Linux+ Complete Study Guide CompTIA

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CompTIA

Linux+ Complete

Study Guide

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CompTIA

Linux+ Complete Study Guide

(Exams LX0-101 and LX0-102)

Roderick W. Smith

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Acquisitions Editor: Jeff Kellum

Development Editors: Kim Wimpsett and Pete Gaughan Technical Editors: Emmett Dulaney and Evan Blomquist Production Editor: Liz Britten

Copy Editor: Tiffany Taylor Production Manager: Tim Tate

Vice President and Executive Group Publisher: Richard Swadley Vice President and Publisher: Neil Edde

Assistant Project Manager: Jenny Swisher Associate Producer: Kit Malone Quality Assurance: Angie Denny Book Designer: Judy Fung, Bill Gibson

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Indexer: Ted Laux

Project Coordinator, Cover: Lynsey Stanford Cover Designer: Ryan Sneed

ISBN: 978-0-470-88845-2

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sec- tions 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Pub- lisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Smith, Roderick W.

CompTIA Linux+ study guide : exams LX0-101 and LX0-102 / Roderick W. Smith.—1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-0-470-88845-2 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 0-470-88845-8 (pbk.) ISBN 978-0-470-91307-9 (ebk) ISBN 978-0-470-91305-5 (ebk) ISBN 978-0-470-91306-2 (ebk)

1. Electronic data processing personnel—Certification. 2. Operating systems (Computers)—Examinations—

Study guides. 3. Linux. I. Title.

QA76.3.S47652 2010 005.4’32—dc22

2010016921

TRADEMARKS: Wiley, the Wiley logo, and the Sybex logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

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printed version of the book.

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Dear Reader,

Thank you for choosing CompTIA Linux+ Complete Study Guide (Exams LX0-101 and LX0-102). This book is part of a family of premium-quality Sybex books, all of which are written by outstanding authors who combine practical experience with a gift for teaching.

Sybex was founded in 1976. More than thirty years later, we’re still committed to producing consistently exceptional books. With each of our titles we’re working hard to set a new standard for the industry. From the paper we print on, to the authors we work with, our goal is to bring you the best books available.

I hope you see all that reflected in these pages. I’d be very interested to hear your comments and get your feedback on how we’re doing. Feel free to let me know what you think about this or any other Sybex book by sending me an email at nedde@wiley.com, or if you think you’ve found a technical error in this book, please visit http://sybex.custhelp.com. Cus- tomer feedback is critical to our efforts at Sybex.

Best regards,

Neil Edde

Vice President and Publisher Sybex, an Imprint of Wiley

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From one writer to another: Lola, keep writing your stories!

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Acknowledgments

Although this book bears my name as author, many other people contributed to its creation.

Without their help, this book wouldn’t exist, or at best would exist in a lesser form. Jeff Kellum was the Acquisitions Editor, and so helped get the book started. Pete Gaughan, the Development Editor, and Liz Britten, the Production Editor, oversaw the book as it progressed through all its stages. Emmett Dulaney was the Technical Editor, who checked the text for technical errors and omissions—but any mistakes that remain are my own. Tiffany Taylor, the copy editor, helped keep the text grammatical and understandable. The proofreader, Publications Services, Inc., checked the text for typos. I’d also like to thank Neil Salkind and others at Studio B, who helped connect me with Wiley to write this book.

About the Author

Roderick W. Smith is a Linux consultant and author. He has written over a dozen books on Linux, FreeBSD, and computer networking, including the LPIC-1 Study Guide and Linux Administrator Street Smarts (both from Sybex). He can be reached at rodsmith@rodsbooks.com.

