The AlmaLinux Adventures of Bob, a Junior System Administrator
Installing AlmaLinux. Should be simple, right? Bob rolls up his sleeves and gets ready for his first adventure.
Installing AlmaLinux. Should be simple, right? Bob rolls up his sleeves and gets ready for his first adventure.
Understanding Linux file permissions and navigating the filesystem’s depths.
In this post, we’ll guide Bob through organizing users, managing group permissions, and understanding file ownership—a core skill for any Linux sysadmin.
We’ll introduce cron jobs, explain their structure, and guide Bob through setting up his first scheduled tasks on AlmaLinux
This time, we’ll introduce Bob to essential Linux tools for tracking system performance and managing processes, helping him understand resource usage and troubleshoot performance issues.
Bob Tackles Network Monitoring and Troubleshooting where Bob will learn to diagnose and troubleshoot network issues using essential Linux network tools.
Bob’s ready to learn how to create, automate, and test backups on AlmaLinux.
In this chapter, Bob will learn to manage software, configure repositories, and handle dependencies in AlmaLinux.
Bob Digs into System Performance Tuning, where Bob learns how to monitor and optimize his AlmaLinux system to keep it running smoothly and efficiently.
Bob’s Guide to User Management and System Auditing, where Bob will learn to manage user accounts, control access, and keep track of system activity.
After learning the basics of network troubleshooting, Bob realizes there’s a lot more to understand about network services. Setting up services like HTTP, FTP, and SSH isn’t just for experienced sysadmins; it’s an essential skill that will make him more versatile.
he’s going to set up a MariaDB server (a MySQL-compatible open-source database) on AlmaLinux and practice basic database management.
Bob will learn how to monitor his system’s health, track user activity, and analyze logs for any signs of issues on AlmaLinux.
Bob will learn how to set up network file sharing on AlmaLinux. He’ll configure both NFS and Samba.
Bob will set up Docker, learn about containerization, and deploy his first application container, making his AlmaLinux server even more versatile and efficient.
Bob will focus on strengthening the security of his AlmaLinux server and Docker containers. He’ll learn about advanced system hardening, network security
Bob will learn how to write basic shell scripts to automate repetitive tasks, making his daily work on AlmaLinux more efficient and consistent.
Bob will learn advanced techniques to fine-tune his AlmaLinux system for improved performance and responsiveness.
Bob will learn how to integrate AlmaLinux with popular cloud platforms, automate deployments in the cloud, and use tools like Terraform and Ansible to manage cloud infrastructure efficiently.
How to connect his on-premises AlmaLinux server with cloud resources to create a hybrid cloud setup.
Bob will focus on creating a robust disaster recovery (DR) plan for his AlmaLinux hybrid environment.
Bob will focus on improving the performance of containerized applications running on his AlmaLinux hybrid environment.
Bob will learn the basics of Kubernetes, explore how it orchestrates containerized applications, and deploy his first microservices architecture using AlmaLinux as the foundation.
Bob will learn how to handle persistent storage for stateful applications in Kubernetes, ensuring that data remains intact
Bob will dive into Kubernetes networking concepts, enabling him to create secure and efficient communication between applications in his cluster.
How to implement comprehensive observability in his Kubernetes cluster using logging, metrics, and tracing to monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize his applications.
Bob will explore advanced scheduling concepts in Kubernetes, such as node affinities, taints and tolerations and resource quota
How to manage workloads across multiple Kubernetes clusters, leveraging tools like KubeFed, Rancher, and kubectl.
Bob will explore Knative, a framework for building serverless applications on Kubernetes.
Bob will learn how to deploy and manage machine learning workloads on Kubernetes using Kubeflow, Jupyter notebooks, and specialized tools for AI/ML.
In this chapter, Bob will learn how to extend Kubernetes to edge devices, leveraging lightweight distributions like K3s and tools for managing workloads at the edge while ensuring efficient communication with the central cloud cluster.
Bob will learn how to use service mesh tools like Istio and Linkerd to implement advanced traffic control, security, and observability for microservices running in his Kubernetes cluster.
