Solaris 10 Administration
Course Description
This five-day course is designed to cover the essential administration tasks confronting today's Sun systems administrators. It covers all basic workstation administration functions, with full hands-on experience at all stages.
This course provides training to a level needed for the Oracle Certified Expert Solaris 10 System Administrator exam 1Z0-877 part 1.
This course provides training to a level needed for the Oracle Certified Expert Solaris 10 System Administrator exam 1Z0-877 part 1.
Course Duration
5 days
Course Objectives
This course prepares new Solaris system administrators for essential day-to-day administration tasks, including:-
- Managing local file systems
- Adding and partitiong disks
- Managing the ZFS file system
- System startup and shutdown
- Adding and managing printers
- Taking backups and restoring systems.
- User and group management
- Solaris interactive installation from distribution media
- Patch administration
- Software package management
- Basic network interface configuration
- Managing system security
Course Content
System Administration Overview
Review of administration functions.
The administrator account.
Administration best practices.
File System Structure
File system structure and slicing.
The Solaris directory hierarchy; identification of files and file types; using symbolic and hard links.
Disk Storage Management for local disk drives
Disk concepts and structure; slices (partitions) and Solaris device naming conventions.
Physical disk connection. listing and reconfiguring the systems devices.
How devices are named, and how device information is created.
Slicing and labelling disks with the format and fmthard utilities and the Solaris Management Console (smc).
Creating a Solaris file system with newfs. Using tunefs to change file system parameters.
Using multi-terabyte file systems.
Deciding how to mount the new file system; updating /etc/vfstab for permanent mounts.
Using fsck to perform file system integrity checks.
Monitoring disk usage and directory sizes.
Using removeable (USB and firewire). The rmformat command.
The ZFS File System
Introduction and Simple Example
Storage Pool Basics
- Mirrors, RAIDZ and RAIDZ2
- Mount points, examining pool status
- Extending pools; extending pools with attach
- Offlining and replacing components
- Hot Spares (Update 3 only)
- Informational commands
- Command History
- Exporting and Importing
ZFS GUI
ZFS File systems (datasets) in detail
- Creating, Deleting and Renaming.
- Properties
- Properties - read-only and settable.
- Properties - Setting a quota example
- Properties - inheriting example
- Properties - Sources
- Properties - Query Examples
- Mounting/Unmounting
- Quotas and reservations
- Setting properties when creating
- Snapshots and Clones
- Backup and Restore
- Replicating Directories Remotely
- Emulated Volumes
- ZFS and Zones
- Data recovery; troubleshooting
- Scrubbing
- Troubleshooting disk problems.
File System Maintenance and Security
The mount command. Mount options.
The LOFS file systems.
Handling CDs, DVDs and floppy disks. USB and Firewire devices.
Making room on the file system.
File system security. SMC file system functions.
Utilities for file system monitoring.
System Build (Installing Solaris)
Planning disk layout. Booting from CD, DVD or network to build.
Building Solaris from scratch; selecting software options, disk slicing, etc.
Ensuring Secure by Default settings are understood and used.
Post-installation procedures.
Overview of automatic installation.
Upgrading from a previous Solaris release.
ZFS as the root file system.
Patch Administration
Obtaining and installing the latest patches, including clusters and individual patches.
Examining the current patch level of a machine.
Removing patches.
Using the smpatch utility and Sun Connection for automatic updates and patches.
Patches and Solaris zones.
Software Configuration and Package Administration
Root user environment configuration including shells and manual pages.
Examining, Installing and removing software packages.
Using command line utilities (pkgadd, pkginfo, pkgchk, pkgrm)
Identifying package directory and datastream format, and converting formats
Adding Solaris distribution options.
Creating package response files for non-interactive package installs.
Using the Webstart installer mechanism to install software.
Using the Solaris Product Registry. (prodreg)
Packages and Solaris Zones.
Network Interface Configuration
Adding a machine to the network - Procedure, /etc/inet/hosts.
