Friday, August 26, 2011

Appropriate Hardware to study for the RHCSA/RHCE exams

Appropriate Hardware to study for the RHCSA/RHCE exams

Since the 6th edition was released, I've received a number of questions related to the physical hardware needed for people who are studying for their RHCSA/RHCE certs. Yes, in essence, there is an implied hardware requirement. To help answer those questions, I've collected relevant excerpts from my book in this post.

While the Red Hat exams don't test hardware, the RHCSA includes several objectives associated with Kernel-based Virtual Machines (KVM). To meet the RHCE objectives, you'll need to set up multiple systems (which can be on virtual machines), along with knowledge of RHCSA requirements. The packages required to host KVM-based virtual machines are available only on the 64-bit releases of RHEL 6. As Scientific Linux 6 and CentOS 6 use Red Hat source code, KVM-based virtual machines are available only the the 64-bit versions of those distributions as well.

Summary: To meet the objectives associated with the RHCSA/RHCE exams --

1) You should have a 64-bit physical system with hardware virtualization enabled, preferably with multiple CPUs or a CPU with multiple cores
2) You'll need sufficient RAM for at least two virtual machines on the host system (4GB or more would be ideal)
3) While not strictly a hardware requirement, you may want to modify some hardware-related settings to extend the life of some hard drives.

If you're using RHEL 6 (or one of the rebuild distributions such as CentOS-6 or Scientific Linux 6), KVM host software is available only on the 64-bit releases.

As I've noted in the introduction to my book http://www.amazon.com/RHCSA-Linux-Ce...dp/0071765654/ ,

Quote:
The RHCSA objectives specify a number of points associated with virtual machines. The default RHEL 6 solution uses the Kernel based Virtual Machine (KVM). Red Hat supports KVM as a host only on physical systems with 64-bit CPUs. Therefore, to study for the KVM-related objectives for the RHCSA, you’ll need physical hardware that can handle a 64-bit version of RHEL 6.
In the book, at the end of that paragraph, I made a mistake. 32-bit versions of Scientific Linux 6 do not include KVM host software. That will be noted in the errata. (While you may be able to use 32-bit versions of Fedora for KVM, I haven't tested that. Even if it's possible, it would bring up other problems related to the differences between Fedora and RHEL 6.)

The paragraph that follows is also important, and may also apply to some of you who are studying on desktop systems.

Quote:
And you should expect to install two or more virtual machines on that 64-bit physical system. Virtual hosts work better on systems with multiple CPUs or systems with multicore CPUs. So to avoid hardware that slows your studies, you’ll want a 64-bit physical system with at least 2GB and preferably 4GB of RAM. (I prepared this book on a 64-bit system with 8GB of RAM.) If you’re using a laptop system, read the information from https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=667485. If the listed bug has not been resolved by the time you read this, the useful lifetime of your hard drive may depend on it.
In Chapter 1, I supplement this discussion with the following information:

Quote:
If you’re planning to configure VMs on RHEL 6, be sure to choose an architecture that supports hardware-assisted virtualization, along with Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) or Universal Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) menu options that allow you to activate hardware-assisted virtualization. A configuration that supports hardware-assisted virtualization will have either the vmx (Intel) or svm (AMD) flags in the /proc/cpuinfo file.

Be aware, RHEL 6 installations on 32-bit systems with UEFI menus are not supported.
While I've looked at just a few hardware systems, published reports suggest that computers with appropriate CPUs from AMD automatically have hardware virtualization enabled. I include the following "On The Job" element that should help if you're shopping for an appropriate system:

Quote:
If you’re not sure about a system, see if you can try it out at the “store” with one of the “Live CD” distributions. If allowed by store personnel, boot the system from that Live CD (or DVD). Once booted, you should be able to access the /proc/cpuinfo file from the command line. You may need to tinker a bit with the BIOS or UEFI menus. A system configured to support hardware-assisted virtualization will have the vmx or svm flags in that file, even when read from a Live CD distribution.
While there's no "Live CD" of RHEL 6, there are Live CD versions of both Scientific Linux 6 and CentOS 6.

