Tips

Tips

Linux servers

• Installing a secure instant messaging server on Linux

  Did your company ban instant messaging for security reasons? Free up email resources and bring back real-time communication with this secure IM server.  Continue Reading

• Monitoring CPUs to boost Linux server performance

  A taxed CPU may undercut server performance. But fine-tuning Linux servers with a few simple commands may provide a remedy to lagging servers.  Continue Reading

• Managing hardware RAIDs with Adaptec Storage Manager and Ubuntu

  Manage disaster recovery (DR) by monitoring hardware RAIDs with Adaptec Storage Manager 64-bit on Ubuntu Linux 64-bit. This tip explains how to ensure the stability and validity of your servers' storage devices with proactive DR.  Continue Reading

• Comparing Unix operating system vulnerabilities

  In this tip, SearchDataCenter.com looks at operating system vulnerability advisories from Secunia in 2007 for the three major Unix operating systems – AIX, HP-UX and Solaris.  Continue Reading

• Oracle on RHEL 5: Installation and configuration

  Install and configure Oracle 10 on RHEL 5. This tip shows how to set up a database with Oracle's Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA) and Oracle Enterprise Manager.  Continue Reading

• Splunking with VMware and syslog on Linux

  Analyze log files for VirtualCenter tasks and events with Ubuntu Linux and Splunk. Our expert walks you through download, installation and configuration of this handy application and shows you how to use it with VMware and a Linux syslog server.  Continue Reading

• Creating a VPN appliance with Ubuntu and Openswan

  Make an enterprise-ready, scalable VPN appliance on Ubuntu Linux via Openswan with this expert's instructions.  Continue Reading

• SUSE Linux Enterprise troubleshooting: Fixing boot problems by repairing a broken initrd

  Having a problem booting SUSE Linux Enterprise on your server? It may be that you have a problem with your initial RAM disk. Expert Sander van Vugt troubleshoots the problem with this step-by-step guide to fixing a broken initrd.  Continue Reading

• Using grep and sed to find and replace

  Learn how to use grep and sed to search for a string of text within a file and to replace a string.  Continue Reading

• Security face-off: Red Hat's SELinux vs. SUSE AppArmor, others

  While Red Hat seems to have cornered the SELinux market, SUSE is hoping AppArmor will be an attractive alternative. Other distributions are offering their own SELinux deployments. Expert Ken Milberg evaluates several of them and discusses Novell's ...  Continue Reading

• Using SETools to manage SELinux policies

  SETools can help SELinux administrators with the daunting task of writing, managing and reporting on policies with the help of tools such as apol, sediff, seaudit and sechecker. Our expert shows you how to setup SETools on your system and introduces...  Continue Reading

• Managing Software on Ubuntu Server Edition

  Ubuntu Server Edition's package management utilities can be intimidating but can be easily navigated at the command line and with Synaptic's GUI package manager.  Continue Reading

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 performance tuning: Monitoring and maximizing your system

  Contributor Ken Milberg explains how to optimize Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 to yield great results without jeopardizing your system.  Continue Reading

• Linux-to-Unix migrations: Why, when and how to make the move

  Porting from Linux to Unix is not as common as the inverse, but there are reasons for making the move. In this tip, learn how to make the migration successful.  Continue Reading

• How to use SSH Public/Private keys in PuTTY

  In this article, you'll learn how to make communication between Linux Server and PuTTY more secure by using SSH public/private keys.  Continue Reading

• Debugging Samba: Deciphering Access Denied

  When a user presents an Access Denied error message and says Samba is the culprit, is the blame warranted? Here's how to determine whether the error is the fault of Samba.  Continue Reading

• How to manage software on Ubuntu Server with 'aptitude' and 'apt-get'

  Learn how to use the commands "apt-get" and "aptitude" to perform package management from the command line.  Continue Reading

• Securing your Linux server with iptables

  Harden your Linux server security with this tutorial on configuring the rules for iptables in your firewalls. See samples of code for rules and iptables, as well.  Continue Reading

• Setting up SSH2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

  Find out how to set up SSH2 (Secure Shell) on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), using encryption keys instead of passwords in this tutorial. You can use this with either RHEL 4 or RHEL 5.  Continue Reading

• Dual booting vs. virtualization: Using Windows and Linux on the same server

  Interoperability between Linux and Windows can be achieved in two ways: one, by installing each operating system separately via dual booting -- which allows both operating systems to run on the same hardware -- and two, by running one system inside ...  Continue Reading