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Contents at a Glance

Introduction xxi

Assessment Test xlvii

Part I The CompTIA Linux+ LX0-101 Exam 1

Chapter 1 Exploring Linux Command-Line Tools 3

Chapter 2 Managing Software 45

Chapter 3 Configuring Hardware 105

Chapter 4 Managing Files 177

Chapter 5 Booting Linux and Editing Files 225

Part II The CompTIA Linux+ LX0-102 Exam 265 Chapter 6 Configuring the X Window System, Localization,

and Printing 267

Chapter 7 Administering the System 329

Chapter 8 Configuring Basic Networking 383

Chapter 9 Writing Scripts, Configuring E-Mail, and Using Databases 427

Chapter 10 Securing Your System 475

Appendix About the Companion CD 519

Glossary 523

Index 551

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Table of Exercises

Exercise 1.1 Editing Commands . . . . 10

Exercise 2.1 Managing Packages Using RPM . . . . 57

Exercise 2.2 Managing Debian Packages . . . . 68

Exercise 3.1 Creating Filesystems . . . . 146

Exercise 4.1 Modifying Ownership and Permissions . . . . 202

Exercise 4.2 Locating Files . . . . 215

Exercise 5.1 Changing Runlevels . . . . 249

Exercise 6.1 Changing the X Resolution and Color Depth . . . . 280

Exercise 7.1 Creating User Accounts . . . . 337

Exercise 7.2 Creating User cron Jobs . . . . 370

Exercise 8.1 Configuring a Network Connection . . . . 409

Exercise 9.1 Changing Your bash Prompt . . . . 432

Exercise 9.2 Creating a Simple Script . . . . 445

Exercise 9.3 Creating a SQL Database . . . . 461

Exercise 10.1 Monitor Network Port Use . . . . 484

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Introduction

Why should you learn about Linux? It’s a fast-growing operating system, and it is inexpensive and fl exible. Linux is also a major player in the small and mid-sized server fi eld, and it’s an increasingly viable platform for workstation and desktop use as well. By understanding Linux, you’ll increase your standing in the job market. Even if you already know Windows or Mac OS and your employer uses these systems exclusively, understanding Linux will give you an edge when you’re looking for a new job or if you’re looking for a promotion. For instance, this knowledge will help you to make an informed decision about if and when you should deploy Linux.

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) promotes the Linux+

exam as an introductory certifi cation for people who want to enter careers involving Linux.

The exam is meant to certify that an individual has the skills necessary to install, operate, and troubleshoot a Linux system and is familiar with Linux-specifi c concepts and basic hardware.

The purpose of this book is to help you pass the 2010 version of the Linux+ exams (LX0-101 and LX0-102). Because these exams cover basic Linux installation, confi gura- tion, maintenance, applications, networking, and security, those are the topics that are emphasized in this book. You’ll learn enough to get a Linux system up and running and how to confi gure it for many common tasks. Even after you’ve taken and passed the Linux+

exam, this book should remain a useful reference.

In 2010, CompTIA announced a partnership with Linux Professional Institute, the organization behind the popular LPI Certification (LPIC) program . With this partnership, CompTIA will be offering the LPIC Level 1 exams under the Linux+ umbrella . The exams and the exam objectives are identical for the two programs . However, Linux+ candidates have the option of receiving their LPIC-1 as well as the Novell Certified Linux Administrator certification by passing the CompTIA Linux+ exams .

This book has undergone its own testing and certifi cation by ProCert Labs (http://www .procertcom.com), and has achieved the CompTIA Authorized Quality Curriculum (CACQ) status. This means that you can rest assured that the book covers the Linux+ objectives.

What Is Linux?

Linux is a clone of the Unix operating system (OS) that has been popular in academia and many business environments for years. Formerly used exclusively on large mainframes, Unix and Linux can now run on small computers—which are actually far more powerful than the mainframes of just a few years ago. Because of its mainframe heritage, Unix (and hence also Linux) scales well to perform today’s demanding scientifi c, engineering, and network server tasks.

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xxii Introduction

Linux consists of a kernel, which is the core control software, and many libraries and utilities that rely on the kernel to provide features with which users interact. The OS is available in many different distributions, which are collections of a specific kernel with specific support programs.

Why Become Linux+ Certified?