Finally, if you're using a laptop system (some desktop systems may also be affected), be aware that the default Linux settings (including RHEL 6) may result in very frequent cycling of --some-- hard drives. Without changes, hard drives on some systems have been known to last only a few months. For more information, see https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=667485 and https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.ph...ibility_issues . Personally, I've included the following command as a workaround in my /etc/rc.local file:

/sbin/hdparm -B 200 /dev/sda

One common alternative is:

/sbin/hdparm -B 254 /dev/sda


Source

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-certification-46/appropriate-hardware-to-study-for-the-rhcsa-rhce-exams-899466/


Thursday, August 11, 2011

RH135 Course

RH135

---------
RH135
Day 10
---------
Automated Installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux

using kickstart, a system administrator can create a single file (.cfg file) which contains the answers to all the
questions typically asked during an installation. this file can be accessed to the installer (for example RHEL cd/dvd or
rhcectg file in our LAB) to automate installation of RedHat Enterprise Linux.
Steps for kickstart installation

01. Create a kickstart file
- Using system-config-kickstart
- using /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file from a alrady insalled RHEL box


02. Make the Kickstart file available to the Installer
Network servers: FTP, HTTP, NFS
DHCP/TFTP server
USB Disk or CD-ROM
Local hard disk

03. Boot the installer
- Installation Disks
- PXE Boot
- boot.iso

04. Point the installer to the kickstart file
ks=http://server/dir/file
ks=ftp://server/dir/file
ks=nfs:server:/dir/file
ks=hd:/device/dir/file
ks=cdrom:/dir/file
LAB Practice:
http://rubence.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95&Itemid=88

RH124 Course

RH124 Course and RH135 Course

Day 01:
---------
Introduction
Linux History
Linux Installation I
Introduction to vi editor
Basic commands I

Day 02:
--------
GNOME Graphical Desktop
Nautilus
NTP
Printer, Print jobs and queues
Basic commands II

Day 03:
--------
Manage Physical Storage I
Manage Logical Volumes
Monitor System Resources
Manage System software

Day 04:
-------
Bash
man, whatis, pinfo
Network concept and configuration
Users, Groups and File Management

Day 05:
-------
File Permissions
Remote access and configuration
Manage Physical Storage II
Linux Installation II

Day 06:
-------
Virtual Machine
Boot Process
File sharing service (Deploying FTP server and Web Server)
Firewall and SELinux

http://rubence.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=77

Friday, July 22, 2011

RedHat System Administration 1 RH124 Slides

RH124-RHEL6-en-1-20101029-slides

Course Description

Red Hat System Administration I (RH124) is designed for IT professionals who are new to Linux and require core Red Hat Enterprise Linux skills. Focused on administration tasks that will be encountered in the workplace, this course will actively engage students in task-focused activities, lab-based knowledge checks, and facilitative discussions to ensure maximum skill transfer and retention. In addition, GUI-based tools will be featured to build on the students' existing technical knowledge, while key command line concepts will be introduced to provide a foundation for students planning to become full-time Linux system administrators. By the end of the five-day course, students will be able to perform installation, establish network connectivity, manage physical storage, and perform basic security administration.

Check out the complete course outline for more details.
Audience

Microsoft Windows system administrators who need to quickly learn core Red Hat Enterprise Linux proficiencies
System administrators, network administrators, and other IT professionals who require proficiency performing core tasks in Linux
Non-Linux IT professionals on the path to becoming full-time Linux system administrators

Prerequisites

Previous operating system administration experience is helpful but not required

Course Content

Graphical installation of Linux
Managing physical storage
Introduction to the command line
Learning how to install and configure local components and services
Establishing network and securing network services
Managing and securing files
Administrating users and groups
Deploying file sharing services


Thursday, July 14, 2011

RHCE Online Text Book

RHCE

Red Hat Certified Engineer


(DAY 1)

Section 1 - Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5


-practice time the lab is open

-test is on a Tuesday in 4 weeks


First Stage is available in three supported versions:

boot.iso - used
diskboot.img - is a VFAT file system for use with USB pendrives
pxeboot


The Second Stage is Anaconda


-The Text MOde Installtion Interface can be selected by typing the command 'linux text' at the boot: prompt. This will load an ncurses-based interface. Should only be used if the system is not capable for displaying the GUI.

-The Graphical Installtion Interface is the default interface for Anaconda. This interface will start XOrg


Install Methods

NFS - usually the fastest method
HTTP
FTP


After you have provided Anaconda with the installation method, the installer will detect your hardware, and you will then be prompted...


Virtual Consoles

CTRL + ALT + F1 - text installtion display
CTRL + ALT + F2 - bash shell prompt
CTRL + ALT + F3 - lists a log of installation messages
CTRL + ALT + F4 - lists kernel messages
CTRL + ALT + F5 - lists partition information
CTRL + ALT + F6 - graphical installtion display


note: can change over to the shell to start work early.