• Intrusion detection with Snort on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

  Snort is a popular open source intrusion detection system (IDS). Learn how to install this security tool and configure it with MySQL on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. This is also applicable to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, CentOS 4 and 5 and Fedora Core...  Continue Reading

• HP UNIX performance monitoring fundamentals

  UNIX system performance monitoring involves more than just keeping an eye on the amount of free space or the number of users who are logged in. With the right system performance monitoring know-how, you can look into various files to find out ...  Continue Reading

• OpenOffice 2.0 tutorial: Using SQL View, Query Design and more with Report Writer

  Learn how to use the Query Design and SQL View tools, handle report-specific fields, print fast reports and more in this tutorial on OpenOffice's Report Writer.  Continue Reading

• Identity management and single sign-on (SSO)

  Learn about the challenges of identity management and how deploying single sign-on (SSO) can solve some of those issues, using popular programs like Kerberos, JA-SIG CAS and LDAP.  Continue Reading

• Compiling OpenSSH on Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Server

  Find out how to compile OpenSSH on the latest version of Ubuntu, Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn Server, to get safely connected to your remote servers.  Continue Reading

• Improving Snort performance with Barnyard

  Increasing the speed and efficiency of intrusion-detection system application Snort means reduced false positives and more focus on actual threats. You can do this with Barnyard, a third-party application that leaves Snort with more capacity to scan...  Continue Reading

• MySQL database features: ACID, buffer pools and blob fields

  A MySQL core-certified expert outlines some of the basic functions and purposes of buffer pools, ACID-compliant transactions and more.  Continue Reading

• PostgreSQL or MySQL: Which is faster?

  There isn't always a clear-cut answer in the race between dueling databases, PostgreSQL and MySQL, says an expert. Find out his thoughts and how the two compare.  Continue Reading

• Unix-Linux printing

  Interoperability is easier than separating systems your systems and isn't something you should be afraid of, says one expert. Find out how to set up printing between Unix and Linux using Linux's LPR utility and Unix's SMIT in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Linux clusters vs. grids

  Can Linux clusters outperform grid computing? Expert Ken Milberg compares them -- covering Beowulf, HPC, Linux Virtual Server and the Globus Toolkit for grids -- and chooses a winner.  Continue Reading

• Bastille Linux: Introduction and installation

  Bastille Linux is an automated security tool, ideal for cross-platform environments. Get started here with an introduction and instructions for installation.  Continue Reading

• Printer sharing between Windows and Linux

  Figure out how to connect your Windows machines to a shared printer as a network device from your Linux box in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Managing high-volume CPU processes with Bash

  Learn how to use and modify a simple Bash script to alert you when CPU processes reach abnormally high levels.  Continue Reading

• SUSE Linux administration: How to set up a cluster file system

  Setting up OCFS2 as a shared file system in a cluster environment helps when multiple nodes have to write to the same file system concurrently. Learn how to do it with SLES10.  Continue Reading

• Mainframe Linux vs. Unix

  Discover how Linux on the mainframe -- in this case, the IBM System z Server -- compares with Unix, in terms of its availability, features and performance.  Continue Reading

• Linux/Unix commands: How to get copy, conversion power with dd

  Learn how to use dd, a Linux command for handling convert-and-copy tasks. An expert shows how to clone your hard drive, create a backup of your Master Backup Record and increase your swap space.  Continue Reading

• Easing SUSE Server administration from the command line

  Sander van Vugt, author of "The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server" expands upon the uses of SUID and SGID, how to make device sharing easier and ways to manage files that live in more than one place.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise redundancy using VRRP

  Get started using Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP), a standard used in enterprise environments where routing redundancy is necessary for host stations. VRRP can provide additional availability to help reduce router failure on your Linux ...  Continue Reading

• RHEL4 administration tools: ifconfig, arp, tcpdump and iptraf

  Master network integration in your existing RHEL4 infrastructure with the use of command-line tools like ifconfig, arp, tcpdump and iptraf.  Continue Reading

• Managing events with Nagios Event Broker

  Use modules with Nagios Event Broker, a server event output and integration tool, for receiving events and executing code on them. In this tip, you'll learn how NEB functions, what modules are available and how to find other modules.  Continue Reading