There are several good reasons to get your Linux+ certification:

Provides proof of professional achievement Certifications are quickly becoming status symbols in the computer service industry. Organizations, including members of the computer service industry, are recognizing the benefits of certification, such as Linux+. Organizations are pushing for their members to become certified. Every day, more people are putting the CompTIA official certification logo on their business cards.

Increases your marketability Linux+ certification makes individuals more marketable to potential employers. Also, Linux+ certified employees might receive a higher salary base because employers won’t have to spend as much money on vendor-specific training.

Provides an opportunity for advancement Most raises and advancements are based on performance. Linux+ certified employees work faster and more efficiently. The more pro- ductive employees are, the more money they will make for their company; and, of course, the more money they make for the company, the more valuable they will be to the company.

So, if employees are Linux+ certified, their chances of getting promoted will be greater.

Fulfills training requirements Each year, more and more major computer hardware vendors, including (but not limited to) IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Novell, are recognizing CompTIA’s certifications as prerequisites in their own respective certification programs. The use of outside certifications like Linux+ has the side benefit of reducing training costs for employers.

Because more and more small companies are deploying the flexible and inexpensive OS we call Linux, the demand for experienced users is growing. CompTIA anticipates that the Linux+ certification, like the A+ certification, will find itself integrated into various certification programs as well.

Raises customer confidence As the IT community, users, small business owners, and the like become more familiar with the Linux+ certified professional moniker, more of them will realize that the Linux+ professional is more qualified to work in their Linux environment than is a noncertified individual.

How to Become Linux+ Certified

The Linux+ certification is available to anyone who passes the two required exams: LX0-101 and LX0-102. You don’t have to work for a particular company. It’s not a secret society.

The exam is administered by Thomson Prometric and Pearson VUE. The exam can be taken at any Thomson Prometric or Pearson VUE testing center. If you pass, you will get a certificate in the mail from CompTIA saying that you have passed, and you will also receive

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Introduction xxiii

a lapel pin and business cards. To fi nd the Thomson Prometric testing center nearest you, call (800) 755-EXAM (755-3926). Contact (877) 551-PLUS (551-7587) for Pearson VUE information.

To register for the exam with Thomson Prometric, call (800) 776-MICRO (776-4276), or register online at http://securereg3.prometric.com. To register with Pearson VUE, call (877) 551-PLUS (551-7587), or register online at http://www.vue.com/comptia. How- ever you do it, you’ll be asked for your name, mailing address, phone number, employer, when and where you want to take the test (i.e., which testing center), and your credit card number (arrangement for payment must be made at the time of registration).

As noted above, if you pass the CompTIA Linux+ exams, you do have the option of also obtaining your LPIC-1 certification from LPI, as well as your Novell Certified Linux Administrator (CLA) certification at the same time . All that is required is authorization to submit your information to LPI . You are given this option at the testing site .

Who Should Buy This Book

Anybody who wants to pass the Linux+ exams may benefi t from this book. If you’re new to Linux, this book covers the material you will need to learn the OS from the beginning, and it continues to provide the knowledge you need up to a profi ciency level suffi cient to pass the LX0-101 and LX0-102 exams. You can pick up this book and learn from it even if you’ve never used Linux before, although you’ll fi nd it an easier read if you’ve at least casu- ally used Linux for a few days. If you’re already familiar with Linux, this book can serve as a review and as a refresher course for information with which you might not be completely familiar. In either case, reading this book will help you to pass the Linux+ exams.

This book is written with the assumption that you know at least a little bit about Linux (what it is, and possibly a few Linux commands). I also assume that you know some basics about computers in general, such as how to use a keyboard, how to insert a disc into a CD- ROM drive, and so on. Chances are, you have used computers in a substantial way in the past—perhaps even Linux, as an ordinary user, or maybe you have used Windows or Mac OS. I do not assume that you have extensive knowledge of Linux system administration, but if you’ve done some system administration, you can still use this book to fi ll in gaps in your knowledge.

