In a previous post, we covered some of the basics of using apt-get to download and install packages for your Linux server. There are several commands that you can append to “apt-get” in order to perform various tasks. Here are a few: 1. “apt-get clean” By default, APT saves a …
December, 2009
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18 December
The sysconfig directory in Redhat-based Linux
Redhat Enterprise Linux, Fedora, and Centos have a convenient directory called “sysconfig”. It is located under the main /etc directory and contains many of the frequently-used configuration files necessary to operate a server. Often the configuration files are for command line options or very specific settings rather than the complete …
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17 December
Watching Linux logs live
Question: How can I watch information come into my Linux server logs as they arrive? Answer: Linux has a nifty little command called “tail” that allows you to see the latest log file messages, but that by itself will not show you the latest messages as they arrive in real …
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17 December
Linux file and directory structure
An important part of knowing your Linux server is knowing where directories and files are. Most Linux distributions organize files in a similar manner, following specific standards. It is very different from the Windows file and directory structure, but once you know one Linux setup, you will pretty much know …
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16 December
Fixing YUM dependency problems: Part 2
You have already tried “yum clean all” and you still are getting dependency errors. These errors can only mean that you have something that is installed that should not be or you need manually install the dependency to whatever package you must have despite YUM‘s warnings. In case of the …
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16 December
Nano Text Editor
Nothing beats a good text editor, and sometimes it is just not practical to download a file, edit it on your computer, and then upload it back to your server. Furthermore, if you have SSH access to your dedicated server or web hosting account, why not use it? Linux offers …
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15 December
Fixing YUM Dependency Problems: Part 1
Question: YUM is telling me I have broken dependencies. I can’t install anything. Help! Answer: Fiddling with your server can lead you to problems, very serious ones if it lands you in what is affectionately called RPM Hell. This usually happens when you download an RPM outside of your standard …
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15 December
Book Review: ModSecurity 2.5 by Magnus Mischel
Title: ModSecurity 2.5: Securing your Apache installation and web applications Author: Magnus Mischel Publisher: Packt Publishing Price: £26.34 Securing a web server can be a difficult task. Large companies hire professionals or consulting companies to ensure their customers have access to their content and any would-be attackers have access to …
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14 December
To X or not to X
Question: Show I run X.org on my Linux-based dedicated server? Answer: When you are running a dedicated server, especially one with live websites, there is always a lot to learn. From domain name servers (DNS) to mail server configuration, you may find yourself with little time for anything else. One …
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11 December
Keep SSH users in their home directories
Since 2008, OpenSSH now has a feature that allows Linux system administrators to keep web hosting clients and other users out of system directories like /etc /bin /var, and others. In the past, admins had to rely on other packages, such as rssh. The process is called chroot, which essentially …