ASSOSA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF COMPUTING & INFORMATICS

Network and System Administration

B.Sc. in Computer Science

Compiled by Kemal H.
 Chapter One
Introduction to System and Network Administration
 What is a System Administrator?

Someone who takes care of the systems others are using.

System Running Users able to work in

smoothly and efficiently Easy and Efficient Manner
Sysadmin .sig file

“My job is like an airplane pilot's --

When I'm doing it well, you might not
even notice me, but my mistakes are
often quite spectacular.”

Source: Unknown
 System Administration Tasks
❏ User Management

❏ Hardware Management

❏ Software Management

❏ System Monitoring & Troubleshooting

❏ Documentation & Help Desk

❏ Backups

❏ Automation, Planning, Policies, and Auditing

❏ Firefighting!!!
 The Good…
❏ Lots of variety

❏ Challenging

❏ Fulfilling

❏ Pays well

❏ Very employable
 The Bad…
❏ Annoying at times

❏ Users

❏ Management

❏ Vendor Tech Support

❏ Long hours

❏ May not be your only job

 Code of Ethics
❏ Professionalism
❏ Personal Integrity ❏ System Integrity
❏ Privacy ❏ Education

❏ Laws and Policies ❏ Responsibility to

Computing
❏ Communication
Community
❏ Social Responsibility
❏ Ethical Responsibility
Overview of the OSs
Introduction to Linux
UNIX
• Unix is a multi-user, multi-tasking operating system.

• You can have many users logged into a system

simultaneously, each running many programs.

• It's the kernel's job to keep each process and user

separate and to regulate access to system hardware,
including cpu, memory, disk and other I/O devices.
Introduction to Linux
History of UNIX
• First Version was created in Bell Labs in 1969.

• Some of the Bell Labs programmers who had worked on this project, Ken
Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Rudd Canaday, and Doug McIlroy designed
and implemented the first version of the Unix File System on a PDP-7
along with a few utilities. It was given the name UNIX by Brian
Kernighan.

• 00:00:00 Hours, Jan 1, 1970 is time zero for UNIX. It is also called as
epoch.
Introduction to Linux
…Cont’d

• 1973 Unix is re-written mostly in C, a new language

developed by Dennis Ritchie.
• Being written in this high-level language greatly
decreased the effort needed to port it to new
machines.
Introduction to Linux
…Cont’d
• 1977 There were about 500 Unix sites world-wide.
• 1980 BSD 4.1 (Berkeley Software Development)
• 1983 SunOS, BSD 4.2, System V
• 1988 AT&T and Sun Microsystems jointly develop
System V Release 4 (SVR4). This later developed into
UnixWare and Solaris 2.
• 1991 Linux was originated.
Introduction to Linux
What is LINUX
• Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created
by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers around
the world.
• It originated in 1991 as a personal project of Linus Torvalds,
a Finnish graduate student.
• The Kernel version 1.0 was released in 1994 and today the
most recent stable version is 2.6.9
• Developed under the GNU General Public License , the
source code for Linux is freely available to everyone.
Introduction to Linux
LINUX Distributions
• Mandrake: http://www.mandrakesoft.com/
• RedHat: http://www.redhat.com/
• Fedora: http://fedora.redhat.com/
• SuSE/Novell: http://www.suse.com/
• Debian: http://www.debian.org/
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux is an Enterprise targeted Operating System. It is
based on mature Open Source technology and available at a cost with one
year Red Hat Network subscription for upgrade and support contract.
Introduction to Linux
UNIX Structure
Introduction to Linux
UNIX File System
 Unix-like Systems vs Windows Systems
❏ They are two different types of operating systems used in computers.
❏ Unix-like systems, such as Linux and macOS, are based on the Unix
operating system.
❏ They are known for their stability, security, and open-source nature.
❏ Unix-like systems use a command-line interface, which can be more difficult
to learn for beginners, but allows for more advanced control and automation
of tasks.
…Cont’d
❏ On the other hand, Windows systems are developed by Microsoft and are
known for their user-friendly interface and compatibility with a wide range of
software.
❏ Windows systems are more widely used in personal computers, and are often
the go-to choice for businesses that use Microsoft Office applications and
other Windows-specific software.
❏ There are also differences in the way these operating systems handle file
systems, networking, and security. Unix-like systems often use a hierarchical
file system, while Windows systems use a drive-letter system.
…cont’d
❏ Ultimately, the choice between Unix-like systems and Windows systems
depends on the needs of the user.
❏ Unix-like systems are favored by programmers, developers, and researchers
who need a stable and secure system that is easily customizable.
❏ Windows systems are favored by general users and businesses that require
compatibility with Microsoft Office applications and other Windows-specific
software.
Linux Distributions and UIs