As a practical matter, you’ll need a Linux system with which to practice and learn in a hands-on way . Neither the exams nor this book covers actually install- ing Linux on a computer from scratch, although some of the prerequisites (such as disk partitioning) are covered . You may need to refer to your distribution’s documentation to learn how to accomplish this task . Alternatively, several vendors now sell computers with Linux pre-installed .

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xxiv Introduction

How This Book Is Organized

This book consists of 10 chapters plus supplementary information: a glossary, this introduction, and the assessment test after the introduction. The chapters are organized as follows:

Chapter 1, “Exploring Linux Command-Line Tools,” covers the basic tools you need

N N

to interact with Linux. These include shells, redirection, pipes, text filters, and regular expressions.

Chapter 2, “Managing Software,” describes the programs you’ll use to manage soft-

N N

ware. Much of this task is centered around the RPM and Debian package management systems. The chapter also covers handling shared libraries and managing processes (that is, running programs).

Chapter 3, “Configuring Hardware,” focuses on Linux’s interactions with the hard-

N N

ware on which it runs. Specific hardware and procedures for using it include the BIOS, expansion cards, USB devices, hard disks, and the partitions and filesystems used on hard disks.

Chapter 4, “Managing Files,” covers the tools used to manage files. This includes

N N

commands to manage files, ownership, and permissions, as well as Linux’s standard directory tree and tools for archiving files.

Chapter 5, “Booting Linux and Editing Files,” explains how Linux boots up and how

N N

you can edit files in Linux. Specific topics include the LILO and GRUB boot loaders, boot diagnostics, runlevels, and the Vi editor.

Chapter 6, “Configuring the X Window System, Localization, and Printing,” describes

N N

the Linux GUI and printing subsystems. Topics include X configuration, managing GUI logins, configuring location-specific features, enabling accessibility features, and setting up Linux to use a printer.

Chapter 7, “Administering the System,” describes miscellaneous administrative tasks.

N N

These include user and group management, tuning user environments, managing log files, setting the clock, and running jobs in the future.

Chapter 8, “Configuring Basic Networking,” focuses on basic network configuration.

N N

Topics include TCP/IP basics, setting up Linux on a TCP/IP network, and network diagnostics.

Chapter 9, “Writing Scripts, Configuring E-mail, and Using Databases,” covers these

N N

miscellaneous topics. Scripts are small programs that administrators often use to help automate common tasks. E-mail, of course, is an important topic for any computer user, particularly on Linux, which often runs an e-mail server for local or remote use.

Linux can run databases that help you store and retrieve information, and these tools can be very important ones on many Linux systems.

Chapter 10, “Securing Your System,” covers security. Specific subjects include network

N N

security, local security, and the use of encryption to improve security.

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Introduction xxv

Chapters 1 through 5 cover the LX0-101 exam, while chapters 6 through 10 cover the LX0-102 exam. These make up Part I and Part II of the book, respectively.

Each chapter begins with a list of the Linux+ objectives that are covered in that chapter.

The book doesn’t cover the objectives in order. Thus, you shouldn’t be alarmed at some of the odd ordering of the objectives within the book. At the end of each chapter, you’ll fi nd a couple of elements you can use to prepare for the exam:

Exam Essentials This section summarizes important information that was covered in the chapter. You should be able to perform each of the tasks or convey the information requested.

Review Questions Each chapter concludes with 20 review questions. You should answer these questions and check your answers against the ones provided after the questions. If you can’t answer at least 80 percent of these questions correctly, go back and review the chapter, or at least those sections that seem to be giving you diffi culty.

The review questions, assessment test, and other testing elements included in this book are not derived from the Linux+ exam questions, so don’t mem- orize the answers to these questions and assume that doing so will enable you to pass the exam . You should learn the underlying topic, as described in the text of the book . This will let you answer the questions provided with this book and pass the exam . Learning the underlying topic is also the approach that will serve you best in the workplace—the ultimate goal of a certification like CompTIA’s .

