Duties of Linux System Administrator.

Linux System Administrator is a person who has ‘root’ access that is ‘superuser’. It means he has privilege to access everything which includes all user accounts, all system configurations, home directories with all files therein, all files in system.

Linux System Administrator has following duties  (Write any five)

• Installing and configuring server
  1. A server is basically a computer program that facilitate the same computer or other computer by providing services to them.
  2. It is most important element of Modern OS and network design.
  3. It is of system administrator to configure server so that the most essential server remain inaccessible. He must be aware of types of attack and security bugs.
• Installing and configuring application software
  1. In order to ensure a correct execution environment, administrator must provide software which is well configured and validate.
  2. He should ensure adequate memory allotment and resolve software failure and dependency issues.
  3. He must provide a set of activities to control hardware and software configuration and maintain policies for users.
• Creating and maintaining user accounts
  1. User can access his own account but administrator has access to every user account.
  2. He can add, modify, delete or copy user account.
  3. He is responsible for maintaining security by providing role on a user account that define the level of access.
• Backing up and restoring files
  1. To minimize the loss of data, administrator must maintain backup of files nd he should restore it whenever required.
  2. Administrator can take backup in removable media such as hard drives or tapes as protection against loss.
  3. Before creating backup administrator must decide.
     1. What are necessary to backup?
     2. How frequently backup should perform.

• Monitoring and tuning performance
  1. Monitoring and tuning of performance is essential for Linux to work more efficiently.
  2. Administrator must identify system bottleneck and should solve them.
  3. Administrator can use system tools to increase performance, he can determine when hardware need to be upgrade.
  4. He should identify early sign of failure .
• Configuring a secure system
  1. It is a duty of administrator to involve tasks and decisions to run secure Linux system and maintaining data integrity.
  2. It provide strong protection to individuals and corporate bodies and protecting parts of system even if it is under attack.
  3. Administrator should ensure
     1. System has firewall.
     2. Not allow connection from unknown network.
     3. Not install software if not needed.

• Using tools to monitor security
  1. Linux is the preferred operating system who demands secure networks, buy it can be easily crack by hackers.
  2. It is important for administrator to be aware of tools hackers use and software used to monitor and counter such activity.
  3. It is duty of administrator to prevent unauthorized use of his system.