Syllabus for Server Administration

Professor: Ken Koehler
Office: Muntz 372
Telephone: 745-5782
E-mail: koehlekr@ucrwcu.rwc.uc.edu

Course Goals

This is a course in server administration using Linux as the platform. Our goals are:

To implement effective firewalls.
To install and configure a web server.
To understand the basics of CGI programming.
To understand the HTTP protocol.
To install and configure server and client DNS software.
To understand the DNS protocol.
To install and configure file and print services.
To use file and print services in cross-platform environments.
To understand SMB file and print service protocols.

This course fulfills the General Education Breadth of Knowledge (BoK) area of Quantitative Reasoning..

Prerequisites

Introduction to Computer Mathematics, Object-Oriented Programming I and II, Introduction to UNIX, Principles of Operating Systems and Networking I.

Text

Readings are linked to the schedule below. References include those available online, and Introduction to Unix.

Electronic Communications Policy

Because of e-mail instabilities, all assignments must be turned in on paper.

Attendance Policy

Failure to attend class will result in the following:

0 to 10% of class meetings missed: no grade reduction
11 to 20% of class meetings missed: final grade is reduced by one letter grade
21 to 30% of class meetings missed: final grade is reduced by two letter grades
more than 30% of class meetings missed: final grade is an F

Attendance will be taken at the start of each class period. If you are not present when it is taken, it counts as a missed class.

Schedule

Week 1 - Firewalls
Reading assignments: TCP/IP Firewall, Firewall Howto, IP Accounting, Security Howto, Man pages on iptables, netcat.
Notes for Week 1 (CD-ROM version).

Week 2 - Web Service: Installation and Operation
Reading assignments: HTML 3.2 Reference, Starting Apache, Stopping and Restarting Apache.
Notes for Week 2 (CD-ROM version).

Week 3 - Web Service: Configuration and CGI Scripting
Reading assignments: Apache Directives.
Notes for Week 3.

Week 4 - Web Service: Protocol Analysis
Notes for Week 4.

Week 5 - DNS Service: Installation and Client Resolver
Reading assignments: Man page on dig, named, nslookup, resolv.conf.
Notes for Week 5 (CD-ROM version).

Week 6 - DNS Service: Configuration
Reading assignments: Linux Network Administrator's Guide section on Name Service and Resolver Configuration, DNS HOWTO.
Notes for Week 6 (CD-ROM version).

Week 7 - DNS Service: Protocol Analysis
Notes for Week 7.

Week 8 - File and Print Service: Installation and Operation
Reading assignments: Samba Howto, Man pages on nmbd, smbclient, smbd, smbpasswd.
Notes for Week 8 (CD-ROM version).

Week 9 - File and Print Service: Configuration and Cross-Platform Issues
Reading assignments: Man pages on smb.conf, smbmount, smbumount, testparm.
Notes for Week 9.

Week 10 - File and Print Service: Protocol Analysis
Notes for Week 10.
Final Exam - 6 / 12, 6 - 8 PM

Tests and Grades

There will be a laboratory exercise during each class. Each exercise must be completed before the end of that class, and is worth 5 points.

The remainder of your grade will be based on the final exam. The final is a practical exam; you will have 2 hours to implement the 4 small assignments you will find in the file /root/final.txt. Each assignment is worth 10 points, and you receive 10 points for attempting the exam.

Grades will be assigned on the following scale:

90 to 100 points = an A
80 to 89 points = a B
70 to 79 points = a C
60 to 69 points = A D
0 to 59 points = an F

Plus or minus grades will not be given.

If you in any way damage the disk partitions (or the partition table) on your PC which are assigned to other classes through a careless or malicious act, you will be summarily withdrawn from the class. If the act was intentional, or if you are caught attempting to cheat on the final, expulsion proceedings may be initiated against you.