Solaris 8 System Administrator 310-011

This training provides comprehensive coverage of Solaris 8 system administration; it is designed to help users prepare for the Sun Certified System Administrator for Solaris 8 Operating Environment, Part I exam.

It covers basic topics such as installation methods, the boot process, and system shut down.

The OpenBoot environment and architecture are discussed, along with the use of user and group logon accounts, and software package administration. System security and protection of data is covered, including remote connection.

An introduction to Solaris processes and their management is provided, and file systems, files, and directories are covered in detail. Additional topics covered in this series include disk configuration, backup and recovery, the viEditor, shell programming, and print administration.

The training concludes with a practice exam that helps the user self-assess readiness for the certification exam.

Learning Segment 1 : Installation, Initialisation, and Shutdown    

This learning segment provides an introduction to Solaris system administration terms and commands. It describes the various system configurations and the installation of the Solaris operating system on a workstation.

It also provides an overview of the hardware and the operating system functions required to bring the system to a running state, and the steps required to properly shut down the system.  

Objectives:

• Selected system administrator terms
• Requirements and preparation for installation
• Software and configuration clusters
• System configuration to be installed
• Disk storage systems
• Device driversInstalling the Solaris 8 software
• Power on and booting the system
• System run states
• Init phase
• Stopping and starting services with control scripts
• System shutdown  

Topics:

• Selected system administrator terms
• Requirements and preparation for installation
• Software and configuration clusters
• System configuration to be installed
• Disk storage systems
• Device driversInstalling the Solaris 8 software
• Power on and booting the system
• System run statesInit phase
• Stopping and starting services with control scriptsSystem shutdown    

Learning Segment 2 : The Boot Process and Boot PROM  

This learning segment provides a general overview of the startup process, presents an introduction to OpenBoot, and gives specifics on /sbin/init, run levels, and run control scripts. Specific details on the OpenBoot firmware and kernel loading are also included.  

Objectives:

• Access the Open
• Boot environment and run commands to gather system information
• Identify the Open
• Boot architecture
• Use commands to create and manipulate custom device aliases  

Topics:

• OpenBoot environment
• OpenBoot architecture
• OpenBoot interface
• PROM full device names
• OpenBoot device aliases
• OpenBoot non-volatile RAM (NVRAM
• OpenBoot security
• OpenBoot diagnostics
• Input and output control
• bootKernel    

Learning Segment 3 : User and Software Package Administration    

This learning segment explains the use of user and group login accounts, and shows how to add and remove additional applications after the operating system has already been installed.  

Objectives:

• Manage user accounts from the command line
• Manage user accounts with Admintool
• Manage software packages from the command line
• Manage software packages with Admin tool and Solaris Product Registry  

Topics:

• Adding user accounts with Admintoo
• lManaging user accounts with Admintoo
• lManaging users from the command line
• User initialization files
• Home directories and name services
• Managing software
• Listing and spooling software packages
• Adding and removing software
• Software patches    

 Learning Segment 4 : System Security and Remote Connection    

Summary:

This learning segment shows how to protect data against loss due to a disaster, system failure, or intrusion. Topics include permissions, access control lists, auditing, network security, and controlling remote access to the system.  

Objectives:

• Locate the files that control default system access
• Locate where password encryption and password aging information is stored
• Control default file or directory permissions
• List the places where unneeded network services and processes can be disabled
• Describe the process of restricting root and remote access to the system  

Topics:

• Physical security
• Controlling system access
• Storing user account information
• Controlling file access
• Permission schemes for user and group IDs
• Access Control Lists (ACLs)
• Managing ACL entries
• Setting path and identification permission
• Monitoring users and system usage
• Obtaining login information
• Using firewalls and securing network services
• Other network security methods
• Remote system operations and the trusted host
• Restricting FTP
• Restricting root access
• Monitoring superuser access
• Automated Security Enhancement Tool (ASET)    

 Learning Segment 5 : Process Control    

Summary:

This learning segment provides an introduction to Solaris processes, and shows how to view processes, understand the effects signals have on processes, and manage processes.  

Objectives:

• List the commands which display information for all active processes on the system
• State the effect of sending a specified signal to a process
• List the commands used to terminate an active process  

Topics:

• Viewing a process
• The pgrep and prstat commands
• Process Manager
• Using signals
• Scheduling processes
• The crontab command
• The at commandsyslog and other logs    

 Learning Segment 6 : File Systems, Files, and Directories    

Summary:

This learning segment introduces the Solaris file systems, and explains the fundamentals of disk drives and their geometry and how Solaris uses a disk for file storage through its file systems. The management of Solaris file systems and disk space usage is also discussed.  