• Running Windows as a VM on Linux with VMware Server

  If you don't want to spend money on an expensive Citrix setup for running Windows and Linux, then try running Windows as a virtual machine (VM) on Linux with VMware Server.  Continue Reading

• Migrating Microsoft Internet Information Server to Apache on Red Hat Linux

  If you're moving to Apache server from Microsoft Internet Information Server, be aware that this migration involves more than just copying files. In this tip, users will learn how to move a site from IIS to Apache on Red Hat, although this is ...  Continue Reading

• OpenOffice Base: Converting data and files from Access

  Consider switching to OpenOffice's Base, an open source alternative to proprietary Microsoft Access. In this tip, an expert tells how to convert Access files to Base and discusses some helpful hints for working with Base.  Continue Reading

• Securing GRUB on Red Hat Enterprise Linux

  Keep your Red Hat server safe from attackers by securing your GRUB boot loader with a password that will prevent unauthorized access to your hosts after a reboot.  Continue Reading

• Nagios: Balancing passive and active checks

  The author of "Network monitoring with Nagios" suggests a workaround for balancing active and passive checks and explains the impact of service failures.  Continue Reading

• Defining event rules in Simple Event Correlation

  Simple Event Correlation is an open source tool designed for reading incoming data feeds and performing actions based on user-defined rules. In this tip, we'll learn about defining different types of rules associated with events and correlation.  Continue Reading

• Simple Event Correlation installation and configuration

  Simple Event Correlation is an open source tool designed for reading incoming data feeds and performing actions based on user-defined rules. Learn how to install and configure this small- to medium-sized enterprise appropriate tool.  Continue Reading

• Triggers and mutating table errors in MySQL

  Discover what can trigger mutating table errors MySQL and learn about the differences between statement and row triggers.  Continue Reading

• Combining OpenOffice.org text documents using master files

  Using OpenOffice's master documents function allows you to make page numbering consecutive and generate a table of contents. Simplify your document dealings with this tip.  Continue Reading

• Using the data pilot: OpenOffice.org Calc's answer to pivot tables

  The data pilot, the OpenOffice equivalent to Excel pivot tables, is a useful feature that lets you apply functions and slice and dice data to see different parts of it in different ways. An expert demonstrates the basics of the data pilot, two ...  Continue Reading

• Unix to Linux: Migration steps and porting

  Initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing must be considered when migrating from Unix to Linux. In this tip, an expert describes the issues involved in each of these phases and then discusses technical implementation.  Continue Reading

• Exporting data from an OpenOffice.org Base database

  There is no clear-cut method for exporting data from OpenOffice 2.0's Base database, but you can learn how and get some handy shortcuts in this tip. In a snap, you'll get table data into a Writer document and turn it into a spreadsheet or delimited ...  Continue Reading

• Migrating Active Directory into Linux: Many roads to Rome

  Although Windows and Linux can provide similar functionality, you won't find one-to-one matching features when you are migrating an Active Directory repository to Linux. In this tip, an expert describes two methods for migrating user information ...  Continue Reading

• Planning your server environment

  In this excerpt from TechTarget's upcoming book, "Servers and Storage," two experts discuss the support necessary for applications and clients, as well as financial implications when choosing between Windows and Linux/Unix.  Continue Reading

• OSSEC: The server and agent model

  Get the benefit of regular alerts and status reports from configuring open source IDS/IPS OSSEC to run as a server and agent model.  Continue Reading

• Sybase ASE: Performance benefits of DPL and DRL

  Take advantage of data page locking (DPL) and data row locking (DRL), two categories of data only locked (DOL) tables in Sybase ASE. These functions offer improved table scans, decreased logical I/O consumption and more.  Continue Reading

• Linux on 64-bit blades: Choosing the right servers and distributions

  Mix Linux and 64-bit blades well, and you'll get super performance, stability and flexibility, says consultant Patrick Green. Here, he offers tips on how to avoid compatibility mishaps.  Continue Reading

• Host intrusion detection with OSSEC

  Keep your corporate network secure with open source OSSEC, an intrusion detection and prevention services tool that provides host agent and file integrity agent capabilities on Windows and Linux. In this tip, a security expert provides a walkthrough...  Continue Reading

• PostgreSQL vs. SQL Server, Oracle: Enterprise-ready and able to compete

  Why pay licensing costs and maintenance fees for proprietary databases when you can get open source RDBMS PostgreSQL for free? Discover the drawbacks and advantages to using PostgreSQL over Oracle or SQL Server.  Continue Reading