To get the most out of this book, you should read each chapter from start to fi nish and then check your memory and understanding with the chapter-end elements. Even if you’re already familiar with a topic, you should skim the chapter; Linux is complex enough that there are often multiple ways to accomplish a task, so you may learn something even if you’re already competent in an area.

Bonus CD-ROM Contents

This book comes with a CD-ROM that contains several additional elements. Items available on the CD-ROM include the following:

Sample tests All of the questions in this book appear on the CD-ROM—including the 30-question assessment test at the end of this introduction and the 200 questions that make up the 20-question review question sections for each chapter. In addition, there are two 50-question bonus exams. The test engine runs on both Windows and Linux.

Electronic “flashcards” The CD-ROM includes 150 questions in fl ashcard format (a question followed by a single correct answer). You can use these to review your knowledge of the Linux+ exam objectives. The fl ashcards run on both Windows and Linux.

Book contents as a PDF file The entire book is available as a fully searchable PDF that runs on all Windows platforms as well as on Linux.

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xxvi Introduction

Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses certain typographic styles in order to help you quickly identify important information and to avoid confusion over the meaning of words such as on-screen prompts.

In particular, look for the following styles:

Italicized text

N

N indicates key terms that are described at length for the first time in a chapter. (Italics are also used for emphasis.)

A monospaced font

N indicates the contents of configuration files, messages displayed at a text-mode Linux shell prompt, filenames, text-mode command names, and Internet URLs.

Italicized monospaced text

N

N indicates a variable—information that differs from one

system or command run to another, such as the name of a client computer or a process ID number.

Bold monospaced text

N is information that you’re to type into the computer, usually at a Linux shell prompt. This text can also be italicized to indicate that you should substi- tute an appropriate value for your system. (When isolated on their own lines, commands are preceded by non-bold monospaced $ or # command prompts, denoting regular user or system administrator use, respectively.)

In addition to these text conventions, which can apply to individual words or entire paragraphs, a few conventions highlight segments of text:

A note indicates information that’s useful or interesting but that’s some- what peripheral to the main text . A note might be relevant to a small number of networks, for instance, or it may refer to an outdated feature .

A tip provides information that can save you time or frustration and that may not be entirely obvious . A tip might describe how to get around a limitation or how to use a feature to perform an unusual task .

Warnings describe potential pitfalls or dangers . If you fail to heed a warn- ing, you may end up spending a lot of time recovering from a bug, or you may even end up restoring your entire system from scratch .

Sidebars

A sidebar is like a note but longer . The information in a sidebar is useful, but it doesn’t fi t into the main fl ow of the text .

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Introduction xxvii

Real World Scenario

A real world scenario is a type of sidebar that describes a task or example that’s particularly grounded in the real world . This may be a situation I or somebody I know has encountered, or it may be advice on how to work around problems that are common in real, working Linux environments .

E X E R C I S E S Exercises

An exercise is a procedure you should try out on your own computer to help you learn about the material in the chapter . Don’t limit yourself to the procedures described in the exercises, though! Try other commands and procedures to really learn about Linux .

The Exam Objectives

Behind every computer industry exam you can be sure to fi nd exam objectives—the broad topics in which exam developers want to ensure your competency. The offi cial Linux+

objectives are listed here. (They’re also printed at the start of the chapters in which they’re covered, as well as in the front of the book in a useful tear-out card that also maps the objectives to the chapters in which they are covered.)

Exam objectives are subject to change at any time without prior notice and at CompTIA’s sole discretion . Please visit the Linux+ Certification page of CompTIA’s website (http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/

linux.aspx) for the most current listing of exam objectives .