Internet Address Classes (Ipv4) - Reference Notes, Multicast, obtaining your own address.
Examining the interface settings with ifconfig.
Using ifconfig to change settings.
DHCP Address Configuration; the /etc/dhcp.interface file, client Hostname configuration.
ifconfig dhcp options.
Adding a machine to the network - actual connection and testing.
Boot PROM
Monitor prompt commands (boot, probe-scsi, probe-ide, test-net, devalias etc.)
Identifying system settings such as the default boot device, device aliases, etc.
Setting up a device alias.
Using the eeprom command to view and change settings.
Using luxadm with FCAL disks.
Troubleshooting boot failure.
Start-up and Shutdown
Boot Archives - the boot_archive and failsafe files
Boot Archives - dealing with boot problems
Boot Archives - Example bootadm commands
Loading the kernel - /etc/system
In-depth explanation of the new Service Management Facility (SMF).
Using SMF utilities to monitor and control boot processes.
Modifying SMF properties with svccfg.
Self healing and Process Contracts.
SMF repositories and recovery.
Adding your own scripts and SMF service manifests
SMF milestones. Understanding and changing run levels.
The init process and legacy scripts.
Shutting down, suspending and powering off the system.
Power management.
Adding and Maintaining Users
Concepts. Ownership of files, directories and processes.
Classes of user. Adding a user manually, via command line tools and graphically.
User initialisation file management. Password control. Account lockout. Password history recording.
Real and effective id. Using SMC for user management..
Solaris Groups
Overview. The group file. Group identification of files and directories.
The groupadd, groupmod, newgrp, groups and chgrp commands.
Complete practical example of creating and using a group.
Using SMC with groups.
System Security
Monitoring access to the system.
Using the su (Switch User) command, and monitoring its use.
Restricting file and directory access using protection mechanisms, including access modes, s and t bits, umask, chown and chmod.
Introduction to Access Control Lists (ACLs).
Adding a Printer
PostScript Printers.
Physical direct connection of a printer.
Using a Network connected printer. Physical connection to a Network - configuring RARP.
Configuring the Spooling System.
Adding a Printer with lpadmin to a physical port.
Using lpadmin to change configuration details.
Adding a printer with Solaris Printer Manager.
Adding a connection to a printer on another system.
Adding a network-connected printer. Protocols used. Further examples. lpset and printers.conf.
Printer Types - terminfo.
PPD files; adding a printer using PPD files with lpadmin.
Using ppdmgr to manage PPD files.
Printer filters - background information (reference purposes).
Issuing print requests with lp.
The lpsched printer daemon and the ipp-listener.
Routine Printer Administration - Status. Cancelling print requests. Accept and reject, enable and disable.
Troubleshooting. Directory Structure.
Changing print requests.
Removing a printer.
Log Files.
Printer Classes.
User Access Lists.
Printers, the Name Service and user preferences.
System Processes
Examining and controlling processes using ps, prstat, kill, pgrep, pkill and the Process Manager.
Automating commands with crontab and at, for one-off and regular command execution.
Back-Up and Restore Utilities, including snapshots
Overview and Preparation. Tape types and capacities.
Sample ufsdump commands. Backup strategies.
Taking a complete backup with ufsdump
Summary of ufsdump command options.
Using fssnap to snapshot the file system and take a clean backup.
Restoring individual files and directories. Restoring an entire system.
Considerations for disaster recovery.
The tar, cpio and mt utilities.
Backups versus archives.
Intel supplement
This supplement to the notes covers Intel differences and extra features in full detail. It covers:-
Architecture differences, Solaris Installation Differences, Solaris Installation Check Tool and Device Detection Tool.
Installing Solaris in Interactive mode.
Disk Device naming, Disk Utilities for x86, Adding a new disk (Creating an fdisk partition, creating Solaris slices, Adding a system disk).
