Setting Up a Linux Multifunction Server  ---------

There’s a real difference between reading about something and doing it. That’s why schools provide laboratories for so many of their courses. If you plan on learning Linux system administration, you need a server. So, the first task in this book involves building a basic server environment. Once you’ve built one, you’ll have a good foundation for practicing and learning Linux. The Linux operating system resembles the wheelbase of a car, which can take on an enormous variety of different functions depending on the choice of chassis and features. As you add services such as email or a database, the system takes on a different character. Do you need a web server, a development platform, a gateway, or a file and print server? Whatever you need requires a core, which this chapter provides. We’re going to start with a server you might find on the Internet, hosting web sites. Why, you might ask? Because you can adapt an Internet server to do many additional tasks, such as managing user authentication, providing print and file services, handling local email, and providing remote access. You can take the server to a web hosting facility, plug it in, and begin offering web services. You can even keep it in your own home, if you obtain a static IP address from your ISP. Setting up a server on the Internet may change your perspective about computing. Deploying a wide area network (WAN) differs from using Linux as a desktop, a file and print server, or a simple firewall. First-time administrators may experience some confusion while configuring the server, due to unfamiliar terms and concepts. You won’t have the X Window System’s convenient graphical interface, and you’ll have to issue commands instead of clicking on icons. Your work will be done in console mode, from the command-line interface. www.it-ebooks.info Server Requirements | 9 As part of our strategy to teach you administration, we’ll show you how to put a web-based tool on your system in the next chapter (service providers use this web-based tool to manage Linux servers they lease to hosting customers). So, not everything you do will be limited to a black and white screen. When you follow the instructions in this chapter, you will get a box hosting a web site that you can adapt for other purposes later. Your system will deploy: • A web server (Apache 2.0.x) • A mail server (Postfix) • A DNS server (BIND 9) • An FTP server (ProFTPD) • Mail delivery agents (POP3/POP3s/IMAP/IMAPs) • Webalizer for web site statistics Although there are many ways to set up a remote web server, following the instructions here provides a good basis for getting a grip on Linux. Once you master this setup, you should have the ability to configure a server to fit your needs.