LX0-101 Objectives

The following are the areas (or domains according to CompTIA) in which you must be profi cient in order to pass LX0-101

101 System Architecture 14%

102 Linux Installation and Package Management 18%

103 GNU and Unix Commands 43%

104 Devices, Linux Filesystems, Filesystem Hierarchy Standard 25%

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xxviii Introduction

101 System Architecture

101.1 Determine and Configure hardware settings Enable and disable integrated peripherals

N N

Configure systems with or without external peripherals such as keyboards

N N

Differentiate between the various types of mass storage devices

N N

Set the correct hardware ID for different devices, especially the boot device

N N

Know the differences between coldplug and hotplug devices

N N

Determine hardware resources for devices

N N

Tools and utilities to list various hardware information (e.g. lsusb, lspci, etc.)

N N

Tools and utilities to manipulate USB devices

N N

Conceptual understanding of sysfs, udev, hald, dbus

N N

The following is a partial list of the used files, terms, and utilities:

N N

/sys

N N

/proc

N N

/dev

N N

modprobe

N N

lsmod

N N

lspci

N N

lsusb

N N

101.2 Boot the System

Provide common commands to the boot loader and options to the kernel at boot time

N N

Demonstrate knowledge of the boot sequence from BIOS to boot completion

N N

Check boot events in the log file

N N

The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:

N N

/var/log/messages

N N

dmesg

N N

BIOS

N N

bootloader

N N

kernel

N N

init

N N

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Introduction xxix

101.3 Change runlevels and shutdown or reboot system Set the default runlevel

N N

Change between runlevels including single user mode

N N

Shutdown and reboot from the command line

N N

Alert users before switching runlevels or other major system events

N N

Properly terminate processes

N N

/etc/inittab

N N

shutdown

N N

init

N N

/etc/init.d

N N

telinit

N N

102 Linux Installation and Package Management

102.1 Design hard disk layout

Allocate filesystems and swap space to separate partitions or disks

N N

Tailor the design to the intended use of the system

N N

Ensure the /boot partition conforms to the hardware architecture requirements for

N N

booting

N N

/ (root) filesystem

N N

/var filesystem

N N

/home filesystem

N N

swap space

N N

mount points

N N

partitions

N N

102.2 Install a boot manager

Providing alternative boot locations and backup boot options

N N

Install and configure a boot loader such as GRUB

N N

Interact with the boot loader

N N

The following is a partial list of the used files, terms, and utilities

N N

/boot/grub/menu.lst

N N

grub-install

N N

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xxx Introduction

MBR

N N

superblock

N N

/etc/lilo.conf

N N

lilo

N N

102.3 Manage shared libraries Identify shared libraries

N N

Identify the typical locations of system libraries

N N

Load shared libraries

N N

The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities

N N

ldd

N N

ldconfig

N N

/etc/ld.so.conf

N N

LD_LIBRARY_PATH

N N

102.4 Use Debian package management

Install, upgrade and uninstall Debian binary packages

N N

Find packages containing specific files or libraries which may or may not be installed

N N

Obtain package information like version, content, dependencies, package integrity and

N N

installation status (whether or not the package is installed) The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:

N N

/etc/apt/sources.list

N N

dpkg

N N

dpkg-reconfigure

N N

apt-get

N N

apt-cache

N N

aptitude

N N

102.5 Use RPM and YUM package management

Install, re-install, upgrade and remove packages using RPM and YUM

N N

Obtain information on RPM packages such as version, status, dependencies, integrity

N N

and signatures

Determine what files a package provides, as well as find which package a specific file

N N

comes from

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Introduction xxxi

N N

rpm

N N

rpm2cpio

N N

/etc/yum.conf

N N

/etc/yum.repos.d/

N N

yum

N N

yumdownloader

N N

103 GNU and Unix Commands

103.1 Work on the command line

Use single shell commands and one line command sequences to perform basic tasks on

N N

the command line

Use and modify the shell environment including defining, referencing and exporting

N N

environment variables

Use and edit command history

N N

Invoke commands inside and outside the defined path

N N

.