In addition to these
distributions, there are
many other options
available, each with its
own unique features and
focus. The UIs available
on Linux include
GNOME, KDE, Xfce,
LXDE, and others.
 Linux Operations Review
➔ File system navigation: move from one directory to another directory (cd)
➔ File management: creating, copying, moving, and deleting files.
➔ Package management: install, update, and remove software packages
➔ Process management: managing processes, such as "ps" to list
running processes, "kill" to terminate a process
➔ User management:creation and management of user accounts
➔ Networking:Linux offers a range of networking commands for configuring
network settings, such as "ifconfig" to display network interface
information
 File system Hierarchy and Standard
The File system Hierarchy Standard (FHS) is a standard that defines the structure of the file system on
Linux and other Unix-like operating systems.

★ Here is a brief overview of the file system hierarchy and standard in Linux:
1. / (root): The root directory of the file system, which contains all other directories and files.
2. /bin: Contains executable files that are necessary for the system to function, such as basic system
utilities like "ls", "cd", and "cp".
3. /etc: Contains system configuration files, such as configuration files for networking, users, and system
services.
4. /home: Contains user home directories, which are used to store user-specific files and configuration
settings.
5. /dev: Contains device files, which are used to represent hardware devices in the system.
6. /proc: Contains virtual files that provide information about system resources, such as memory usage
and CPU usage.
 Single-rooted hierarchy
● A single-rooted hierarchy is a type of file system hierarchy in which all
directories and files are arranged in a tree-like structure with a single root
directory.
● This means that all files and directories can be accessed relative to the root
directory
● Unix/Linux file systems are a good example of a single-rooted hierarchy.
 Seamless file systems
● file systems that integrate multiple physical or virtual storage devices into a
single logical file system.
● This allows users to access data stored on different devices as if they were
stored in a single location, without needing to know the details of the
underlying storage architecture.
● Some examples of seamless file systems include Distributed File System
(DFS) and GlusterFS.
 extensible file system
● a file system that can be extended or modified without requiring significant
changes to the underlying file system architecture.
● This allows the file system to adapt to changing storage requirements and
accommodate new features or technologies.
● One example of an extensible file system is the Extended File System (ext)
used by many Linux distributions.
 Some examples of file system standards
● File Allocation Table (FAT): A file system standard
● used by many older versions of Windows and
DOS.
● New Technology File System (NTFS): A file system standard used by modern versions of
Windows.
● Extended File System (ext): A file system standard used by many Linux distributions.
● Universal Disk Format (UDF): A file system standard used for optical media such as DVDs and
Blu-ray discs.
● Hierarchical File System (HFS): A file system standard used by macOS.
● Apple File System (APFS): A file system standard used by modern versions of macOS and iOS.
● Network File System (NFS): A file system standard used for sharing files between computers on a
network.
● Common Internet File System (CIFS): A file system standard used for sharing files between
computers on a network, primarily in Windows environments.
 Essential Shell Commands
❏ Here are some essential shell commands that are commonly used:
❏ cd: Change directory. Used to navigate the file system by changing the current working
directory.
❏ ls: List files. Used to display the contents of a directory, including files and subdirectories.
❏ mkdir: Make directory. Used to create a new directory.
❏ rmdir: Remove directory. Used to delete an empty directory.
❏ rm: Remove. Used to delete a file or directory (with the "-r" option).
❏ cp: Copy. Used to copy files or directories.
❏ mv: Move. Used to move files or directories.
❏ cat: Concatenate. Used to display the contents of a file
❏ echo: Used to display a message on the screen or to redirect output to a file.
…cont’d
❏ pwd: Print working directory. Used to display the current working
directory.
❏ ps: Process status. Used to display information about running processes.
❏ top: Used to display real-time information about system processes.
❏ sudo: Superuser do. Used to execute commands with administrative
privileges.
❏ ssh: Secure shell, used to connect to remote system over a secure
network connection
❏ tar: Tape archive. Used to create and extract compressed archive files.
 Advanced Shell Features
Shell scripting is a powerful tool for automating tasks on Linux and other Unix-like
systems.
Here are some advanced shell features that can help users create more powerful
and efficient shell scripts:
★ Variables: Variables are used to store values that can be used later in a
script. Variables can be set using the "=" operator, such as "name=John". To
use the value of a variable, it can be referenced by using "$" followed by the
variable name, such as "$name".
…cont’d
● Input/output redirection: Input/output redirection allows users to redirect the
input or output of a command to a file or another command. The ">" operator
is used to redirect the output of a command to a file, while the "<" operator is
used to redirect the input of a command from a file. For example: "ls > file.txt".
● These are just a few of the many advanced shell features that are available on
Linux and other Unix-like systems. By mastering these features, users can
create powerful and efficient shell scripts to automate tasks and improve their
workflow.
 Chapter Two
Account and Security Administration
 User and Group
In Linux and other Unix-like systems, users and groups are used to manage access to
system resources such as files and directories.