• Bringing data into OpenOffice 2.0's database

  Getting data into OpenOffice Base isn't an intuitive process, but it is an easy one, says expert Solveig Haugland. Learn how to format data for Base, create a database for that data and bring it into Base.  Continue Reading

• Account locking for Linux via PAM

  Discover how to configure account blocking on a Red Hat host with PAM and prevent a potential denial-of-service attack caused by repeated locking of user accounts.  Continue Reading

• Seven tips for optimizing shell script security

  Inherent weaknesses, a complex syntax and the general lack of consideration for security make writing secure shell scripts difficult. This tip focuses on major issues in shell script security across multiple shells.  Continue Reading

• Sybase: Views vs. stored procedures

  Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh describes the similarities between views and stored procedures that can lead to differences in the speed of compilation.  Continue Reading

• Enlarging your Sybase database

  In this tip, Dr. Talebzadeh gives helpful examples of removing unwanted transactions and code for boosting your master database capacity.  Continue Reading

• Sybase ASE on Linux: Getting rid of database deadlocks

  Avoid hot spots and heap tables in Sybase ASE, says Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh. Find out more solutions for detonating your database deadlocks in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Sybase vs. Oracle: 10 reasons to use Sybase on Linux

  Despite its fall from market leadership, Sybase is still a strong enterprise offering, says database consultant Dr. Mich Talebzadeh. In this tip, he gives 10 reasons why Sybase on Linux bests other databases, particularly Oracle.  Continue Reading

• Linux sendfile and Apache servers: How an underused feature can offset overused resources

  The sendfile() system call is an underused tool that can bring surprising performance benefits for an Apache server handling large payload data transfers among multiple clients.  Continue Reading

• Testing a new Linux kernel while keeping the old one

  This article describes how you can test out the most recent kernel release safely by creating a dual-boot system with two Linux kernels.  Continue Reading

• Migrating applications from Linux/Unix to Windows (or vice versa)

  If you're planning a Win-to-Lin migration, it's important to consider how factors like platform-specific and -independent apps and source-ported apps will affect your future.  Continue Reading

• Installing and running Linux on IBM p5 systems

  Mixing Linux with p5 architecture can help your IT shop reap rewards in support, gain the capacity to run on a 32-way system and more.  Continue Reading

• Managing multiple desktops in KDE

  Ever felt like you had a million applications open at once and no way to easily juggle them? Virtual desktops are the answer! In this tip, Mike McCallister explains how to use virtual desktops with KDE.  Continue Reading

• Running PostgreSQL in a cross-platform environment

  PostgreSQL is a great open source database management tool that's compatible across platforms. This article by Robert Treat explains how PostgreSQL facilitates cross-platform development and points out various tools within PostgreSQL that help ...  Continue Reading

• YaST: Setting up a local SUSE Linux update server

  Find out how Novell's SUSE Linux YaST utility can set up your client and server machines to collect updates as well as acting as the installation source for your desktops.  Continue Reading

• The mystery of the missing mail merge

  Seeking a simpler mail merge solution for OpenOffice 2.0? This tip guides you through selecting your starting document, data source and the fields to insert.  Continue Reading

• Deploying Linux: Should you pre-compile binaries or roll your own?

  The completion of precompiled packages and maximizing machine performance are two powerful incentives for Windows admins to use Linux and compile an OSS package.  Continue Reading

• Quick guide: Knoppix, other tools that ease Windows-to-Linux PC moves

  Get insights on software and resources for assessing the fitness of a specific hardware configuration before you commit to doing away with Windows in favor of Linux.  Continue Reading

• How-to: Working wonders with OpenOffice 2.0's Web Wizard

  The OpenOffice 2.0 Web Wizard wowed this reviewer. Find out how to use it to open a whole new world of Web publishing without having to mess with DreamWeaver.  Continue Reading

• How to get reports on OpenOffice 2.0 Base, part one

  Learn how to use OpenOffice's 2.0 Base tool create a simple report and modify the report layout to your own taste and specifications.  Continue Reading

• Step-by-step how-to, part one: OpenOffice 2.0's new mail merge tools

  OpenOffice 2.0's vastly improved Mail Merge Wizard 2.0 has the chops, and it's pretty cool, says OpenOffice expert Solveig Haugland. Find out how to use it in this step-by-step tour.  Continue Reading

