Linux server administration

Linux server administration is one of the server administration learning projects. Linux server administration studies the use of the Linux operating system as an all purpose server.

What is Linux?
Linux, or GNU/Linux, refers to any Unix-like computer operating system which uses the Linux kernel. It is one of the most prominent examples of open source development and free software as well as user generated software; its underlying source code is available for anyone to use, modify, and redistribute freely. See the Linux article at Wikipedia for much more information

Choosing a distribution
Linux distributions are available in a very wide variety. Choosing only one is a difficult task. Popular examples that have been around for a while are
 * Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
 * Fedora core
 * Debian
 * Slackware
 * Mandrake (now called Mandriva Linux)
 * Ubuntu
 * SUSE

Others like Knoppix offers live CD experience. See the Comparison of Linux distributions at Wikipedia for an exhaustive list

NOTE: Wikiversity runs from Wikimedia servers using several distributions including Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Ubuntu.

A curriculum for the Linux users and administrators
This is for future contributers to add to and develop.

Level 1 : Introduction to Linux
 * What is Linux?
 * How Linux Began and Origins of Linux
 * The GNU Project
 * Platforms, Applications & Distributions
 * Linux Resources
 * Minimum System Requirements
 * The Fedora Project
 * Red Hat Linux 7,8,9 vs. Enterprise 3.x
 * Chapter 1 Review

Level 2 : Linux Installation
 * Is Your Hardware Compatible?
 * System Requirements Table
 * Initiating an Installation
 * Hard Disk Management: fdisk, linux/mdadm, /disk usage/, /blkid/, /lsblk/
 * Selecting an Installation Method
 * Virtual Consoles
 * Initiation Installation from Boot Media
 * Welcome Screen and Boot Options
 * Language Selection
 * Keyboard & Mouse Configuration
 * Installation Type Options
 * Disk Partitioning Setup
 * Boot Loader Configuration
 * Network Configuration
 * Firewall Configuration
 * Language Support Selection
 * Time Zone Configuration: NTP services
 * Root Password Configuration
 * Authentication Configuration
 * Desktop Configuration
 * Demo - Fedora Installation
 * /Directory structure/
 * Chapter 2 Review

Level 3 : Package Managers: Red Hat Package Manager "RPM"
 * What is RPM?
 * Demo - Reflection X
 * Downloading RPM's
 * RPM's 5 Modes of Operation
 * Installing with RPM
 * Installation Errors/Remedies
 * Uninstalling Packages
 * Upgrading RPM's
 * Freshening RPM's
 * Querying RPM's
 * Verifying RPM's
 * Additional RPM Resources
 * Other package management systems: /dpkg/, /apt/, yum
 * Chapter 3 Review

Level 4 : Managing Users
 * Linux User Types
 * Adding Users
 * Usernames
 * Passwords
 * User Home Directories
 * UID and GID
 * User Groups
 * User Primary vs. Private Groups
 * Sharing
 * Files Built When Users are Created
 * Files Checked by Bash
 * Activating the User Manager GUI
 * System Created Users & Groups
 * Command Line User Deletion
 * Chapter 4 Review

Level 5 : Partitioning and Filesystems
 * Devices & Device Nodes
 * IDE Devices
 * SCSI Devices
 * IDE Device Naming
 * SCSI Chain
 * Filesystem Management Commands
 * Partition Planning
 * Partition Types
 * Supported Filesystems
 * Creating Filesystems
 * Files: (touch (command))
 * Formatting devices: Floppies / USB
 * More Filesystem Details
 * Link Count
 * Mounting Filesystems
 * Unmounting Filesystems
 * Mount Command Options
 * Mounting Remote Filesystems
 * fstab File
 * Swap Space
 * Special Case: Swap
 * Special Case: Automounter
 * Quotas
 * Maintenance & Repair
 * Adding a New Hard Drive
 * Recovering a Partition
 * LVM and ZFS
 * Demo -fstab File
 * Chapter 5 Review