N N

bash

N N

echo

N N

env

N N

exec

N N

export

N N

pwd

N N

set

N N

unset

N N

man

N N

uname

N N

history

N N

103.2 Process text streams using filters

Send text files and output streams through text utility filters to modify the output

N N

using standard UNIX commands found in the GNU textutils package

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xxxii Introduction

N N

cat

N N

cut

N N

expand

N N

fmt

N N

head

N N

od

N N

join

N N

nl

N N

paste

N N

pr

N N

sed

N N

sort

N N

split

N N

tail

N N

tr

N N

unexpand

N N

uniq

N N

wc

N N

103.3 Perform basic file management

Copy, move and remove files and directories individually

N N

Copy multiple files and directories recursively

N N

Remove files and directories recursively

N N

Use simple and advanced wildcard specifications in commands

N N

Using find to locate and act on files based on type, size, or time

N N

Usage of tar, cpio, and dd

N N

cp

N N

find

N N

mkdir

N N

mv

N N

ls

N N

rm

N N

rmdir

N N

touch

N N

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Introduction xxxiii

tar

N N

cpio

N N

dd

N N

file

N N

gzip

N N

gunzip

N N

bzip2

N N

file globbing

N N

103.4 Use streams, pipes and redirects

Redirecting standard input, standard output and standard error

N N

Pipe the output of one command to the input of another command

N N

Use the output of one command as arguments to another command

N N

Send output to both stdout and a file

N N

tee

N N

xargs

N N

103.5 Create, monitor and kill processes Run jobs in the foreground and background

N N

Signal a program to continue running after logout

N N

Monitor active processes

N N

Select and sort processes for display

N N

Send signals to processes

N N

&

N N

bg

N N

fg

N N

jobs

N N

kill

N N

nohup

N N

ps

N N

top

N N

free

N N

uptime

N N

killall

N N

(36)

xxxiv Introduction

103.6 Modify process execution priorities Know the default priority of a job that is created

N N

Run a program with higher or lower priority than the default

N N

Change the priority of a running process

N N

nice

N N

ps

N N

renice

N N

top

N N

103.7 Search text files using regular expressions

Create simple regular expressions containing several notational elements

N N

Use regular expression tools to perform searches through a filesystem or file content

N N

grep

N N

egrep

N N

fgrep

N N

sed

N N

regex(7)

N N

103.8 Perform basic file editing operations using vi Navigate a document using vi

N N

Use basic vi modes

N N

Insert, edit, delete, copy and find text

N N

vi

N N

/, ?

N N

h,j,k,l

N N

i, o, a

N N

c, d, p, y, dd, yy

N N

ZZ, :w!, :q!, :e!

N N

(37)

Introduction xxxv

104 Devices, Linux Filesystems, Filesystem Hierarchy Standard

104.1 Create partitions and filesystems

Use various mkfs commands to set up partitions and create various filesystems such as:

N N

ext2

N N

ext3

N N

xfs

N N

reiserfs v3

N N

vfat

N N

fdisk

N N

mkfs

N N

mkswap

N N

104.2 Maintain the integrity of filesystems Verify the integrity of filesystems

N N

Monitor free space and inodes

N N

Repair simple filesystem problems

N N

du

N N

df

N N

fsck

N N

e2fsck

N N

mke2fs

N N

debugfs

N N

dumpe2fs

N N

tune2fs

N N

xfs tools (such as xfs_metadump and xfs_info)

N N

104.3 Control mounting and unmounting of filesystems Manually mount and unmount filesystems

N N

Configure filesystem mounting on bootup

N N

Configure user mountable removeable filesystems

N N

(38)

xxxvi Introduction

N N

/etc/fstab

N N

/media

N N

mount

N N

umount

N N

104.4 Manage disk quotas

Set up a disk quota for a filesystem

N N

Edit, check and generate user quota reports

N N

quota

N N

edquota

N N

repquota

N N

quotaon

N N

104.5 Manage file permissions and ownership

Manage access permissions on regular and special files as well as directories

N N

Use access modes such as suid, sgid and the sticky bit to maintain security

N N

Know how to change the file creation mask

N N

Use the group field to grant file access to group members

N N

chmod

N N

umask

N N

chown

N N

chgrp

N N

104.6 Create and change hard and symbolic links Create links

N N

Identify hard and/or softlinks

N N

Copying versus linking files

N N

Use links to support system administration tasks

N N

ln

N N

(39)