Objectives:

• Describe the file system types available in Solaris 8Create disk slices
• Construct, install, display, customize, mount, unmount, and tune file systems with special emphasis on the UFS file system

• Mount files systems on a CD-ROM or diskette using the Volume Manager  

Topics:

• A file system defined
• Solaris file system types
• Disk slices
• Creating slices with the format utility
• Parts of a UFS file system
• Creating a UFS file system
• Custom file system parameters
• File system operations
• Mounting file systems
• Displaying mounted file systems
• Constructing a file system
• Tuning file systems
• Options for mounting a file system
• Unmounting a file system
• Volume Manager
• Modifying devices with the Volume Manager
• Troubleshooting media devices
• Information on file systems    

Learning Segment 7 : Disk Configuration    

Summary:

This learning segment shows how to add, remove, and manage peripheral devices such as tape drives, disk drives, printers, and modems, as well as how to add a third-party device driver. Disk device naming conventions and administration are also covered.  

Objectives:

• Differentiate physical device names, instance names, and logical device names
• Configure peripheral devices in a Solaris 8 system
• Recognize how Solstice Disk
• Suite and Stor
• Edge Volume Manager allow better utilization of system disk space  

Topics:

• Device drivers
• Physical device names
• Device auto-configuration
• Instance names
• Transparent configurations
• Major and minor device numbers
• Logical device names
• Virtual volume management
• Metadevices and drivers
• StorEdge Volume Manager    

 Learning Segment 8 : Backup and Recovery    

Summary:

This learning segment explains the types of backups, the methods available for performing a backup, the importance of developing a solid backup strategy, and how to restore data if a loss is encountered.  

Objectives:

• Identify the backup, archive, and restore utilities and their functions
• Back up a file system to tape
• Restore a file system from tape  

Topics:

• Backup media and utilities
• The tar command
• The dd command
• The cpio command
• The pax command
• The ufsdump command
• The ufsrestore comman
• dRecovering file systems    

Learning Segment 9 : vi Editor and Command Syntax    

Summary:

This learning segment describes the use of the vi Editor in Solaris 8 system administration, and provides an introduction to shell programming.  

Objectives:

• Manipulate text in a shell script file using the vi Editor
• Select a shell that is comfortable to use and capable of performing the basic tasks required
• Automate tasks and run Solaris and third-party programs using Bourne shell variables, built-ins, conditionals, repeated-action commands, and functions  

Topics:

• vi EditorShell script basics
• Selecting a shell to use
• Bourne shell variables
• Bourne shell built-ins and conditionals
• The if and case conditionals
• Repeated-action commands and functions    

Learning Segment 10 : LP Print Service    

Summary:

This learning segment describes how to set up local printers, set up access to remote printers, and perform printer administration tasks using the Admintool GUI or the command line. It also examines the hardware and configuration issues involved in connecting a printer to a Solaris system.  

Objectives:

• Manage Solaris 8 print services locally and across a network
• Add and change user access to various LP print services
• Troubleshoot print queues  

Topics:

• The Solaris LP print service
• The print spooler and LP daemons
• Printer hardware
• Printer software
• Print servers
• Creating printer classes
• Managing printers with GUI toolsRoutine printer tasksChecking printer statusManaging user access to printersManaging printer queues    

Learning Segment 11 : Practice Exam    

Summary:

This learning segment provides practice questions to help the user self-assess readiness for the Sun Certified System Administrator for Solaris 8 Operating Environment, Part I exam, as well as gain familiarity with the exam format.  

Objectives:

• Develop a sound study strategy for the Sun Certified System Administrator exam
• Answer practice questions in exam format
• Assess readiness to take the exam and identify topic areas requiring further practice  

Topics:

• System concepts
• The boot PROMInstallationInitialization and shutdown
• User administration SecurityProcess control'
• File systems
• Files and directories
• The boot process
• Disk configuration
• Backup and recovery
• Basic command syntax

Features:

• Simulations teach learners to perform specific tasks in applications through guided, multi-step exercises.
• Activities allow learners to apply course concepts in an interactive questioning environment.
• Exercises allow learners to practice in the actual application being studied.
• A Course Topics list contains active hyperlinks, permitting quick access to specific topics.
• Find-A-Word allows learners to look up an unfamiliar term in the Glossary, on the Web, or in a dictionary. In addition, it lets them find other occurrences of the term in the same course.
• Search text enables learners to rapidly search all text within a course to easily retrieve information required.
• Courses challenge the learner with a variety of question formats, including multi-step simulations, true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank.
• A skill assessment generates a customized learning path based on the results of a pre-test.
• A glossary provides a reference for definitions of unfamiliar terms
• Bookmarking tracks the learner's progress in a course.  

Technical Requirements:

P500+ Processor, 128MB of RAM; Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Minimum screen resolution 800x600, Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher; Windows Media Player 9.0 or higher; Flash 8.0 or higher; 56K minimum connection; broadband (256 kpbs or higher) connection recommended; Cookies enabled; Sound card with speakers or headphones strongly recommended.