Level 6 : /Backup and Restore/
 * Types of Backups
 * Device Naming Conventions
 * Chapter 6 Review

Level 7 : Startup and Shutdown
 * The Boot Process
 * Run Levels
 * Configuring Process Fields
 * Inittab Example
 * In The Beginning.Init
 * The /etc/rc.d Directory
 * /etc/rcX.d Script Sequencing
 * Processes:  and   utils
 * Stop & Stop Services: systemd
 * The /etc/rc.d/rc.local File
 * Shutting Down Properly
 * Methods of Rebooting
 * Booting into Single-User Mode
 * Creating a Boot Diskette
 * Demo - Startup & Shutdown Procedures
 * Chapter 7 Review

Level 8 : Compiling the Kernel
 * What is the Linux Kernel?
 * Why Compile the Kernel?
 * Before You Get Started
 * Four Kernel Upgrade Paths
 * Check Your Tool Kit
 * 4 Stages to Compile the Kernel
 * Patching the Kernel
 * Demo - Manually Compile the Kernel
 * Chapter 8 Review

Level 9 : /Scheduling/
 * 2 Major Scheduling Daemons
 * command
 * The  File
 * Simple /etc/crontab Example
 * Complex /etc/crontab Example
 * An actual  file
 * Sample  directory
 * Use /etc/cron.allow or /etc/cron.deny
 * Starting & Stopping cron
 * The at Command
 * Anacron
 * Starting & Stopping Anacron
 * Sample /etc/anacrontab File
 * Demo - Scheduling
 * Chapter 9 Review

Level 10 : Basic Networking Concepts
 * Platform Compatibility
 * Physical Network Support
 * Protocol Suite Support
 * Network Device Names
 * Network Kernel Modules
 * ifconfig Command
 * ifup & ifdown Scripts
 * Interface Configuration
 * Non-root User Control
 * Multiple IP's on a Single Interface
 * Client DHCP/BOOTP
 * Global Parameters
 * Configuration Utilities
 * Network Tools
 * Demo - Reconfigure Network Information
 * Demo - Sysconfig Directory
 * Chapter 10 Review

Level 11 : Printing
 * Linux Printing over the Last 2 Years
 * Setup Printing
 * Common Unix Printing System "CUPS"
 * Printing Flow in a CUPS Environment
 * CUPS Browser Interface
 * Linux-Supported Printers
 * Printer Configuration Tools
 * User Command Interface
 * Starting & Stopping Printing Services
 * lpr Examples
 * lpq Examples
 * lprm Examples
 * lpc Usage
 * Printing from Linux Applications
 * redhat-config-printer
 * Availability
 * Troubleshooting Printing
 * Chapter 11 Review

Level 12 : Linux Security
 * Basic Levels of Security
 * Physical Security
 * Grub Security
 * User-based Security
 * User Accounts & Patterns
 * Typical User No-No's
 * Delegating Root Authority
 * Password Security
 * Pluggable Authentication Modules "PAM"
 * Permissions
 * File and directory permissions
 * Controlling Permissions
 * Files & Filesystem Security
 * Filesystem Monitoring
 * Avoiding Trojan Horses
 * Encryption
 * Introduction to iptables: filters and SNAT/DNAT
 * /hardening/
 * Response Strategies
 * Demo - Base Permissions
 * Chapter 12 Review

 Level 13 : Popular Linux Services
 * SAMBA Naming, overview and components
 * Exploring/Browsing Directories
 * Browsing Resources with Linux Commands
 * Letting Linux Use a Windows Printer
 * Official SAMBA Website
 * Web Servers:
 * Apache Web Server: Naming confusion and configuration files
 * Nginx
 * What is Squid?
 * Demo - Connecting to a Linux Machine
 * Demo - Getting a list of Running Services

Level 14 : Operation and Monitoring
 * Configuration management
 * Monitoring tools: (Nagios, /Zabbix/), Icinga

Level 15 : /Performance and Troubleshooting/

Level 16: Benchmarking tools