• Connecting to existing databases in OpenOffice.org 2.0

  In OpenOffice 2.0, how do you link to the perfectly good data you've got lying around? Here's how to do it, even if your data is living in Access, and it's not that hard.  Continue Reading

• Vulnerability scanning with Nessus: How to run a system scan

  In the second tip in our series on running Nessus in the enterprise, our contributor takes you step-by-step through the process of running a system scan. View screenshots of the Nessus interface and learn commands for the Unix Nessus GUI.  Continue Reading

• Managing Samba-3.0.21: The pdbedit utility, part 2

  The pdbedit tool in Samba-3 is the only one that can manage account security and policy settings important to businesses that must comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. If you're migrating from Windows to Linux, or remotely managing Samba-3, ...  Continue Reading

• Managing Samba-3.0.21: The pdbedit utility, part 1

  If you're migrating from Windows to Linux, or remotely managing Samba-3, knowing how to prepare and use Samba-3 PDC is a must.  Continue Reading

• Managing Samba: Configuration for remote management, part 1

  Find out how Samba-3's configuration tools help IT admins create transparency between Windows clients and Linux servers in this tip by Samba team co-founder John H. Terpstra.  Continue Reading

• OpenOffice 2.0 tips: Creating database forms

  OpenOffice expert Solveig Haugland explains table relations and how to create a data entry form linking separate tables.  Continue Reading

• Rootkit levels of infection and mitigation

  PaX team developers Ed Tittel and Justin Korelc describe St. Jude and St. Michael intrusion detection systems as coutermeasures against hackers' exploitive use of rootkit.  Continue Reading

• OpenOffice tip: Everything about envelopes

  OpenOffice expert Solveig Haugland walks users through the printing, formatting, and design processes for making a custom envelope.  Continue Reading

• Linux virtual address randomization and impacting buffer overflows

  PaX team developers Ed Tittel and Justin Korelc explain how to stop buffer flow exploitation leaks and bolster security with Linux virtual address randomization.  Continue Reading

• Managing Samba-3: User rights and privileges

  Samba expert John Terpstra explains how to manage the Samba-3 equivalents of administrative security controls in the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.  Continue Reading

• Managing Samba: Windows network identity basics

  Linux administrators keen to manage Samba well should be just as keen on learning the basics of Windows network identity, says Samba team co-founder John H. Terpstra. Understanding Windows networking identity basics can make Samba management a lot ...  Continue Reading

• Windows-to-Linux desktop migration tips: Why to switch, how to plan

  Versora CTO Jon Walker provides the why and how of migration from Windows to Linux. Why, in a nutshell: Better technology.  Continue Reading

• Connecting Excel to Linux databases

  A major interoperability challenge for Linux users is transferring data from Microsoft Excel spreadsheets into Linux databases. In this tip, Ken Milberg presents some ways to overcome the challenge using various open source and third-party products.  Continue Reading

• Learning Linux security administration

  Learning Linux, especially Linux security administration, can seem particularly tricky for those only well-versed in Windows. Here, security expert James Turnbull offers some pointers for getting up to speed.  Continue Reading

• Database tip: All about subqueries

  A continuation of Mich's response to a user's question about different types of joins.  Continue Reading

• Database tip: Understanding joins and set theory

  Sybase expert Mich Talebzadeh provides an excerpt from his book explaining set theory and different types of joins.  Continue Reading

• Configure your RHEL4 network

  Learn how to use Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 commands and utilities to configure your network from a GUI or command line.  Continue Reading

• System panic: Get a serial console log

  How to create a serial console log of a system panic.  Continue Reading

• Rsync and Amanda: Keeping your data safe with open source backup

  Rsync and Amanda are two straightforward open source products that can simplify your backup procedure.  Continue Reading

• Netfilter and iptables: Understanding how they harden Linux

  Linux firewalls are often more secure than Windows firewalls because of the way they're implemented, according to James Turnbull, author of Hardening Linux. In this tip, he breaks down major components of Linux firewalls -- Netfilter and ...  Continue Reading

• How-to: Integrating Kerio MailServer on Linux with MS Active Directory

  This is a guide to integrating version 6.1 of the Kerio MailServer, which runs on Linux, with Microsoft Active Directory. Kerio MailServer 6.1, released July 18, is being demonstrated at LinuxWorld Conference & Expo in San Francisco this week.  Continue Reading