Ten most frequently used Linux networking services, in

enterprise unix networks

By unixadminschool com
In this post I am just talking about top 10 networking services that are commonly used in
enterprise linux networks. Below are the top 10 Services, and it is worthwhile to know or
the beginners to understand the purpose o each service, procedure to manage this service
and the corresponding coniguration iles or each service.
ntpd ! "etwork #ime $rotocol %aemon
httpd ! &yper #ext #ranser $rotocol %aemon
sshd ! Secure S&ell %aemon
sendmail ! 'ail Server %aemon
snmpd ! Simple "etwork 'anagement $rotocol %aemon
iptables ! "etwork (iltering $rotocol Service
nsd ! "etwork (ile System Server %aemon
nscd ! "ame Service )ache %aemon
named ! %ynamic "aming Service Server %aemon
smbd * Simple 'essage Block Server %aemon
1. ntpd
#his service executes the "etwork #ime $rotocol +"#$, daemon ntpd. #he purpose is to
synchroni-e the time o the local computer to a "#$ server or other reerence time source
such as a radio or satellite receiver or modem. #he "#$ system uses two main roles or
participating computers. server or client. #ime servers supply time to one or more "#$
clients. "#$ clients use the reerence time rom one or more "#$ servers to determine the
local time.
Service management :
# /sbin/service ntpd
usage: /etc/init.d/ntpd {start|stop|restart|condrestart|status}
Configuration File :
/etc/ntp.conf

2. httpd
httpd is the /pache &yper #ext #ranser $rotocol +&##$, server program. It is designed to
be run as a standalone daemon process. 0hen used like this it will create a pool o child
processes or threads to handle re1uests.
In general, httpd should not be invoked directly, but rather should be invoked
via apachectl on 2nix*based systems.
#he httpd 3$' package provides the /usr/sbin/httpd daemon and its coniguration iles.

Service Management:

/sbin/service httpd show
Usage: httpd {start|stop|restart|condrestart|reload|status|fullstatus|
graceful|help|configtest}
Configuration file:
/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

3. sshd
#he sshd +Secure Shell %aemon, service is part o the 4penSS& implementation or 5inux
that provides authenticated, end*to*end encrypted networked communication. (or example,
a user on one host can log in to another system without using a password because
the sshd service can be conigured to use alternate authentication techni1ues such as
exchanging shared*key inormation.
#he openssh-server 3$' package provides the /usr/sbin/sshd daemon and its
coniguration iles
#wo versions o the SS& communication protocol exist, version 1 and version 6.
)onnections between the client and the sshd daemon are made on #)$7I$ port 66 by
deault, using either 2%$ or #)$ protocols.

Service Management:
To manage the sshd service on demand, use the service tool or run
the /etc/init.d/sshd script directly:
# /sbin/service sshd help
Usage: /etc/init.d/sshd {start|stop|restart|reload|condrestart|status}
# /etc/init.d/sshd help
Usage: /etc/init.d/sshd {start|stop|restart|reload|condrestart|status}

Configuration File for SSHD:
/etc/ssh/sshd_config


. Sendmail
#his executes 'ail Server %aemon which runs as a daemon in the background, listening or
incoming mail rom other machines.
Sendmail can handle both incoming and outgoing mail. Sendmail routes mail or the user
to the proper delivery program based on the email address. It accepts mail rom a user8s
mail program, interprets the mail address, rewrites the address into the proper orm or the
delivery program, and routes the mail to the correct delivery program. Sendmail insulates
the end user rom these details. I the mail is properly addressed, sendmail will see that it is
properly passed on or delivery. 5ikewise, or incoming mail, send mail interprets the
address and either delivers the mail to a user8s mail program or orwards it to another
system.
Service Management:
Usage:
/etc/init.d/sendmail {start|stop|restart|condrestart|status}
Configuration File:
/etc/mail/sendmail.cf

!. snmpd
#he snmpd service is an S"'$+Simple "etwork 'anagement $rotocol, agent which binds
to a port and awaits re1uests rom S"'$ management sotware. By using snmp, you can
obtain the statistics o the server, which is described by 'IB ile rom remote host.
By deault, snmpd listens or incoming S"'$ re1uests on 2%$ port 191 on all I$v:
interaces.
#he snmpd service is provided by the net-snmp 3$' package.
Service Management:
To manage the service on demand, use the service!" tool or run the /etc/init.d/snmpd
script directly:
# /sbin/service snmpd help
Usage: /etc/init.d/snmpd {start|stop|status|restart|condrestart|reload}
# /etc/init.d/snmpd help
Usage: /etc/init.d/snmpd {start|stop|status|restart|condrestart|reload}
Configuration File:
/etc/snmp/snmpd.conf

