Accelerated Deploying Ubuntu Server Edition

Course overview

The two-day Accelerated Deploying Ubuntu Server Edition course is a condensed version of the five-day Deploying Ubuntu Server Edition course and is designed for professionals with significant experience in deploying and maintaining RPM package management systems and who are interested in broadening their skills-set. Expert guidance and hands-on lab exercises assist system administrators to make the switch to managing Ubuntu desktops and servers in an enterprise environment.

Target audience

The course is designed for highly experienced administrators with an RHCE certification or similar, with significant professional experience. The course is not intended for those with only a Microsoft system administration background. Administrators with less than five years of active, professional experience are recommended to take the Deploying Ubuntu Server Edition course.

This accelerated course focuses on using Ubuntu command line tools. By drawing on the participant's existing knowledge base, common tasks and strategies for deployment, installation, security and package management are quickly accomplished using the Ubuntu server software. RPM package management system administration methods and tools are demonstrated in the 'Ubuntu Way'.

Course content

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Install and deploy Ubuntu Server in an enterprise environment

• Perform an advanced installation using kickstart

• Explain the options for upgrading to a new Ubuntu Server release

• Describe the Ubuntu ecosystem

• List the commercial and community support options and resources

• Describe virtualisation in Ubuntu using kvm and other virtualisation tools

• Describe the system boot and initialisation process

• Install and manage software packages using command line tools

• Explain how AppArmor profiles are used in Ubuntu and how ufw works

• Install and configure popular network services including:

  • postfix

  • apache2

  • tomcat

• Install and configure LDAP directory service, kerberos and AD integration

• Describe Ubuntu certification and courses

• List the differences between Ubuntu and Red Hat system administration tools

Course pre-requisites

Attendees should already have an Ubuntu Certified Professional, LPI Level 1 and Level 2 certification, and / or an RHCE certification, and / or or the equivalent training and working knowledge of Solaris, HPUX, Red Hat or other RPM Package Management distributions. They should also have a solid understanding of:

• SSH

  • Setting up password-free authentication

• bash

  • History operations

  • Working with the environment

  • Loops and simple shell scripts

• Basic configuration of services such as

  • Client-side DNS

  • Apache

  • MySQL

  • NFS and/or Samba

  • Postfix

• TCP/IP networking and configuration

  • Static interface configuration

  • DHCP interface configuration

• Booting and system initialization

  • Starting and stopping a service

  • Writing System V init scripts

• Package Management basics

  • Knowledge of Debian package management system or RPM

• A text editor like vi or Emacs

Course outline

Topic 1: Introduction and Ubuntu ecosystem

Objectives: Describe the Ubuntu ecosystem; list the commercial and community support options and resources:

• Ubuntu ecosystem

• Support resources and licensing

• Server and GUIs

• Landscape

Topic 2: Advanced installation

Objectives: Install and deploy Ubuntu Server in an enterprise environment. Perform an advanced installation using Kickstart, explain the options for upgrading to a new Ubuntu Server release:

• Installation

• Kickstart

• Preseeding

• Upgrade vs fresh install

Topic 3: Boot and system initialisation

Objectives: Describe the system boot and initialisation process:

• Upstart and System V

• Default runlevel

• update-rc.d vs chkconfig

• invoke-rc.d vs service

• defaults vs sysconfig

• autostart vs manual start

Topic 4: Package management

Objectives: Install and manage software packages using command line tools

• dpkg vs rpm

• apt-get, aptitude vs yum

• Ubuntu repository layout

• debconf

Topic 5: Virtualisation

Objectives: Describe virtualisation in Ubuntu using kvm and other virtualisation tools:

• KVM vs Xen

• ubuntu-vm-builder

Topic 6: Networking and services

Objectives: Describe common networking strategies , Install and configure common network services including: postfix, apache2 and tomcat:

• /etc/network

• Email server setup (postfix)

• Apache2

• Java and alternatives

• Tomcat

Topic 7: Security

Objectives: Explain how AppArmor profiles are used in Ubuntu and how ufw works:

• User-level security

• AppArmor vs SELinux

• ufw

Topic 8: Directory services

Objectives: Install and configure LDAP directory service, kerberos and AD integration:

• LDAP

• auth-client-config vs authconfig

• Kerberos

• AD integration

Topic 9: Summary

Objectives: List the differences between Ubuntu and Red Hat system administration tools:

• Common tools equivalent

Topic 10: Canonical training courses and certification

Objectives: Describe Ubuntu certification and courses

• Ubuntu Certified Professional

• Deploying Ubuntu Server Edition

• Deploying Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud

• Ubuntu Desktop

• Supporting Ubuntu Desktop