ShareThisGetting started with Linux
As a Linux systems administrator you know that it's impossible to remember the syntax to all Linux commands. If you're like me, you remember a handful of commands that you use all of the time and then you Google everything else. Depending on the Linux distribution you use, the commands can vary slightly, making it somewhat difficult switching to or supporting multiple Linux operating systems. There are sites dedicated to Linux documentation with a wide array of Linux commands, Linux utilities, Linux hardware support, Linux installation, and much more.
Whether you're a seasoned Linux expert or a Linux newbie, knowing the bash shell (or any other Linux shell) is essential to run commands, troubleshoot a problem with your Linux server, or configuring a Linux server application like qmail.
If you are just getting started with Linux or you're just curious...
You'll need a Linux distribution. I've personally used several and have become a big fan of Ubuntu - primarily Ubuntu Server.
Learn the command line
I tell people all the time - if you're serious about learning Linux you need to become very comfortable with the command line interface (or CLI). I know what you're saying now - "Dave, if you're such a fan of the command line, why did you create a crontab GUI?" Good point. It's very difficult to remember all of the Linux command parameters - even seasoned professionals have a hard time remembering everything. You WILL need resources and references. Corntab is a resource. The CLI commands will vary between different Linux distributions and will only complicate the learning process if you switch between different distributions. IBM is a big supporter and contributor of Linux and they have written some excellent documents about Linux and the Linux command line.
Write some scripts
Every Linux administrator writes scripts to automate mundane tasks. The scripts you write can vary from creating several user accounts to creating logical volumes and filesystems from 30 LUNs being presented from your SAN storage array. As you can see, performing these commands manually is a very daunting task. Scripting can ease a lot of the pain once you've learned some of the basics of BASH scripts. Once you've gotten the hang of it, you can try some of the more advanced BASH scripting techniques.
Configure a Linux server
Another very effective method to learn Linux is by configuring your Linux server to do something cool like share files to other computers on your network with SAMBA or replace your Microsoft Exchange Server with Linux - all for FREE! You can also setup an Apache web server very easily to host your own website. If you want to take that a step further, install WordPress on your new web server and host your own blog. Make sure you ask your hosting provider to configure DNS to point your domain name to your new web servers IP address. As I mentioned before, qmail is a great email server or MTA. It's extremely secure - there's even a reward if you can crack it. Another good qmail reference is Dave Sill's Life With Qmail. Setting up any or all of these servers will greatly improve your skills because you WILL run into problems and you WILL fix them while leaning a great deal in the process.
That should get you well on your way to developing some serious Linux skills!
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