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INTRODUCTION

What is a Network?
A network consists of two or more computers that are linked in order to share resources (such as printers and CD-ROMs), exchange files, or allow electronic communication. The two basic types of networks include: LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) WIDE AREA NETWORK(WAN)
LOCAL AREA NETWORK

A local area network (LAN) is a network that is confined to a relatively small area. It is generally limited to a geographic area such as writing lab, school or building .Rarely are LAN computers more than a mile apart.
WIDE AREA NETWORK

Wide area network (WANs) connects larger geographic areas, such as Florida, United States, or the world.

Need for a Network :


1. Speeds: Network provide a very rapid method for sharing and transferring

files.
2. Cost: Network able version of many popular software programs are

available at considerable savings when compared to buying individually licensed copies.


3. Security: Files and programs on a network can be designated as copy

inhibit, so that you do not have to worry about illegal coping of programs. Also, password can be established for specific directories to restrict access to authorized users.
4. Centralized software management: One of the greatest benefits of

installing a network at a school is the fact that all of the software can be loaded on one computer (the file server).This eliminates that need to spend time and energy installing updates and tracking files on independent computers throughout the building.

5. Resources Sharing: Sharing resources is another area in which a network

exceeds stand-alone computers.


6. Electronic mail: The presence of a network provides the hardware

necessary to install an e-mail system.


7.

Flexible access: Networking allows users to access their files from throughout the network.

Disadvantages of a Network :
1. Expensive to install: Although a network will generally save

money over

time, the initial costs of installation can be prohibitive. 2. Requires administrative time: Proper maintenance of a network requires considerable time and expertise. 3. File server may fail: Although a file server is no more susceptible to failure than any other computer, when the files server goes down, the entire network may come to a halt. 4. Cables may break: Some of the configurations are designed to minimize the inconvenience of a broken cable; with other configurations, one broken cable can stop the entire network.

History
Linux is an operating system that was initially created as a hobby by a young student,

Linus Torvalds, at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Linus had an interest in Minix, a small UNIX system, and decided to develop a system that exceeded the Minix standards. He began his work in 1991 when he released version 0.02 and worked steadily until 1994 when version 1.0 of the Linux Kernel was released. The kernel, at the heart of all Linux systems, is developed and released under the GNU General Public License and its source code is freely available to everyone. It is this kernel that forms the base around which a Linux operating system is developed. Throughout most of the 1990's, tech mostly computer users are unaware of Linux's potential, dismissed it as a computer hobbyist project, unsuitable for the general public's computing needs. Through the efforts of developers of desktop management systems such as KDE and GNOME, office suite project OpenOffice.org and the Mozilla web browser project, to name only a few, there are now a wide range of applications that run on Linux and it can be used by anyone regardless of his/her knowledge of computers.

Features
Virtual memory, allowing the system to use disk room the same as RAM memory. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Networking with TCP/IP and other protocols. Multiple user capability. Protected mode so programs or user's can't access unauthorized areas. Shared libraries True multitasking X - A graphical user interface similar to windows, but supports remote sessions over a network. 7. Advanced server functionality o DHCP server o Samba server o DNS server o Mail services 8. Support of file systems that other operating systems use such as DOS (FAT), Windows95,98 (FAT32), Windows NT, 2000 (NTFS), Apple, minix, and others.

Reasons to use Linux: Safe & Virus free, Free No License fee, Runs on various
machine architectures, Works well on machines that are not "modern", Recommended 8MB RAM, with 16MB swap drive space. It will run in hard drives as small as 500MB or less; Linux is stable and even if a program crashes, it won't bring the OS down, Source code is openly available.

Linux Installation
Minimum required partitions:
Minimum Required partitions.

1.) 2.) 3.) 4.)

/ /boot swap /xyz

Root Partition Boot or Debug partition Virtual Memory Addition partition (Optional)

In Linux all install file are installed in / partition, it has 14 file directories. This is called Root File System.