❏ Users: A user is a person who accesses the system and performs tasks.
➢ Each user is identified by a unique username and has their own home
directory, which is used to store their personal files and configurations.
❏ Groups: A group is a collection of users who share common permissions and
access to system resources.
➢ Each group is identified by a unique group name and has a group ID (GID).
 User Private Group Scheme
❏ The User Private Group (UPG) scheme is a security model used in Linux
and other Unix-like systems to provide each user with their own private group.
❏ Under this scheme, when a new user is created, a new group is also created
with the same name as the user and the user is added to that group.
❏ This ensures that each user has their own private group and that their files
and directories are not accessible by other users by default.
 User and Group Administration
❏ In Linux and other Unix-like systems, user administration and group administration are
important tasks that system administrators perform to manage users and groups.

A. User administration: involves creating, modifying, and deleting user

accounts.

B. Group Administration: Group administration involves creating, modifying,

and deleting groups.
 Linux Commands

adduser: create new user account. eg. sudo adduser cs. After this command we
will fill like password, full name and so on..

sudo : to use admin

privilege/root
cs: username
1002: user & group ID (UID)

Optional
 userdel/deluser:
passwd: to change password. Sudo passwd cs
Delete user account
Usermod:
Modify user account
eg . change username, adduser to
another group etc..

Eg. to delete user account cs

Addgroup: to create new group on the system sudo deluser cs

Eg to change username cs to jack

sudo usermod -l jack cs

gpasswd: to change group account password, to remove group account
passwd and many other function by adding --options.

Add user cs to group sysadmin

 To remove sysadmin Password

usermod : used to modify user account old username

username

groupmod : used to modify group account eg. rename group sysadmin to cstutorial

Read for detail user and group administration!

 Password Aging and Default User Files
➔ Password aging: Password aging is a security feature in Linux and other Unix-like systems that

forces users to change their passwords periodically.

◆ Password expiration: Password expiration is the process of forcing users to change their

passwords after a certain period of time.

● This can be configured using the "chage" command, which sets the password expiry

date for a user.

