux. Its history, what the Operating system is, the different common distributions and how Linux differs from other Operating systems available today.

Chapter 1 : Requirements (10 pages)

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Explanation of what skills and knowledge is required before starting in the Linux world.

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Recommended reading and studying materials.


Chapter 2 : Origins and Brief History. (10 pages)

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Unix past and evolution.

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Linux history and how “Free” software shaped the OpenSource world.

Chapter 3: Linux Explained. (15 pages)

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Basics of the Operating system.

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Common Linux distributions

Many uses of Linux

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Differences between other Operating systems and Linux.


Part 2: Getting Started (100 pages)

This section is to start getting hands on Linux and learning how to install.

Chapter 4: Installing Linux for the First Time (65 pages)

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Where to get Linux. (5)

Different vendors

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Community

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Licensing


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Using virtualization. (5)

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Windows Virtualization

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Exercise


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Libvirt

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Exercise



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Installing Ubuntu. (15)

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How to create Linux installation media.

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Basic Installation

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Custom installations.

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Exercise


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Installing Fedora (15)

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How to create Linux installation media.

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Basic Installation

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Custom installations.

Exercise

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Installing OpenSuse (15)

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How to create Linux installation media.

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Basic Installation

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Custom installations.

Exercise

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Upgrading Linux (10)

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What Linux distributions can be upgraded.

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Exercise

Chapter 5: Using Linux for the first time (35)

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Accessing Linux (10)

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Console

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SSH

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Web console

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Exercise


Command line (10)

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Command line basics.

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Command line shortcuts.

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Different commands in different distributions.

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Exercise


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Desktop basics (15)

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Installing different desktops.

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Enabling and Disabling Desktops

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Exercise



Part 3: Configuring Linux (153)Chapter 6: Access Control (25)

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SSH and SSHD configuration (8)

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Configuration files and starting services.

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Enabling access through Firewall.

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Exercise


Users & Groups (8)

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Creating users and groups.

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Exercise


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Managing sudo.

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Exercise


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File & directory permissions. (9)

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Chmod, chown, chgrp

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Acls

Exercise


Chapter 7: Package Installation (40)

Installing packages (20)

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Different package management systems.

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Exercise


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Manual package installation.

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Exercise


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Repository configuration.

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Exercise



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System patching (20)

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Errata

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Exercise


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System updates

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Exercise


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Rollback

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Exercise


Chapter 8: Network configuration (25)

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Network basics in Linux (17)

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Configure network configuration with command line.

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Configuring Network configuration with graphical tools.

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Configure Network configuration with Desktop.

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Exercise


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Network tools (8)

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Tools available and how to use them.

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Exercise


Chapter 9: Disk Configuration (40)

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Disk management (30)

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Tools available

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Command line

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Graphical

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Exercise


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LVM

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Create, extend, migrate, destroy

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Raid, mirror, HA

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Exercise


Filesystem management (10)

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Filesystem types

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Creating, extending, resizing

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Exercise



Chapter 10: Service Management (23)

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Basic management (10)

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Starting, stopping and viewing services

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Exercise



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Systemd. (5)

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Explained

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Exercise


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Creating a new service. (8)

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Creating service files.

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Enabling and disabling them.

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Exercise


Part 4: Enterprise Linux (200)

Chapter 11: Example use cases for Linux (30)

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Building a web server. (15)

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Package installation

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Configuring application configuration files

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Firewall configuration.

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SELinux configuration

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Custom configuration.

Automated configuration.

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Exercise


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Building a file server. (15)

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Package installation

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Configuring application configuration files

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Firewall configuration

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SELinux configuration

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Custom configuration.

Automated configuration.

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Exercise


Chapter 12: Security (46)

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Firewall (10)

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Explained

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Command line configuration

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Console & Web UI configuration

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Exercise


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SELinux (6)

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Explained

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Command line configuration.

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Custom configuration

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Exercise


Hardening (15)

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Explained.

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Different standards.

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Scanning

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OpenSCAP

Automated remediation.

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Exercise


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Encryption (15)

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Explained

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Encryption methods

Network encryption

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Certificates

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Recovery

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Exercise


Chapter 13: High Availability (20)

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Basic HA

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Explained.

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Ubuntu HA

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Basic guide to simple HA

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Exercise


RHEL HA

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Basic guide to simple HA

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Exercise


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Suse HA

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Basic guide to simple HA

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Exercise




Chapter 14: Scripting & Automation (24)

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Basic shell scripting (12)

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Explained.

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Different interpreters.

Examples

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Exercise


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Ansible (12)

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Explained

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Examples

Use cases

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Tools

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Exercise


Chapter 15: Enterprise Linux Distributions (60)

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Red Hat enterprise Linux (20)

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Brief history

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Installing RHEL

Estate management basics

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Subscriptions & Support

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Training & Certifications


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Ubuntu (20)

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Brief History

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Installing Ubuntu

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Estate management basics

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Subscriptions & Support

Training & certifications


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Suse (20)

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Brief History

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Installing Ubuntu

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Estate management basics

Subscriptions & Support

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Training & certifications

Chapter 16: Deployment at Scale (20)

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Methods (5)

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Kickstart

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Image clone

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Other


Tools (15)

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What can be used to deploy Linux systems at scale.

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Automation to learn

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Ansible

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Salt

Puppet

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Kickstart

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Terraform

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Image clone


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Examples

Training

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Certifications


Part 5: When Linux has Problems (65)

Chapter 17: Troubleshooting Linux (35)

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Logging (20)

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Logs, where to find errors

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Journalctl

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Increasing verbosity

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Understanding Errors

Remote logging


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Monitoring (10)

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Tools

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Local vs remote


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Finding help (5)

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Tools

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Getting support

Chapter 18: Recovering from Disaster (20)

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Reinstalling

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Knowing when to start over.

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Things to consider.


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Recovery mode

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Booting into single user mode

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Fixing kernel issues

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Resolving disk or mount issues.

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Exercise


Rescue mode

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Recovering using rescue disks

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Exercise



Chapter 19: Backup and Restore (10)

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What to backup

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Explained

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exercise


What to restore

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What to restore

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Exercise


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