Steps to Install Linux Operating System:


Insert RHE4 Disk-1 :

To install Red Hat Linux from a CD-ROM, choose the CD-ROM option from the boot loader screen and select OK.
Language Selection :

Using your mouse, select the language you would prefer to use for the installation and as the system default. Selecting the appropriate language will also help target your time zone configuration later in the installation. The installation program will try to define the appropriate time zone based on what you specify on this screen. Once you select the appropriate language, click Next to continue.

Keyboard

Configuration :
Choose the keyboard model that best fits your system. If you cannot find an exact match, choose the best Generic match for your keyboard type (for example, Generic 101-key PC). Next,

choose the correct layout type for your keyboard (for example, U.S. English). Creating special characters with multiple keystrokes is done using "dead keys" (also known as compose key sequences). Dead keys are enabled by default. If you do not wish to use them, select Disable dead keys. To test your keyboard configuration, use the blank text field at the bottom of the screen to enter text. Once you have made the appropriate selections, click Next to continue.
Mouse Configuration :

Choose the correct mouse type for your system. If you cannot find an exact match, choose a mouse type that you are sure is compatible with your system. To determine your mouse's interface, follow the mouse cable back to where it plugs into your system. If the connector at the end of the mouse cable plugs into a rectangular connector, you have a serial mouse; if the connector is round, you have a PS/2 mouse. If you are installing Red Hat Linux on a laptop computer, in most cases the pointing device will be PS/2 compatible. If you cannot find a mouse that you are sure is compatible with your system, select one of the Generic entries, based on your mouse's number of buttons, and its interface.
Choosing to Upgrade or Install :

The Upgrade Examine screen appears automatically if the installation program detects a prior version of Red Hat Linux on your system. If you would like to perform an upgrade, select Perform an upgrade of an existing installation. Be sure to select Customize packages to be upgraded if you would to

have

more control over which packages are upgraded on your system. To perform a new installation of Red Hat Linux on your system, select perform a new Red Hat Linux installation and click Next.
Install Options :

Choose whether you would to perform a full installation or an upgrade. Red Hat Linux allows you choose the installation type best fits your needs. Your options are Workstation, Server, Laptop, Custom, Upgrade.

like to that and

Disk Partitioning Setup :

Partitioning allows you to divide your hard drive into isolated sections, where each section behaves as its own hard drive. Partitioning is particularly useful if you run more than one operating system. If you are not sure how you want your system to be partitioned. To partition manually, choose either the Disk Druid or fdisk (recommended for experts only) partitioning tool.

Automatic Partitioning :

Automatic partitioning allows you to have some control concerning what data is removed (if any) from your system. Your options are:
Remove all Linux partitions on this system

Select this option to remove only Linux partitions (partitions created from a previous Linux installation). This will not remove other partitions you may have on your hard drive(s) (such as VFAT or FAT32 partitions).

Remove all partitions on system

this

Select this option to remove all partitions on hard drive(s) (this includes partitions created by other operating systems such as Windows 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP or NTFS partitions).
Keep all partitions

your

use existing free space

and

Select this option to retain your current data and partitions, assuming you have enough free space available on your hard drive(s). Using your mouse, choose the hard drive(s) on which you want Red Hat Linux to be installed. Click Next once you have made your selections to proceed.
Boot Loader Installation : In order to boot the system without a boot diskette, you

usually need to install a boot loader. A boot loader is the first software program that runs when a computer starts. It is responsible for loading and transferring control to the operating system kernel software. GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader), which is installed by default, is a very powerful boot loader. GRUB can load a variety of free operating systems, as well as proprietary operating systems with chain-loading (the mechanism for loading unsupported operating systems, such as DOS or Windows, by loading another boot loader). LILO (LInux LOader) is a versatile boot loader for Linux. It does not depend a specific file system, can boot Linux kernel images from floppy diskettes and hard disks, and can even boot other operating systems.

on

Network Configuration : If

you

do not have a network card, you will not see this screen. Skip ahead to Configuration. If you have a network card and you have not already configured your networking, you now have the opportunity to do so.