In this chapter, Bob will explore tools and strategies to enforce policies and ensure compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements in his Kubernetes cluster.
Bob will focus on strategies to reduce Kubernetes-related cloud expenses while maintaining performance and reliability
Bob will explore how to leverage Kubernetes for automating Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, enabling faster and more reliable software delivery.
In this chapter, Bob will learn how to use Kubernetes for managing and processing large-scale data workloads using tools like Apache Spark, Hadoop, and Presto
Bob will explore how to create a multi-tenant Kubernetes environment, isolating and managing workloads for different teams, departments, or customers securely and efficiently.
Bob will explore how to deploy and manage machine learning applications on edge devices using Kubernetes.
Bob will learn how to protect sensitive information by using encryption for data at rest and in transit, as well as securely managing secrets in Kubernetes.
In this chapter, Bob will explore how to design and deploy event-driven systems using Kubernetes, leveraging tools like Apache Kafka, Knative Eventing, and NATS
Bob will focus on strategies to make his Kubernetes cluster resilient against outages, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss during disasters.
Bob explores how to design and deploy IoT workloads using Kubernetes, managing sensor data pipelines, real-time processing, and integration with edge devices.
Bob explores how to leverage machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to automate DevOps workflows, improve system reliability, and streamline Kubernetes operations.
In this chapter, Bob explores how to use Kubernetes to deploy and manage blockchain networks, leveraging its scalability and orchestration capabilities for decentralized applications (dApps) and distributed ledgers.
How to use Kubernetes for deploying analytics workloads at the edge, enabling near real-time insights from data collected by sensors and devices in remote locations.
The complexities of deploying and managing Kubernetes workloads across multiple cloud providers, ensuring resilience, scalability, and cost optimization.
How to leverage Kubernetes for High-Performance Computing workloads, scientific simulations, machine learning training, and other compute-intensive tasks.
The complexities of deploying and managing Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality workloads on Kubernetes on real-time rendering for immersive experiences.
How to combine serverless architecture and AI-powered services on Kubernetes, enabling scalable, cost-efficient, and intelligent applications.
Emerging field of quantum computing, leveraging Kubernetes to manage hybrid quantum-classical workloads and integrate quantum computing frameworks
The exciting challenge of managing workloads for autonomous systems and robotics, leveraging Kubernetes for processing, communication, and AI integration.
How to use Kubernetes for bioinformatics workloads, enabling large-scale genomic analysis, medical research, and high-performance computing for life sciences.
Bob explores how to leverage Kubernetes for managing smart city applications, including IoT devices, urban data processing, and intelligent city services.
Bob explores how to leverage Kubernetes to manage renewable energy infrastructure, including solar farms, wind turbines, and smart grids, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and real-time monitoring.
Bob takes on the exciting challenge of managing workloads for aerospace systems, including satellite communication, mission control, and space exploration.
How to leverage Kubernetes to manage digital twin systems, enabling virtual models of physical assets for monitoring, simulation, and optimization in real-time.
Bob takes on the challenge of modernizing manufacturing operations using Kubernetes, integrating IoT devices, robotics, and AI to enable smart factories.
Bob applies Kubernetes to modernize supply chain management*, focusing on logistics, inventory tracking, and predictive analytics to streamline operations.
Bob leverages Kubernetes to manage climate data analysis, enabling large-scale environmental simulations, real-time monitoring.
He could control over any server in the company, all from his desk. But first, he needed to learn how SSH worked and configure it properly on AlmaLinux.
Passwordless login would save him time and eliminate the risk of weak passwords being compromised. SSH Key Management is our subject.
To make his setup bulletproof, Bob decided to implement Fail2Ban for brute-force protection and Two-Factor Authentication for an additional security layer.
Known for its flexibility and stability, Apache on AlmaLinux was a perfect fit for web services
Nginx to use as a reverse proxy would allow Bob to offload tasks like caching, load balancing, and SSL termination.
Bob’s next challenge was securing his AlmaLinux server with Firewalld, a powerful and flexible firewall management tool.