Introduction xxxvii

104.7 Find system files and place files in the correct location Understand the correct locations of files under the FHS

N N

Find files and commands on a Linux system

N N

Know the location and propose of important file and directories as defined in the FHS

N N

find

N N

locate

N N

updatedb

N N

whereis

N N

which

N N

type

N N

/etc/updatedb.conf

N N

LX0-102

The following are the areas (or domains according to CompTIA) in which you must be pro- ficient in order to pass LX0-102

105 Shells, Scripting and Data Management 17%

106 User Interfaces and Desktops 8%

107 Administrative Tasks 20%

108 Essential System Services 17%

109 Networking Fundamentals 23%

110 Security 15%

105 Shells, Scripting and Data Management

105.1 Customize and use the shell environment

Set environment variables (e.g. PATH) at login or when spawning a new shell

N N

Write BASH functions for frequently used sequences of commands

N N

Maintain skeleton directories for new user accounts

N N

Set command search path with the proper directory

N N

/etc/profile

N N

env

N N

export

N N

(40)

xxxviii Introduction

set

N N

unset

N N

~/.bash_profile

N N

~/.bash_login

N N

~/.profile

N N

~/.bashrc

N N

~/.bash_logout

N N

function

N N

alias

N N

lists

N N

105.2 Customize or write simple scripts Use standard sh syntax (loops, tests)

N N

Use command substitution

N N

Test return values for success or failure or other information provided by a command

N N

Perform conditional mailing to the superuser

N N

Correctly select the script interpreter through the shebang (#!) line

N N

Manage the location, ownership, execution and suid-rights of scripts

N N

for

N N

while

N N

test

N N

if

N N

read

N N

seq

N N

105.3 SQL data management Use of basic SQL commands

N N

Perform basic data manipulation

N N

insert

N N

update

N N

select

N N

delete

N N

(41)

Introduction xxxix

from

N N

where

N N

group by

N N

order by

N N

join

N N

106 User Interfaces and Desktops

106.1 Install and configure X11

Verify that the video card and monitor are supported by an X server

N N

Awareness of the X font server

N N

Basic understanding and knowledge of the X Window configuration file

N N

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

N N

xhost

N N

DISPLAY

N N

xwininfo

N N

xdpyinfo

N N

X

N N

106.2 Setup a display manager Turn the display manager on or off

N N

Change the display manager greeting

N N

Change default color depth for the display manager

N N

Configure display managers for use by X-stations

N N

/etc/inittab

N N

xdm configuration files

N N

kdm configuration files

N N

gdm configuration files

N N

106.3 Accessibility

Keyboard Accessibility Settings (AccessX?)

N N

Visual Settings and Themes

N N

Assistive Technology (ATs)

N N

(42)

xl Introduction

N N

Sticky/Repeat Keys

N N

Slow/Bounce/Toggle Keys

N N

Mouse Keys

N N

High Contrast/Large Print Desktop Themes

N N

Screen Reader

N N

Braille Display

N N

Screen Magnifier

N N

On-Screen Keyboard

N N

Gestures (used at login, for example gdm)

N N

Orca

N N

GOK

N N

emacspeak

N N

107 Administrative Tasks

107.1 Manage user and group accounts and related system files Add, modify and remove users and groups

N N

Manage user/group info in password/group databases

N N

Create and manage special purpose and limited accounts

N N

/etc/passwd

N N

/etc/shadow

N N

/etc/group

N N

/etc/skel

N N

chage

N N

groupadd

N N

groupdel

N N

groupmod

N N

passwd

N N

useradd

N N

userdel

N N

usermod

N N