Setting password and account period (days) using chage command
…Cont’d
➔ Default user files: Default user files are files that are created
automatically when a new user account is created.
◆ The following are some of the key default user files:
● Bash profile: contains environment variables, aliases, and other settings.
● Bashrc: used to set system-wide environment variables, aliases, and other
settings. And it is found in /etc
● Home directory: created automatically for each user account.
 Managing files and folder permission
❏ In Linux and other Unix-like systems, managing file and folder permissions is an important
task that system administrators need to perform to ensure system security and control
access to system resources.
❏ Here is an overview of how to manage file and folder permissions:
1. File permissions: File permissions are used to control access to individual files.
■ The following are the three types of file permissions:
● Read permission: Allows the user to read the contents of the file.
● Write permission: Allows the user to modify the contents of the file.
● Execute permission: Allows the user to execute the file if it is a program or a script.
….Cont’d
➔ Each file permissions represented by

Read = r Or a number from 0 -7

Write = w The file permissions are represented by a series of

numbers or letters. The first character indicates the type of
Execute = x
file (d for directory, - for a regular file, and l for a symbolic
link), followed by three sets of permissions for the owner,
group, and other users.
…Cont’d

Default file

Directory file Regular file (none folder files like .txt, .ppt, .docx, .sh )
…Cont’d
2. Folder permissions: are used to control access to directories and the files they
contain.

◆ The following are the three types of folder permissions:

● Read permission: Allows the user to list the contents of the folder.
● Write permission: Allows the user to create, delete, and modify files and folders
within the directory.
● Execute permission: Allows the user to access the contents of the folder.

⍈ The folder permissions are also represented by a series of

numbers or letters, similar to file permissions.
…Cont’d
3. Managing file and folder permissions: The following are some of the key commands
used to manage file and folder permissions:
Linux command

i. chmod: Used to change file and folder permissions.

ii. chown: Used to change the owner of a file or folder.
iii. chgrp: Used to change the group of a file or folder.

Assume we have a file called test.txt and cs4thyear folder

The first rwx is for owner of the folder, the second r-x is for group and the third r-x for guest
…Cont’d
❏ The chmod command is the most commonly used command for managing file and folder
permissions.
❏ It can be used to add or remove permissions, set permissions for the owner, group, or
other users, and set permissions using numeric or symbolic modes.
❏ Numeric mode: from 0 to 7
❏ Symbolic mode: r w x
 Managing File Ownership
❖ system administrators need to perform to ensure system security and control
access to system resources.
❖ Here is an overview of how to manage file ownership:
➢ File ownership: File ownership refers to the user and group that are associated with a file.
➢ Managing file ownership: The following are some of the key commands used to manage file
ownership:
■ chown: Used to change the owner of a file or folder.
■ chgrp: Used to change the group of a file or folder.

The chown and chgrp commands are used to change the ownership of a file or folder. The syntax of the
commands is as follows: (next slide)
…cont’d
General Syntax:
➔ The first command changes the owner of
the file to the specified user,
➔ while the second command changes both
OR
the owner and the group of the file to the
specified user and group.

chgrp command is used to change

the group of a file or folder.

Read for detail and try practical!

 Controlling Access to files (ACLs)
❖ Are an additional mechanism for controlling access to files and folders.
❖ ACLs are used in conjunction with file and folder permissions.
➢ key commands used to manage file and folder permissions and ACLs:

● chmod: Used to change file and folder permissions.

● chown: Used to change the owner of a file or folder.
● chgrp: Used to change the group of a file or folder.
● setfacl: Used to set ACLs on files and folders.
● getfacl: Used to view ACLs on files and folders.
…Cont’d
General Syntax:

To give full permission(read, write and execute) for user kemal to file a.txt

For further example, you can get the writing syntax of ACLs
Setfacl --help

Quiz(3%)
1. Write linux command to give read only permission for user john to file1.txt using ACLs
…Cont’d
To view ACLs
 Managing Disk Quotas
❏ disk quotas are used to limit the amount of disk space that users and groups
can use on a file system.
❏ This is an important feature for system administrators who need to manage
disk space usage and prevent users from filling up the file system.
A. Enabling disk quotas: Disk quotas must be enabled on a file system before they can be used
This is typically done by editing the file system /etc/fstab file and adding the usrquota and/or
grpquota options to the mount options for the file system. For example:

This line enables user and group quotas on the /home file system
…Cont’d
B. Setting up quotas: Once disk quotas are enabled, quotas must be set up for individual users or
groups. This is done using the edquota command. The syntax of the command is as follows:

OR
…Cont’d
C. Monitoring quotas: Once quotas are set up, they can be monitored using the quota command.
The syntax of the command is as follows:

OR

This command displays the current disk usage and quota limits for the specified user or
group.
…Cont’d
D. Adjusting quotas: Quotas can be adjusted using the edquota command. The administrator can
edit the quota configuration file for a user or group to increase or decrease their quota limits.

