Transcript MCTS Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Applications

Linux Operations and
Administration
Chapter Fourteen
Planning for a Linux Installation
Objectives
• Identify the hardware components in a Linux
computer
• Develop a preinstallation checklist
• Use an automated method to install openSUSE
Linux Operations and Administration
2
Analyzing Hardware Components
• openSUSE (as well as most Linux distributions)
detects hardware components during installation
• An administrator must determine whether:
– Hardware settings have been detected correctly
– Hardware meets the Linux distribution’s installation
requirements
Linux Operations and Administration
3
Analyzing Hardware Components
(cont’d.)
• For openSUSE, Novell recommends:
– Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or higher or any AMD64 for Intel
EM64T processor
– 1 GB RAM
– At least 3 GB free disk space
– 1024 × 768 or better display resolution
Linux Operations and Administration
4
Microprocessors (CPUs)
• CPU
– Also known as the microprocessor
– “Brains” of a computer
– An integrated circuit containing millions of transistors
that perform arithmetic and logical operations
– Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
• Responsible for mathematical and logical (true or
false) operations
– Control unit (CU)
• Regulates instructions
Linux Operations and Administration
5
Microprocessors (CPUs) (cont’d.)
• Clock speed
– Number of pulses per second generated by the
motherboard
– Sets processor’s tempo
– Measured in MHz (millions of cycles per second) or
GHz (billions of cycles per second)
• Multiplier
– A component hard-wired into the CPU to determine
processor speed
Linux Operations and Administration
6
Microprocessors (CPUs) (cont’d.)
• Cache
– RAM built into the CPU that’s used to store
frequently accessed data and instructions
– L1 cache
• Level 1 (L1) cache
– L2 cache
• Level 2 (L2) cache
– L3 cache
• Level 3 (L3) cache
Linux Operations and Administration
7
Microprocessors (CPUs) (cont’d.)
• CPU performs calculations with binary digits (bits)
• 32-bit processor can store 32-bit numbers
– Correlates with the amount of data a CPU can
process per clock cycle
• 64-bit processor can theoretically double the
amount of data the CPU can process
• uname -m command
– Can be used to determine what type of processor
your Linux machine has
Linux Operations and Administration
8
Physical Memory: RAM and ROM
• Physical memory
– Memory chips or hard drives installed on a computer
• Two major categories of physical memory
– RAM: random access memory
• Volatile
• Depends on a constant source of power
– ROM: read-only memory
• Nonvolatile
• Doesn’t need a power source to store data
Linux Operations and Administration
9
Physical Memory: RAM and ROM
(cont’d.)
• Two types of RAM
– Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
– Static RAM (SRAM)
• Much faster and more expensive than DRAM
• Used in L2 and L3 caches, and other memory chips
Linux Operations and Administration
10
Physical Memory: RAM and ROM
(cont’d.)
• Common types of ROM
– Programmable read-only memory (PROM)
– Erasable programmable read-only memory
(EPROM)
– Electrically erasable programmable read-only
memory (EEPROM)
– Flash memory
Linux Operations and Administration
11
Storage Devices
• Table 14-1
– Describes common long-term storage devices
• Hard drive
– Also known as a hard disk drive (HDD)
– Main storage device in a computer
– Two main types of hard drives:
• Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)
– Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA):
an advanced IDE interface
• Small computer systems interface (SCSI)
Linux Operations and Administration
12
Storage Devices (cont’d.)
Table 14-1 Long-term storage devices
Linux Operations and Administration
13
Video Adapter Cards
• Video adapter cards
– Also known as video cards
– Expansion devices
– Plug into a bus on the motherboard
• Bus: a channel for connecting hardware components
to a processor
– Send graphical information to a video device, such
as a monitor, TV, or projector
• Table 14-2
– Describes common video card formats
Linux Operations and Administration
14
Video Adapter Cards (cont’d.)
Table 14-2 Video adapter card formats
Linux Operations and Administration
15
Video Adapter Cards (cont’d.)