".ipta#les
#he iptables utility controls the network packet iltering code in the 5inux kernel. I you
need to set up irewalls and7or I$ mas1uerading, you should install this tool.
#he iptables eature is used to set up, maintain, and inspect the tables o I$ packet ilter
rules in the 5inux kernel. Several dierent tables may be deined. ;ach table contains a
number o built*in chains and may also contain user*deined chains.
;ach chain is a list o rules which can match a set o packets. ;ach rule speciies what to do
with a packet that matches. #his is called a <target8, which may be a jump to a user*deined
chain in the same table.
#$% package name: ipta#les
Service Management
& service ipta'les
(sage: /etc/init.d/ipta'les )start*stop*restart*condrestart*status*panic*save+

Configuration File
/etc/sysconfig/ipta'les , ipta'les rules
/etc/sysconfig/ipta'les-config , ipta'les configuration

$. nfsd
#he "etwork (ile System +"(S, is a server7client based networking protocol. "(S daemons
are composed by nsd, rpc.mountd, rpc.r1uotad, rpc.lockd
* %aemon nsd. nsd handles client re1uests rom remote systems. 'ultiple copies o this
daemon are usually run so that several re1uests can be handled simultaneously. &owever,
too many copies o nsd can increase the demand or )$2 time to the point where a drop in
perormance results. (or the best perormance the number o copies o nsd should be set to
our.
* %aemon rpc.mountd. rpc.mountd handles mount re1uests rom remote systems.
* %aemon rpc.r1uotad. It is a rpc server which returns 1uotas or a user o a local ile system
which is "(S*mounted onto a remote machine.
* %aemon rpc.lockd. rpc.lockd manages ile locking on "(S client and server machines.
In order to run "(S service, the portmap daemon must run.
Service Management:
Usage: nfs {start|stop|status|restart|reload|condrestart}
Configuration File:
/etc/exports

%. nscd
#his is the Name Service Cache Daemon. It takes care o group and password lookups
or running programs and then caches the lookup results or the next 1uery or services that
can experience slowness in picking up changes such as "IS or 5%/$. I you8re running these
services, you may want to run nscd.
#his daemon can cache the data or name services, 7etc7hosts, %"S, "IS, "IS= or so. #his is
only or local users on the machine, because the cache is reali-ed by wrapping the unctions
in glibc, remote user can never use this cache. It takes a time to change the cache even when
the original %"S data is changed, thereore be careul to use this daemon.
Service Management:
Usage: /etc/init.d/nscd {start|stop|status|restart|reload|condrestart}
Configuration File:
/etc/nscd.conf
9. named
named actually executed %"S + %ynamic naming Service, server daemon. It converts host
names to I$ addresses and vice versa. #here are several dierent kinds o %"S servers, such
as primary server, slave server and cached server etc. Its data is stored in the directory
7var7named.#he data stored in the %"S is identiied by domain names that are organi-ed as
a tree according to organi-ational or administrative boundaries
Service Management
# /sbin/service named
Usage: /etc/init.d/named {start|stop|status|restart|condrestart|reload|probe}
Configuration File
/etc/named.conf

1&. sm#d
#he Samba sotware suite is a collection o programs that implements the S'B protocol or
2"I> systems. #his protocol is also known as the )ommon Internet (ile System +)I(S,.
#he "etBI4S protocol is implemented by the nmbd daemon.
#he S'B server daemon smbd provides ile sharing and printing services to 0indows
clients. #he server provides ile space and printer services to clients via the S'B7)I(S
protocol. #he nmbd daemon is a "etBI4S name server that provides "etBI4S naming
services to clients . It understands and can reply to "etBI4S over I$ name service re1uests,
like those produced by S'B7)I(S clients +windows,.

Service Control
# /sbin/service smb
Usage: /etc/init.d/smb {start|stop|restart|reload|status|condrestart}
Configuration File
/etc/sam'a/sm'.conf