Overall, managing disk quotas is an important task in Linux and other

Unix-like systems that system administrators need to perform to manage disk
space usage and prevent users from filling up the file system. By enabling,
setting up, monitoring, and adjusting quotas, system administrators can
effectively manage disk usage and ensure that disk space is available for
critical system processes and applications.
 Chapter Three
File System and Management of Data storage
 File System

What is a File System?

❑ A file system is a way of organizing and managing files on a
storage device.
❑ Such as: a hard disk drive or solid-state drive
❑ It provides a logical structure for organizing files and directories.
❑ allows users to access and manage those files.
 Types of File Systems
● FAT: The File Allocation Table (FAT)
○ widely-used file system that was originally developed for floppy disks and other small storage devices.
○ . It is still used today on some USB drives and other portable storage devices.

● NTFS: The New Technology File System (NTFS)

○ more advanced file system developed by Microsoft for use on Windows computers.
○ It supports larger file sizes, more efficient use of disk space, and better security features than FAT.

● EXT: The Extended File System (EXT)

○ file system used on Linux and other Unix-like operating systems
○ designed for use with the Linux kernel and provides features such as journaling and support for file permissions.
…Cont’d
● APFS: The Apple File System (APFS)
○ a modern file system developed by Apple for use on its macOS, iOS, and other operating systems.
○ It is designed to be fast, secure, and efficient, and provides features such as encryption and
snapshotting.
 File System Administration Tasks
● Partitioning: This involves dividing a hard drive or other storage device into multiple partitions, each
with its own file system.
● Formatting: Once a partition has been created, it needs to be formatted with a file system.
● Mounting: When a file system is mounted, it is made available for use by the operating system and
applications.
● Managing file permissions: File system administrators need to manage permissions for files and
directories, determining who has access to them and what actions they can perform.
…Cont’d
• Monitoring disk usage: It's important to keep track of how much disk space is being
used and ensure that there is enough free space available for new files and
applications.
• Backing up and restoring data: Backing up important files and data is crucial for
preventing data loss in the event of a system failure or other disaster. File system
administrators need to develop and implement backup and recovery strategies to
ensure data can be restored if necessary.
 Partitioning disk with fdisk and parted

● fdisk is a command-line utility for partitioning disks on Linux systems. Here's how you can use it to partition a disk:
○ Step1 Open terminal

○ Step2 write fdisk /dev/sdX , where X is the driver letter

○ Step3 fdisk will display a warning message about potentially destructive actions. Press "n" to create a new partition.
○ Step4 Follow the prompts to specify the partition type, starting and ending sectors, and other details about the new
partition.
○ Step5 Repeat the process to create additional partitions as needed.
○ Step6 Once you have created all of the partitions you need, press "w" to write the changes to disk and exit fdisk.
..Cont’d

sda has 3 partitions:

sda1,sda2,sda5

sdb has no partitions

create partitions in disk sdb

to ceate new partition

…Cont’d

now partition primary

partition sdb1 created from
disk sdb
…Cont’d
● parted is another command-line utility for partitioning disks on Linux systems. Here's how you can use it to
partition a disk:

1. Open a terminal window and log in as the root user or use the sudo command to run parted with root privileges.

2. Type "parted /dev/sdX" to start parted, where "X" is the letter corresponding to the disk you want to partition. For

example, if you want to partition the first hard disk in the system, you would use "parted /dev/sda".\

mkpart primary ext4 0% 20GB

3. Repeat the process to create additional partitions as needed.

4. Once you have created all of the partitions you need, use the "quit" command to exit parted.
…Cont’d

Newly created
partition
..Cont’d
To delete partition
Open Terminal
sudo fdisk /dev/sdx where x is partition name eg. /dev/sda
Enter d to delete partition
Enter partition number eg. if partition is at /dev/sda1 Enter 1
Enter w to write on the disk
quit
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
…Cont’d
● Both fdisk and parted are powerful tools for partitioning disks, and can be used to
create complex partition layouts with multiple partitions of different types and sizes.
It's important to be careful when using these tools, as errors or mistakes can result in
data loss or other problems. Be sure to backup important data before making any
changes to disk partitions.
 Creating a file system
● To create a new file system on a disk partition, you can use the mkfs
command followed by the type of file system you want to create (e.g., ext4,
xfs, btrfs, etc.) and the name of the partition you want to format.

This command will format the first partition on the first hard disk in the system with
the ext4 file system.
 Mounting a file system
● To mount a file system, you first need to create a mount point (i.e., a directory
where the file system will be accessible). You can use the mkdir command to
create a new directory for this purpose.
 Maintaining a file system
● To maintain a file system, there are several tools and commands available on
Linux systems.
• df: displays information about disk usage and available space on file systems
• du: displays information about disk usage of files and directories
• fsck: checks and repairs file system errors
• tune2fs: allows you to tune various parameters of an ext2, ext3, or ext4 file system
• xfs_repair: checks and repairs XFS file systems
…Cont’d

Check disk usage on

/home directory

Display disk free space with human

readable format
 Swap
● Swap is an area on a hard drive that is used as a virtual memory extension
when the physical memory (RAM) is full. Linux systems typically use a
dedicated swap partition or a swap file to provide this functionality.
● Creating a swap partition
1. Determine the size of the swap partition you need

2. Use a partitioning tool like fdisk or parted to create a new partition on your hard drive.
Make sure to set the partition type to "Linux swap" (type code 82).
3. Format the new partition with the mkswap command.
…Cont’d

To make the swap partition persistent across reboots, add an entry for it in the /etc/fstab file.
 Determining disk usage with du and df
● du: used to estimate the space used by file and directories.
● df: used to display the amount of disk space available on file systems.

For further du and df usage, enter du –help and df --help

 Configuring Disk Quota
● Disk quotas are a feature of the Linux file system that allows system
administrators to limit the amount of disk space a user or group can use.
● To configure disk quota,
Step 1: Enable Quota Support

go to /et/fstab and adding user and group quota

…Cont’d
mount -o remount /home

sudo apt-get install quota

/home 0 0 1000 2000 0 0 //edit the /etc/quotatab

sudo edquota cs //where cs is username

sudo repquota /home to monitor disk usage quota

In the fstab file, the number 2 specifies the order in which file systems are
checked for errors at boot time.
Logical volume management and RAID
❏ Logical Volume Management (LVM) and Redundant Array of Independent
Disks (RAID) are two technologies that can help manage and protect data on
Linux systems.
❏ Logical Volume Management (LVM)
❏ LVM is a technology that allows you to create logical volumes from multiple physical
volumes (such as hard drives or partitions), and manage them as a single, flexible
storage pool.
❏ With LVM, you can easily resize volumes, add or remove physical storage, and take
snapshots of volumes for backups or testing purposes.
 Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)

❏ RAID is a technology that uses multiple hard drives to provide data

redundancy and/or improved performance.
❏ Here are a few common types of RAID technology
❏ RAID 0: This type of RAID uses striping to split data across two or more hard drives, which
can improve performance.
❏ However, there is no redundancy, so if one drive fails, all data is lost.
❏ RAID 1: This type of RAID uses mirroring to copy data across two or more hard drives,
providing redundancy in case of a drive failure.
❏ However, it requires at least two drives, and you lose half of your available storage
capacity due to the mirroring.
…Cont’d
❏ RAID 5: This type of RAID uses striping with parity to provide both
performance and redundancy.
❏ It requires at least three drives, and can tolerate the failure of one drive without losing
any data.
❏ However, performance can be impacted during rebuilds after a drive failure.
❏ RAID 10: This type of RAID combine both RAID 0 and RAID 1 to provide
both performance and redundancy.
RAID 0
RAID 1
RAID 5
RAID 10