As a junior sysadmin, he realized that understanding Systemd was crucial for managing services, troubleshooting boot issues, and creating custom workflows.
Bo knew logs were a vital tool for troubleshooting and auditing, and mastering them would make him a more effective administrator.
Bob needed to understand the Linux file system, its types, and how to manage partitions, mounts, and attributes.
It is time to move beyond the basics of bash scripting and explore advanced techniques.
Though daunting at first glance, Bob learned that SELinux is a powerful tool for protecting servers by enforcing strict access control policies.
The importance of protecting data at rest, especially on portable devices or backup drives. Bob decided to use *LUKS the standard for disk encryption on Linux.
From loading kernel modules to upgrading the kernel itself, mastering kernel management would give Bob greater control over his AlmaLinux server’s performance and functionality.
A DNS server translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses, making it an essential component of any network infrastructure.
Bob decided to configure Samba for Windows-compatible sharing and NFS (Network File System) for Linux-based systems.
His manager wanted a server that could handle VLANs, bridging, and advanced network configurations.
From monitoring resource usage to tuning critical system parameters, Bob learned how to optimize performance for demanding workloads.
From identifying vulnerabilities to implementing robust security measures, Bob learned how to perform comprehensive audits and apply hardening techniques.
He learned to use tools like rsync
for file backups, snapshots for system states, and automated solutions to ensure regular, reliable backups.
Containers allow for lightweight, portable applications, and Bob knew mastering them would future-proof his sysadmin skills.
Prometheus: A monitoring tool that collects and stores metrics. Grafana: A visualization platform that creates interactive dashboards.
Bob learned that high availability* ensures continuous access to services, even in the face of hardware or software failures.
Virtualization allows a single physical server to run multiple isolated operating systems, making it a cornerstone of modern IT infrastructure.
implify system management by learning Ansible, a powerful automation tool for configuring systems, deploying applications, and managing infrastructure.
Bob’s next challenge was to implement advanced security hardening on AlmaLinux using the CIS Benchmarks
Delve into artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) workloads on AlmaLinux.
Explore LVM (Logical Volume Manager), RAID configurations, and disk encryption to become a storage expert.
The edge is where the action happens—time to bring AlmaLinux closer to the data
By writing scripts to streamline repetitive tasks, he aimed to enhance his productivity and reduce manual work across his AlmaLinux systems.
Master database management on AlmaLinux. From setting up relational databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL to managing backups, scaling, and tuning performance
Set up and manage web servers using Apache and Nginx on AlmaLinux.
Automate the software delivery lifecycle by building a Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline on AlmaLinux.
Explore High-Performance Computing on AlmaLinux. HPC clusters process massive workloads, enabling scientific simulations, machine learning.
Dive deep into the Linux kernel to optimize AlmaLinux for performance, stability, and security.
Optimize AlmaLinux for real-time applications, where ultra-low latency and deterministic response times are critical.
Bridge the gap between on-premise systems and the cloud by creating a hybrid cloud environment with AlmaLinux.
Secure hybrid cloud environment by addressing vulnerabilities and implementing best practices.
Explore the world of blockchain applications on AlmaLinux.
Explore machine learning (ML) at scaleusing AlmaLinux.
Dive into the world of big data analytics on AlmaLinux.
ombine the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with the Internet of Things (IoT) to create smarter, edge-deployed systems.
Master advanced networking concepts with AlmaLinux, focusing on software-defined networking (SDN) and virtual private networks (VPNs)
Create a High Availability (HA) cluster on AlmaLinux by ensuring minimal downtime and maximizing reliability.
Sharpen your skills in Linux troubleshooting*, tackling complex system issues that could impact performance, security, or functionality.
Master Linux automation with Ansible by streamlining repetitive tasks like configuration management, software deployment, and system updates.
Dive deeper into shell scripting, mastering techniques to automate complex workflows and optimize system administration.
Secure Linux systems by following best practices for system security.
Optimize AlmaLinux for peak performance, ensuring systems ran smoothly and efficiently under heavy workloads.
Master advanced file systems and storage management, focusing on tools like RAID, LVM, and ZFS.