GRUB-based booting (Single-User boot, the bootadm utility).
Boot archives, Boot archives failsafe, Kernel loading and bootenv.rc).
System recovery (Example system disk partitioning, newfs and ufsrestore, installing the bootstrap).
x86 device drivers and configuration, PCI device identification.
Window system configuration (Xorg, Xsun, gdm).
Review of administration functions.
The administrator account.
Administration best practices.
File System Structure
File system structure and slicing.
The Solaris directory hierarchy; identification of files and file types; using symbolic and hard links.
Disk Storage Management for local disk drives
Disk concepts and structure; slices (partitions) and Solaris device naming conventions.
Physical disk connection. listing and reconfiguring the systems devices.
How devices are named, and how device information is created.
Slicing and labelling disks with the format and fmthard utilities and the Solaris Management Console (smc).
Creating a Solaris file system with newfs. Using tunefs to change file system parameters.
Using multi-terabyte file systems.
Deciding how to mount the new file system; updating /etc/vfstab for permanent mounts.
Using fsck to perform file system integrity checks.
Monitoring disk usage and directory sizes.
Using removeable (USB and firewire). The rmformat command.
The ZFS File System
Introduction and Simple Example
Storage Pool Basics
- Mirrors, RAIDZ and RAIDZ2
- Mount points, examining pool status
- Extending pools; extending pools with attach
- Offlining and replacing components
- Hot Spares (Update 3 only)
- Informational commands
- Command History
- Exporting and Importing
ZFS GUI
ZFS File systems (datasets) in detail
- Creating, Deleting and Renaming.
- Properties
- Properties - read-only and settable.
- Properties - Setting a quota example
- Properties - inheriting example
- Properties - Sources
- Properties - Query Examples
- Mounting/Unmounting
- Quotas and reservations
- Setting properties when creating
- Snapshots and Clones
- Backup and Restore
- Replicating Directories Remotely
- Emulated Volumes
- ZFS and Zones
- Data recovery; troubleshooting
- Scrubbing
- Troubleshooting disk problems.
File System Maintenance and Security
The mount command. Mount options.
The LOFS file systems.
Handling CDs, DVDs and floppy disks. USB and Firewire devices.
Making room on the file system.
File system security. SMC file system functions.
Utilities for file system monitoring.
System Build (Installing Solaris)
Planning disk layout. Booting from CD, DVD or network to build.
Building Solaris from scratch; selecting software options, disk slicing, etc.
Ensuring Secure by Default settings are understood and used.
Post-installation procedures.
Overview of automatic installation.
Upgrading from a previous Solaris release.
ZFS as the root file system.
Patch Administration
Obtaining and installing the latest patches, including clusters and individual patches.
Examining the current patch level of a machine.
Removing patches.
Using the smpatch utility and Sun Connection for automatic updates and patches.
Patches and Solaris zones.
Software Configuration and Package Administration
Root user environment configuration including shells and manual pages.
Examining, Installing and removing software packages.
Using command line utilities (pkgadd, pkginfo, pkgchk, pkgrm)
Identifying package directory and datastream format, and converting formats
Adding Solaris distribution options.
Creating package response files for non-interactive package installs.
Using the Webstart installer mechanism to install software.
Using the Solaris Product Registry. (prodreg)
Packages and Solaris Zones.
Network Interface Configuration
Adding a machine to the network - Procedure, /etc/inet/hosts.
Internet Address Classes (Ipv4) - Reference Notes, Multicast, obtaining your own address.
Examining the interface settings with ifconfig.
Using ifconfig to change settings.
DHCP Address Configuration; the /etc/dhcp.interface file, client Hostname configuration.
ifconfig dhcp options.
Adding a machine to the network - actual connection and testing.
Boot PROM
Monitor prompt commands (boot, probe-scsi, probe-ide, test-net, devalias etc.)
Identifying system settings such as the default boot device, device aliases, etc.
Setting up a device alias.