• Resolution
– Number of horizontal and vertical pixels a monitor is
capable of displaying
• Before you choose a video card, make sure:
– Motherboard supports it
– A driver is available for the Linux OS
• Table 14-3
– Lists some common video card drivers
Linux Operations and Administration
16
Video Adapter Cards (cont’d.)
Table 14-3 Video card drivers
Linux Operations and Administration
17
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
• Before any OS installation, make sure you have the
official manual
• openSUSE has several manuals you can download
in PDF format and print
• openSUSE 11.2 Installation Quick Start
– A brief overview of how to install a default version of
openSUSE
Linux Operations and Administration
18
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
(cont’d.)
• openSUSE 11.2 Start-up
– An introduction to openSUSE that explains where to
find documentation, how to install the OS, and how
to use openSUSE
• openSUSE 11.2 GNOME Quick Start
– An overview of using the GNOME desktop
environment
– Walks you through configuring the OS as well as
printers, e-mail, and media files
Linux Operations and Administration
19
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
(cont’d.)
• openSUSE 11.2 KDE Quick Start
– An overview of using the K Desktop Environment
• openSUSE 11.2 GNOME User Guide
– A complete manual on using GNOME in openSUSE
• openSUSE 11.2 KDE User Guide
– A complete manual on using KDE in openSUSE
• openSUSE 11.2 Applications Guide
– Offers information on a variety of applications
included with openSUSE, such as the openOffice
suite, Kontact, and Evolution
Linux Operations and Administration
20
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
(cont’d.)
• openSUSE 11.2 Reference Guide
– Intended for system administrators, it’s a
comprehensive guide on advanced installation and
configuration
• openSUSE 11.2 Security Guide
– This manual introduces system administrators to
security measures in openSUSE
• AppArmor 2.3.1 Quick Start
– Covers Novell AppArmor, which is security software
for the Linux OS
Linux Operations and Administration
21
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
(cont’d.)
• You should fill out a hardware and software
preinstallation checklist
– Use information from Chapter 2
• Table 14-4
– Describes openSUSE preinstallation checklist for
hardware
• Table 14-5
– Describes openSUSE preinstallation checklist for
software
Linux Operations and Administration
22
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
(cont’d.)
Table 14-4 The openSUSE preinstallation checklist for hardware
Linux Operations and Administration
23
Developing a Preinstallation Checklist
(cont’d.)
Table 14-5 openSUSE preinstallation checklist for software
Linux Operations and Administration
24
Gathering Hardware Information in
Windows
• Computer manuals
• System window
– Found in Windows
– Has CPU, RAM, and other information
• OS (C:) Properties dialog box
– Has information on free disk space on hard drive
• Screen Resolution dialog box
– Has information on the video card
Linux Operations and Administration
25
Gathering Hardware Information in
Windows (cont’d.)
Figure 14-1 The System window
© Cengage Learning 2013
Linux Operations and Administration
26
Gathering Hardware Information in
Windows (cont’d.)
Figure 14-2 Checking disk space
© Cengage Learning 2013
Linux Operations and Administration
27
Gathering Hardware Information in
Windows (cont’d.)
Figure 14-3 The Screen Resolution dialog box
© Cengage Learning 2013
Linux Operations and Administration
28
Partitioning
• Divides a hard drive into logical sections
– Each section is a contiguous section of blocks
treated as a separate physical drive
• Helps improve performance
– By reducing the time OS needs to perform I/O
operations
Linux Operations and Administration
29
Partitioning (cont’d.)
• Other reasons for partitioning an HDD
– Installing multiple OSs
– Storing different file systems
– Limiting data growth
• You should assign separate partitions for different
areas of openSUSE Linux file systems
Linux Operations and Administration
30
Partitioning (cont’d.)
• Primary partitions
– Installed as part of the Linux boot sector
– Linux supports a maximum of four primary partitions
on a hard disk
• Logical partitions
– Numbered beginning with 5
– Created by partitioning a primary partition
Linux Operations and Administration
31
Partitioning (cont’d.)