Installation Number

NOT a "serial number"
Selects a default set of packages and authorizes the server to offer certain extra "Feature Sets" (package groups) corresponding to things like enhanced virtualization support and the suite of cluster tools.
can be skipped

PART05::RHCSA RHCE RHEL6 Great Materials Resources pdf ppt books slides simulation

*Note* If user name and password required use the User:linux Password:rhel5

IST193: Linux Security Administration (Shell Script Programming)
This course contains

Catalog Course Description: This course will provide students with the skills necessary to implement and administer basic Linux security policies, including authentication, securing network applications, system monitoring, encryption, and others.

Purpose of the Course: Students will learn how to configure and administer various Linux security features including Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM), TCP Wrappers, and kernel level firewalling using iptables; as well as advanced administration of user authentication, password management, system monitoring, and data encryption.

Lecture Slides , Lecture MP3 Podcasts,workshops and LABS

PART04::RHCSA RHCE RHEL6 Great Materials Resources pdf ppt books slides simulation

*Note* If user name and password required use the User:linux Password:rhel5

IST192: Linux Network Applications

Catalog Course Description: This course will provide students with the skills necessary to deploy and administer the core network services in a Linux system, such as Apache Web Server, Samba File Server, BIND Domain Name Service, Network File Service (NFS), and others.

Purpose of the Course: Students will learn how to install and configure Linux network services including Apache Web Server, Squid Proxy Server, Berkley Domain Name Service (BIND), Network File Service (NFS), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Samba File Service (SMB), and Sendmail E-mail Service.

This course contains Lecture Slides , Lecture MP3 Podcasts,workshops and LABS

PART03::RHCSA RHCE RHEL6 Great Materials Resources pdf ppt books slides simulation

*Note* If user name and password required use the User:linux Password:rhel5

IST191: Linux Systems Administration

Catalog Course Description: This course will provide students with the skills necessary to administer a Linux system including hardware/software configuration, user and group administration, Linux network configuration, and file system management.

Purpose of the Course: Students will learn to install and configure Linux, manage the Linux filesystem, understand the Linux boot process, administer Linux users and groups, and become familiar with various Linux administrative tools.

This course contains Lecture Slides , Lecture MP3 Podcasts,workshops and LABS

PART02::RHCSA RHCE RHEL6 Great Materials Resources pdf ppt books slides simulation

*Note* If user name and password required use the User:linux Password:rhel5

IST190: Linux Essentials

Catalog Course Description: This course will provide students with the fundamental knowledge and concepts of the Linux operating system including command line functions, file systems, user and group administration, process management, text editors, and network applications.

Purpose of the Course: Students will learn to be effective users of Linux systems acquiring skills and understanding of command line functions, file systems, users and groups, bash shell, process management, text editors, network applications, searching and organizing data, and graphical applications.

This course contains Lecture Slides , Lecture MP3 Podcasts,workshops and LABS

PART01::RHCSA RHCE RHEL6 Great Materials Resources pdf ppt books slides simulation

1-Rackspace slides by Nathan Isburgh for RHCSA RedHat Enterprise Linux 6



00-Intro.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:01 1.8M

01-Boot_Process.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:01 4.1M

02-Package_Managemen..> 23-Mar-2011 09:01 1.9M

03-System_Administra..> 23-Mar-2011 09:02 7.2M

04-Filesystem_Admini..> 24-May-2011 12:41 5.8M

05-Users_and_Groups.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:02 3.2M

06-Kernel_Features.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:02 2.9M

07-File_Sharing.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:02 1.1M

08-Web_Services.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:03 1.3M

09-Network_Security.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:03 2.6M

10-Virtualization.pdf 23-Mar-2011 09:03 1.1M

Book.pdf


1-Rackspace slides by Nathan Isburgh for RHCE RedHat Enterprise Linux 6

00-Intro.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:08 1.7M

01-Boot_Process.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:08 4.1M

02-Package_Managemen..> 11-Jul-2011 03:08 1.9M

03-System_Administra..> 11-Jul-2011 08:02 7.6M

04-Filesystem_Admini..> 11-Jul-2011 03:07 5.7M

05-Users_and_Groups.pdf 12-Jul-2011 06:02 3.2M

06-Kernel_Features.pdf 11-Jul-2011 15:00 3.2M

07-File_Sharing.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:07 1.1M

08-Web_Services.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:07 1.3M

09-Network_Security.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:06 2.6M

10-Virtualization.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:06 1.2M

11-System_Administra..> 11-Jul-2011 14:59 3.7M

12-PAM_Kerberos_RAID..> 11-Jul-2011 03:05 1.9M

13-File_Sharing.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:04 2.6M

14-CGI_Squid.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:04 1.7M

15-Network_Services.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:04 1.3M

16-DNS.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:04 4.0M

17-Email_Services.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:03 1.8M

18-RPM_iSCSI.pdf 11-Jul-2011 03:03 3.2M

Book.pdf

 
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