Firewall Configuration :

Red Hat Linux offers firewall protection for enhanced system security. A firewall exists between your computer and the network, and determines which resources on your computer remote users on the network can access. A properly configured firewall can greatly increase the security of your system.
Language support Selection : Red Hat Linux can install and support multiple

languages for use on your system. You must select a language to use as the default language. The default language will be used on your Red Hat Linux system once installation is complete. If you choose to install other languages, you can change your default language after the installation.
Time Zone Configuration : You can set your time zone by selecting your computer's

physical location or by specifying your time zone's offset from Universal Time, Coordinated (UTC). On the interactive map, you can also click on a specific city, which is marked by a yellow dot; a red X will appear indicating your selection. You can also scroll through a list and choose a time zone.

Setting the root password :


and most your on The

Setting up a root account password is one of the important steps during installation. Your root account is similar to the administrator account used Windows NT machines. root account is used to install packages, upgrade RPMs, and perform most system maintenance. Logging in as root gives complete control over your system.
Package

you

Group Selection : After your partitions have been selected and configured for
formatting, you are ready to select packages for installation. GNOME and KDE are both graphical desktop environments that handle the overall look and feel of your system. You must choose one of these to have a default graphical setup, but you can also install both to determine for yourself which you prefer. You can select components, which group packages together according to function (for example, C Development, Networked Workstation, or Web Server), individual packages, or a combination of the two. To select a component, click on the checkbox beside it.

Installing Packages

At this point there is nothing left for you to do until all the packages have been installed (see Figure). How quickly this happens depends on the number of packages you have selected and your computer's speed

Boot Disk Creation

If you chose to create a boot disk, you should now insert a blank, formatted diskette into your diskette drive. It is highly recommended that you create a boot disk. If your system were not able to boot properly using GRUB or LILO, or a third-party boot loader, a boot disk would enable you to properly boot your Red Hat Linux system.

Video Card Configuration :

The installation program will now present a list of video cards for you to choose from. If you decided to install the X Window System packages, you now have the opportunity to configure an X server for your system. If you did not choose to install the X Window System packages, skip ahead to Preparing to Install.

XConfiguration Monitor and Customization Dfgdf :

In order to complete X configuration, you must configure your monitor and customize your X settings.

Configuring Your Monitor :

The installation program will present you with a list of monitors to select from. From this list, you can either use the monitor that is automatically detected for you, or choose another monitor. If your monitor does not appear on the list, select the most appropriate Generic model available. If you select a Generic monitor, the installation program will suggest horizontal and vertical sync ranges. These values are generally available in the documentation which accompanies your monitor, or from your monitor's vendor or manufacturer; please check your documentation to make sure these values are set correctly.

Installation Complete :

Congratulations! Your Red Hat Linux 7.2 installation is now complete! The installation program will prompt you to prepare your system for reboot. Do not forget to remove any diskette in the diskette drive or CD in the CD-ROM drive. If you did not install a boot loader, you will need to use your boot disk now. After your computer's normal power-up sequence has completed, you should see the graphical boot loader prompt, at which you can do any of the following things: Press [Enter] causes the default boot entry to be booted. Select a boot label, followed by [Enter] causes the boot loader to boot the operating system corresponding to the boot label. (Press [?] at the text mode boot loader prompt for a list of valid boot labels.) Do nothing after the boot loader's timeout period, (by default, five seconds) the boot loader will automatically boot the default boot entry. Do whatever is appropriate to boot Red Hat Linux. You should see one or more screens of messages scroll by. Eventually, you should see a login: prompt or a GUI login screen (if you installed the X Window System and chose to start X automatically).