• Extended partition
– Essentially a container for logical partitions
– Can have only one extended partition per primary
partition
• Swap partitions on an HDD contain swap space
• Linux kernel uses swap space to store pages from
RAM to free up RAM
– A page consists of the blocks of RAM allocated to
current processes running on a computer
Linux Operations and Administration
32
Partitioning (cont’d.)
• Linux naming scheme for HDD partitions:
/dev/ppdN
– /dev indicates the directory where device files are
stored
– pp specifies the type of device on which a partition is
created
– d specifies the actual device containing a partition
with letters such as a, b, and c
– N specifies the partition number
Linux Operations and Administration
33
Automating an OpenSUSE Installation
• AutoYaST
– A tool for installing SUSE Linux OSs without user
intervention
• To use AutoYaST, you need an AutoYaST profile
• AutoYaST profile
– An ASCII XML configuration file used to specify:
• Software being installed
• Partitioning scheme
• Root user’s password
Linux Operations and Administration
34
Automating an OpenSUSE Installation
(cont’d.)
• Options for creating an AutoYaST profile:
– Create it manually with an XML file
– Use AutoYaST module
• AutoYaST module
– Use YaST Software Manager to add the module
• Issue yast2 -i autoyast2 command as root user
– yast2 autoyast command
• Can be used to run AutoYaST
• Opens YaST Configuration window
Linux Operations and Administration
35
Automating an OpenSUSE Installation
(cont’d.)
Figure 14-4 The YaST
Configuration window
© Cengage Learning 2013
Linux Operations and Administration
36
Creating an AutoYaST Profile
Manually
1. <?xml version="1.0"?>
2. <!DOCTYPE profile>
3. <profile xmlns="http://www.suse.com/1.0/yast2ns"
4.
xmlns:config="http://www.suse.com/1.0/configns">
5. <users config:type="list">
6. <user>
7.
<encrypted config:type="boolean">false</encrypted>
8.
<user_password>P@$$w0rD</user_password>
9.
<username>root</username>
10.
</user>
11.
</users>
12. </profile>
Linux Operations and Administration
37
Creating an AutoYaST Profile
Manually (cont’d.)
• Control file container or profile
– Configuration description for the system
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE profile>
<profile
xmlns="http://www.suse.com/1.0/yast2ns"
xmlns:config="http://www.suse.com/1.0/configns">
<!-- ADD YOUR RESOURCE CONFIGURATION COMPONENTS HERE -->
</profile>
Linux Operations and Administration
38
Using Auto-Installation
• To install openSUSE with an AutoYaST profile, you
must choose a boot medium to store the XML file:
– NFS server
• Can be opened with
autoyast=nfs:///server/path command in
Startup Options window
– Web server
• Can be opened with
autoyast=http:///[user.password@]server/
path command in Startup Options window
Linux Operations and Administration
39
Using Auto-Installation (cont’d.)
Figure 14-5 Specifying an NFS server in the Startup Options window
© Cengage Learning 2013
Linux Operations and Administration
40
Using Auto-Installation (cont’d.)
– USB drive
• Can be opened with autoyast=usb:///path
command in Startup Options window
• Activity 14-1: Installing openSUSE Automatically
– Use AutoYaST to install openSUSE automatically
with a profile
Linux Operations and Administration
41
Summary
• Planning a Linux installation is very important
– Determine your hardware information and fill out a
hardware and software preinstallation checklist
• CPU is the microprocessor of a computer
– CPU clock speed and cache play major roles in
processor speed
• Types of physical memory: RAM and ROM
– RAM is volatile; ROM is nonvolatile
• Two main types of hard drives: IDE and SCSI
Linux Operations and Administration
42
Summary (cont’d.)
• Video cards: expansion devices that send graphical
information to the monitor
• Resolution: number of horizontal and vertical pixels
a monitor is capable of displaying
• Partitioning a hard drive improves system
– Primary partitions, logical partitions
• AutoYaST enables administrators to install
openSUSE on multiple machines without user
intervention
– AutoYaST profile: an ASCII XML configuration file for
specifying installation settings
Linux Operations and Administration
43