Computer System Administration (2018)

Topic outline

• Computer System Design and Administration (2018)

  Collapse all Expand all

  Teaching Faculty Valentín Puente Varona José Ángel Herrero Velasco Pablo Abad Fidalgo Department of Computer Engineering and Electronics

  The main objective of this course is to acquire the required skills for performing tasks of a junior system administrator in computer environments like modern "Data Centers”. We will learn advanced procedures about the design and the administration of computer systems for data center environments. This will allow us, through the integration of the different components of the system, to implement advanced services that will be used in the management of computational resources, distributed storage and networking, in both the Intranet and the Internet. Also, we will place special emphasis on the main security mechanisms for these service. Additionally, we will take a look at some of the more relevant “open-source” tools in monitoring and remote configuration.

     
  

  Keywords Computer System Administration, Computer System Management, Computer System Design, Data Center, Intranet Design, Internet Services Administration, Linux, LDAP, Information Services, Mail Service, Domain Controller, Apache Web Service, Network File Systems, System Monitoring.

• Course Details

  

   

   

  Course Information Course: Computer System Administration Code: G679 Department / Unit: Department of Computer Engineering and Electronics Degree: Degree in Computer Systems Engineering Faculty: Faculty of Sciences ECTS credits: 6 Language of instruction: English Instructor: José Ángel Herrero Velasco

   

   
  

   

      Course structure    

    
  

  • Topic 1. Introduction to computer system administration.
  • Topic 2. Integration of global services in enterprise environments I.
  • Topic 3. Integration of global services in enterprise environments II.
  • Topic 4. Monitoring and configuration tools.
  • Topic 5. Final exam.

• Readings

  

   
  

   

      Required reading list    
  

   

  • Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Trent R. Hein, Ben Whaley & Dan Mackin (2010): «Unix & Linux administration handbook». 5^th Ed. Prentice Hall. ISBN-10: 01314277554. ISBN-13: 978-0134277554.

     
  

   
  

   

      Suggested additional reading    
  

   

  • Aeleen Frisch (august 2002): «Essential system administration». 3^th Ed. O'Reilly & Associates. ISBN-10: 0-596-00343-9. ISBN-13: 9780596003432.

  • Gerald Carter: «LDAP system administration». Ed. O'Reilly Media. Print ISBN: 978-1-56592-491-8. ISBN-10: 1-56592-491-6. Ebook ISBN: 978-0-596-10335-4. ISBN-10: 0-596-10335-2.

  • Ken Coar & Rich Bowen (january 2008): «Apache cookbook: solutions and examples for Apache administration». 2° Ed. O'Reilly Media. ISBN-10: 0596529945. ISBN-13: 978-0596529949.

  • Kyle D. Dent (december 2003): «Postfix: The Definitive Guide». 1^st Ed. O'Reilly Media. ISBN-10: 0596002122. ISBN-13: 978-0596002121.

  • Graham J. Williams: «Debian GNU/Linux desktop survival guide». Libro electrónico. Ed. Togaware.

  • Charles Bookman: «Linux Clustering: Building and Maintaining Linux Cluster». Ed. New Riders.
    

• Lecture Notes

  

   

   

  • MC-F-001. Topic 0. Introduction.

     

  Unit I. Introduction to Computer System Administration

  • MC-F-002. Topic 1. Basics concerning «Data Centers» and the system administrator.

     

  Unit II. Integration of global services in enterprise environments I: the Intranet

  • MC-F-003. Topic 2. Active directory secure service: LDAP (over SSL).
    

  • MC-F-004. Topic 3. Active directory integration mechanisms: PAM + NSS (SSSd).

  • MC-F-005. Topic 4. Network configuration service: ISC DHCP.

  • MC-F-006. Topic 5. Network naming translation service: ISC DNS.

  • MC-F-007. Topic 6. Network time sync service: ISC NTP.

  • MC-F-008. Topic 7. Network file system service: NFSv4.

  • MC-F-009. Topic 8. Multi-platform interoperability and resource sharing service: SAMBA.

     

  Unit III. Integration of global services in enterprise environments II: the Intranet

  • MC-F-010. Topic 9. Secure web service: HTTP Apache2 (over SSL).

  • MC-F-011. Topic 10. Secure WEB Content Management Service: Wordpress (CMS).

  • MC-F-012. Topic 11. Secure e-Mail service: SMTP Postfix, IMAP Dovecot (over SSL).
    

     

  Unit IV. Centralized monitoring & configuration tools
  

  • MC-F-013. Topic 12. Global configuration tool: Webmin.

  • MC-F-014. Topic 13. Global monitoring tools: Ganglia and Nagios 3.

  • MC-F-015. Topic 14. Linux tools.

• Practical Classes

  

   
  

   
  

  Unit I. Introduction to Computer System Administration

  • PR-F-001. Lab 0.

     

  Unit II. Integration of global services in enterprise environments I: the Intranet

  • PR-F-002. Lab 1.

  • PR-F-003. Lab 2.

  • PR-F-004. Lab 3.
    

     

  Unit III. Integration of global services in enterprise environments II: the Intranet

  • PR-F-005. Lab 4.

  • PR-F-006. Lab 5.

     

  Unit IV. Centralized monitoring & configuration tools

  • PR-F-007. Lab 6.

• Assessment

  

    

   

      Sample exams    

   

  2014-2015

  • PE-F-001. Lab Exam (Topics 1-3).

  • PE-F-002. Lab Exam (Topics 4 -7).

  • PE-F-003. Lab Exam (Topics 8-11).

• Syllabus

  

   

   
  

  •   Here you can download the Syllabus in PDF format.

• About the Professor

  

   

   

  Valentín Puente Varona   Department of Computer Engineering and Electronics UNIVERSITY OF CANTABRIA   Additional information

   

  José Ángel Herrero Velasco   Department of Computer Engineering and Electronics UNIVERSITY OF CANTABRIA   Additional information

   

  Pablo Abad Fidalgo   Department of Computer Engineering and Electronics UNIVERSITY OF CANTABRIA   Additional information