The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard


Standard set of directories for Linux and UNIX systems. File and subdirectory contents Gives Linux software developers ability to locate files on any Linux system Create non-distributionspecific software

/bin /home

/boot /lib

/dev /mnt

/etc /opt

/proc /var

/root

/tmp /usr/local

/usr

Directory /bin /boot /dev /etc /home /lib /mnt /opt /proc /root /sbin /tmp /usr

/usr/local /var

Description Contains binary commands for use by all users Contains the Linux kernel and files used by the boot loader Contains device files Contains system-specific configuration files Is the default location for user home directories Contains shared program library (used by the commands in /bin and /sbin) as well as kernel modules Is the empty directory used for accessing (mounting) disks, such as floppy disks and CD_ROMs Stores additional software programs Stores additional software programs Is the root users home directory Contains system binary commands (used for administration) Holds temporary files created by programs Contains most system commands and utilities contains the following directories: /usr/bin user binary commands /usr/games Educational programs and games /usr/include C program hearer files /usr/local Local Programs /usr/sbin System Binary Commands /usr/share Files that are architecture independent /usr/src Source code /usr/X11R6 The X Windows system Is the location for most additional programs Contains log files and spools

Linux Commands

There are two types of Linux Command, First is Administrator Commands & second type is Local user Commands. [root@sushil root] #
Administrator sign

LISTING, DISPLAYING & PRINTING FILES:


Command /Option
ls cat filenames

Execution
This command lists file and directory names. This filter can be used to display a file. It can take filenames for its arguments. It outputs the contents of those files directly to the standard output, which, by default, is directed to the screen. This utility displays a file screen by screen. Press the SPACEBAR to continue to the next screen and q to quit. This utility also displays a file screen by screen. Press the SPACEBAR to continue to the next screen and q to quit. Sends a file to the line printer to be printed; a list of files may be used as arguments. Use the -P option to specify a printer. Lists the print queue for printing jobs. Removes a printing job from the print queu

more filenames less filenames lpr filenames

lpq lprm

DIRECTORY COMMANDS Command


mkdir directory rmdir directory ls -F ls -R cd directory name

Execution
Creates a directory. Erases a directory. Lists directory name with a preceding slash. Lists working directory as well as all subdirectories. Changes to the specified directory, making it the working directory. cd without a directory name changes back to the home directory: $ cd reports Displays the pathname of the working directory.

pwd

Command
directory name/filename

Execution
A slash is used in pathnames to separate each directory name. In the case of pathnames for files, a slash separates the preceding directory names from the filename. References the parent directory. You can use it as an argument or as part of a pathname: $ cd .. $ mv ../larisa oldletters References the working directory. You can use it as an argument or as part of a pathname: $ ls . The tilde is a special character that represents the pathname for the home directory. It is useful when you need to use an absolute pathname for a file or directory: $ cp monday ~/today

..

~/pathname

find COMMAND Command/Option


find

Execution
Searches directories for files according to search criteria. This command has several options that specify the type of criteria and actions to be taken. Searches for files with the pattern in the name. Searches for files belonging to this group name. Searches for files with the size num in blocks. If c is added after num, the size in bytes (characters) is searched for. Searches for files last modified num days ago. Searches for files modified after the one matched by pattern. Outputs the result of the search to the standard output. The result is usually a list of filenames, including their full pathnames. Searches for files with the specified file type. File type can be b for block device, c for character device, d for directory, f for file, or l for symbolic link.

-name pattern -group name -size numc -mtime num -newer pattern -print

-type filetype

FILE OPERATIONS Command


cp filename filename

Execution
Copies a file. cp takes two arguments: the original file and the name of the new copy. You can use pathnames for the files to

Command

Execution
copy across directories: $ cp today reports/monday Copies a subdirectory from one directory to another. The copied directory includes all its own subdirectories: $ cp -r letters/thankyou oldletters Moves (renames) a file. mv takes two arguments: the first is the file to be moved. The second argument can be the new filename or the pathname of a directory. If it is the name of a directory, then the file is literally moved to that directory, changing the file's pathname: $ mv today /home/chris/reports Moves directories. In this case, the first and last arguments are directories: $ mv letters/thankyou oldletters Creates added names for files referred to as links. A link can be created in one directory that references a file in another directory: $ ln today reports/monday Removes (erases) a file. Can take any number of filenames as its arguments. Literally removes links to a file. If a file has more than one link, you need to remove all of them to erase a file: $rm today weather weekend

cp -r dirname dirname

mv filename filename

mv dirname dirname

ln filename filename

rm filenames

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