Using the eeprom command to view and change settings.
Using luxadm with FCAL disks.
Troubleshooting boot failure.
Start-up and Shutdown
Boot Archives - the boot_archive and failsafe files
Boot Archives - dealing with boot problems
Boot Archives - Example bootadm commands
Loading the kernel - /etc/system
In-depth explanation of the new Service Management Facility (SMF).
Using SMF utilities to monitor and control boot processes.
Modifying SMF properties with svccfg.
Self healing and Process Contracts.
SMF repositories and recovery.
Adding your own scripts and SMF service manifests
SMF milestones. Understanding and changing run levels.
The init process and legacy scripts.
Shutting down, suspending and powering off the system.
Power management.
Adding and Maintaining Users
Concepts. Ownership of files, directories and processes.
Classes of user. Adding a user manually, via command line tools and graphically.
User initialisation file management. Password control. Account lockout. Password history recording.
Real and effective id. Using SMC for user management..
Solaris Groups
Overview. The group file. Group identification of files and directories.
The groupadd, groupmod, newgrp, groups and chgrp commands.
Complete practical example of creating and using a group.
Using SMC with groups.
System Security
Monitoring access to the system.
Using the su (Switch User) command, and monitoring its use.
Restricting file and directory access using protection mechanisms, including access modes, s and t bits, umask, chown and chmod.
Introduction to Access Control Lists (ACLs).
Adding a Printer
PostScript Printers.
Physical direct connection of a printer.
Using a Network connected printer. Physical connection to a Network - configuring RARP.
Configuring the Spooling System.
Adding a Printer with lpadmin to a physical port.
Using lpadmin to change configuration details.
Adding a printer with Solaris Printer Manager.
Adding a connection to a printer on another system.
Adding a network-connected printer. Protocols used. Further examples. lpset and printers.conf.
Printer Types - terminfo.
PPD files; adding a printer using PPD files with lpadmin.
Using ppdmgr to manage PPD files.
Printer filters - background information (reference purposes).
Issuing print requests with lp.
The lpsched printer daemon and the ipp-listener.
Routine Printer Administration - Status. Cancelling print requests. Accept and reject, enable and disable.
Troubleshooting. Directory Structure.
Changing print requests.
Removing a printer.
Log Files.
Printer Classes.
User Access Lists.
Printers, the Name Service and user preferences.
System Processes
Examining and controlling processes using ps, prstat, kill, pgrep, pkill and the Process Manager.
Automating commands with crontab and at, for one-off and regular command execution.
Back-Up and Restore Utilities, including snapshots
Overview and Preparation. Tape types and capacities.
Sample ufsdump commands. Backup strategies.
Taking a complete backup with ufsdump
Summary of ufsdump command options.
Using fssnap to snapshot the file system and take a clean backup.
Restoring individual files and directories. Restoring an entire system.
Considerations for disaster recovery.
The tar, cpio and mt utilities.
Backups versus archives.
Intel supplement
This supplement to the notes covers Intel differences and extra features in full detail. It covers:-
Architecture differences, Solaris Installation Differences, Solaris Installation Check Tool and Device Detection Tool.
Installing Solaris in Interactive mode.
Disk Device naming, Disk Utilities for x86, Adding a new disk (Creating an fdisk partition, creating Solaris slices, Adding a system disk).
GRUB-based booting (Single-User boot, the bootadm utility).
Boot archives, Boot archives failsafe, Kernel loading and bootenv.rc).
System recovery (Example system disk partitioning, newfs and ufsrestore, installing the bootstrap).
x86 device drivers and configuration, PCI device identification.
Window system configuration (Xorg, Xsun, gdm).
Who should attend?
This course is aimed at new Solaris 10 Administrators wishing to achieve the basic Solaris 10 certification.
Pre-requisites
Knowledge of Solaris or Linux/UNIX up to a level taught in our Introduction to Linux course is important, and some previous administration experience is helpful.
