UNIX
Systems Administration Toolkit: Using SNMP data
A new article on consuming and using the SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) data that is published and provided by different devices is now available:
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is built in to many devices, but often the tools and software that can read and parse this information are too large and complicated when you only want to check a quick statistic or track a particular device or issue. This article looks at some simplified methods for getting SNMP information from your devices and how to integrate this information into the rest of your network’s data map.
Systems Administration Toolkit: Understanding DNS
A new article on understanding the Domain Name System (DNS) is now available:
The Domain Name System (DNS) is the service that converts hostnames and domain details into the IP addresses required for application to communicate. Under UNIX, the primary DNS service is based on BIND, and DNS itself is a key part of most UNIX installations. This article looks at the basics of DNS setup, how servers and requests are distributed, and exchanged and how to set up and keep a DNS environment running smoothly.
Systems Administration Toolkit: Log file basics
A new article on some basic log file information and maintenance is available:
A typical UNIX or Linux machine creates many log files during the course of its operation. Some of these contain useful information; others can be used to help you with capacity and resource planning. This article looks at the fundamental information recorded within the different log files, their location, and how that information can be used to your benefit to work out what is going on within your system.
Systems Administration Toolkit: Network scanning
A new article on scanning your network for information, both in a general device/service level and at a more detailed data level is now available.
Discover how to scan your network for services and how to regularly monitor your services to keep uptimes to a maximum. A key way of ensuring the security of your network is to know what is on your network and what services individual machines are at risk of exposure. Unauthorized services, such as Web servers or file sharing solutions, not only degrade performance, but others can use these services as routes into your network. In this article, learn how to use these same techniques to ensure that genuine services remain available.
Systems Administration Toolkit: Monitor user usage
Do you know what your users are doing? Do you know how frequently people are using your systems?
As I explain in the intro:
Explore new ways to record UNIX logins and other system activities in a number of different logs, and take advantage of this information to monitor user usage. This can be helpful from a number of perspectives, either to use for chargeback reporting or just to get an idea of how busy and active individual users are on the system to help when planning and allocating resources.
System Administration Toolkit: Distributed administration using SSH
System administration and SSH is a topic I’ve covered before (see System Administration Toolkit: Set up remote access in UNIX through OpenSSH), but what I didn’t cover in that article was how you can use SSH as a solution for running commands remotely over one, or more, machines simultaneously.
From the new article:
Use Secure Shell (SSH) to run commands on remote UNIX systems and, with some simple scripts, put together a system that enables you to manage many systems simultaneously from one machine without having to log in directly to the machines themselves. Also examine the basics of a distributed management system and some scripts and solutions using the technique.
Read: System Administration Toolkit: Distributed administration using SSH
Systems Administration Toolkit: Testing system validity
I recently had a hacking attempt on my machine, perpetrated by somebody noticing the open SSH port and trying every possible user/password and combination trick to try and get in. They didn’t succeed, and I only know that because I was able to check the validity of my machine by using an existing set of recorded information to verify my configuration and program data.
This is a technique that I’ve distilled down into an article within the System Administration Toolkit series, called Testing System Validity:
Examine methods of storing and later checking the validity of your configuration files. Despite all the security systems you have in place, it is still possible that somebody has accessed your system and changed your configuration or security settings.
Read: Systems Administration Toolkit: Testing system validity
Systems Administration Toolkit: Monitoring mail usage
Keeping an eye on your mail system is about more than making sure the mail gets through. You should also be thinking about spam statistics, usage of the mail system by users and whether users are really getting the best out of the systems that they provide.
In Systems Administration Toolkit: Monitoring mail usage that’s exactly what I cover:
Examine methods for reporting on e-mail usage and getting detailed statistics on mailbox use. E-mail logs can provide a wealth of information about your users and their e-mail habits, including how often and frequently they use their e-mail. Depending on your UNIX systems, you might even be able to glean more detailed information, such as identifying which users are using their folders effectively and who could benefit from further training and advice.
Develop with Java and PHP technology on AIX Version 5.3, Part 4: Exposing the application as a web service
Part of the PHP and Java series is now available. This part examines how to expose the original Java classes we produced as a web service.
For this article:
This tutorial takes the Java business application with database created in parts 2 and 3, and deploys it as a Java Web Service. This includes creating a WSDL, as well as web service operations. Web service clients can then connect to the Java web service in order to interact with the Java business application.
- Java Web Services and Apache Tomcat
- Creating a WSDL file
- Defining Web Service code
- Compiling and testing the Web Service
The series is split into six parts:
- Part 1 looks at the application and sets up an environment ready for building Java applications and serving Java-based Web applications using Tomcat.
- Part 2 covers the main application code and the development of a simple Java Servlet to provide a Web interface to the information.
- Part 3 connects the core application to a DB2 database for the storage of the survey questions and responses.
- Part 4 converts the original application into one that can be accessed as a Web service, and it provides the base for the PHP interface.
- Part 5 builds the PHP interface to the Java application by using the PHP Java Bridge.
- Part 6 redevelops the application to make use of the PHP Java Bridge in place of the Web service interface.
Develop with Java and PHP technology on AIX Version 5.3, Part 3: Integrating the Java business application with DB2 Version 9
Part 3 of the PHP and Java development series is ready for reading. This part of the series examines the methods for integrating your Java application with a database, in this case DB2 9, so that we can store the responses from our sample survey application into the database.
For this part:
This article integrates the Java business application created in part 2 with a database, DB2 9. Data submitted to the Java business application, and we can use the data that is stored to provide statistical information about the responses.
The series is split into six parts:
- Part 1 looks at the application and sets up an environment ready for building Java applications and serving Java-based Web applications using Tomcat.
- Part 2 covers the main application code and the development of a simple Java Servlet to provide a Web interface to the information.
- Part 3 connects the core application to a DB2 database for the storage of the survey questions and responses.
- Part 4 converts the original application into one that can be accessed as a Web service, and it provides the base for the PHP interface.
- Part 5 builds the PHP interface to the Java application by using the PHP Java Bridge.
- Part 6 redevelops the application to make use of the PHP Java Bridge in place of the Web service interface.
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