interview question and answer

January 9, 2012

How to Install Linux via ftp or nfs server step by step guide example and implementation

Install Linux via ftp or nfs server step by step guide example and implementation
During the first phase of RHCE exam you are asked to install Linux via nfs or ftp or apache server. you will be provided aLinux boot disk and IP address and necessary directory name for installation. You need not to prepare server side on exam but here in this article we will configure both server and client side . In this practical we will show you How to prepare nfs or ftp server for network installation and further we will installation linux via nfs as well as ftp server. We will take apache server in our next article.

RHCE Exam Questions

Install the Redhat Linux RHEL 5 through NFS. Where your Server is server.example.com having IP 192.168.0.254 and shared /var/ftp/pub. The size of the partitions are listed below:

/     -  1048
/home -  1028
/boot -  512
/var  -  1028
/usr  -  2048
swap  2X256 (RAM SIZE)
There is a NFS server 192.168.0.254 and all required packages are dumped in /var/ftp/pub of that server and the /var/ftp/pub directory is shared. Install the Redhat Enterprise Linux 5 .
There is a FTP server 192.168.0.254 and all required packages are dumped in /var/ftp/pub of that server and anonymous login is enabled. Install the Redhat Enterprise Linux 5.

prepare Linux server for network installation

For this practical we need two systems one linux server and one client system. These pre quests should be completed on Linux server.
  • Dump of RHEL disk must be taken on /var/ftp/pub. For help check our pervious article.
    How to create dump of RHEL CD
  • Linux server should be configured with hostname Server.example.com and IP address 192.168.0.254
  • DHCP, FTP, NFS server should be configured and dhcpd, nfs, vftpd services must be running. If you feel difficulties in configuration of dhcp, ftp and nfs server then check our articles
Once you have completed these pre quests remaining configuration is very easy. Follow this guide.

Prepare FTP server for network installation

By default pub directory is shared with anonymous user account login enable in ftp server. So you need no additionalconfiguration just create dump and restart the services.
create dump of RHEL disk to /var/ftp/pub and restart vsftpd service

Prepare NFS server for network installation

As dump is already taken on /var/ftp/pub so sharing of /var/ftp/pub directory will do the task.
open /etc/exportfs with vi editor
vi exportfs
Share /var/ftp/pub for our network
editing in exportfs
Now restart nfs service
service nfs restart
We have prepared both FTP and NFS server for network installation.

Configure Client for network installation via ftp server

Boot system with Linux boot CD, [ disk will be provided by examiner] Give linux askmethodcommand on boot prompt
linux askmethod
Select language to English
Select language to English
Select Keyboard layout to US
Select Keyboard layout to US
Select install method ftp to install via ftp server
install linux via ftp
At this point you can remove Linux boot disk form CDROM as we installing linux from ftp server.
Select Enable IPv4 supports and select dynamic ip configuration [ we have configured dhcp server on linux server so ip will be automatically retrieve ]
ip configuration
Give to ip address of FTP server in ftp site name and pub in directory name
ip address of ftp server
After few second you will retrieve anaconda linux boot loader form server
boot screen retirved from server
Now you can install linux as you have installed it from local CD ROM . All remaining steps are same.

Configure Client for network installation via nfs server

Boot system with Linux boot CD, [ disk will be provided by examiner] Give linux askmethodcommand on boot prompt
linux askmethod
Select language to English
Select language to English
Select Keyboard layout to US
Select Keyboard layout to US
Select install method nfs to install via nfs image
install linux via nfs
At this point you can remove Linux boot disk form CDROM as we installing linux from nfs server.
Select Enable IPv4 supports and select dynamic ip configuration [ we have configured dhcp server on linux server so ip will be automatically retrieve ]
ip configuration
Give to ip address of nfs server in nfs server name and /var/ftp/pub in directory path
ip address of nfs
After few second you will retrieve anaconda linux boot loader form server
boot screen retirved from server
Now you can install linux as you have installed it from local CD ROM . All remaining steps are same.

Two time saving technique

During RHCE exam most concern thing is time. So we suggest to create the partition According to the Question because Size and what-what partition should you create at installation time is specified in your question. Do not create any extra partition to save time because any additional partition will take time in formatting.
Due to the time limit, you should care about the installation packages. At Exam time these packages are enough.
  • X-Window System
  • GNOME Desktop
  • (these two packages are generally not required)
  • Administration Tools.
  • System Tools
  • Windows File Server
  • FTP Servers
  • Mail Servers
  • Web Servers
  • Network Servers
  • Editors
  • Text Based Internet
  • Server Configuration Tools
  • Base
  • Printing Supports

January 8, 2012

How to Install Linux via apache http web server step by step guide example and implementation


During the first phase of RHCE exam you are asked to install Linux via nfs or ftp or apache server. you will be provided a Linux boot disk and IP address and necessary directory name for installation. You need not to prepare server side on exam but here in this article we will configure both server and client side . We have configured nfs and ftp server fornetwork installation in our pervious article you can check it.
In this practical we will show you How to prepare apache httpd server for network installation and further we will installation linux via apache httpd web server.

RHCE Exam Questions

There is a HTTP server 192.168.0.254 and all required packages are dumped in /var/www/html/rhel5 of that server. Install the Redhat Enterprise Linux 5 by creating following partitions:

/     -  1048
/home -  1028
/boot -  512
/var  -  1028
/usr  -  2048
swap     2X256 (RAM SIZE)

prepare Linux server for network installation

For this practical we need two systems one linux server and one client system. These pre quests should be completed on Linux server.
  • Linux server should be configured with hostname Server.example.com and IP address 192.168.0.254
  • DHCP and HTTP server should be configured and httpd and dhcpd service should be in running status
    service httpd restart

Prepare HTTP server for network installation

By default document root for http server is /var/www/html. So create a directory here with name rhel5 and make the dump of RHEL CD in it and restart the httpd service.
create dump of RHEL disk to /var/www/html/rhel5 and restart httpd service
dump or RHEL
service httpd restart
We have prepared HTTP server for network installation.

Configure Client for network installation via web server

Boot system with Linux boot CD, [ disk will be provided by examiner] Give linux askmethodcommand on boot prompt
linux askmethod
Select language to English
Select language to English
Select Keyboard layout to US
Select Keyboard layout to US
Select install method HTTP to install via web server
select method to http
At this point you can remove Linux boot disk form CDROM as we installing linux from http server.
Select Enable IPv4 supports and select dynamic ip configuration [ we have configured dhcp server on linux server so ip will be automatically retrieve ]
ip configuration
Give to ip address of web server in website name and rhel5 in directory name
ip address of website
After few second you will retrieve anaconda linux boot loader form server
boot screen retirved from server
Now you can install linux as you have installed it from local CD ROM . All remaining steps are same.

Two time saving technique

During RHCE exam most concern thing is time. So we suggest to create the partition According to the Question because Size and what-what partition should you create at installation time is specified in your question. Do not create any extra partition to save time because any additional partition will take time in formatting.
Due to the time limit, you should care about the installation packages. At Exam time these packages are enough.
  • X-Window System
  • GNOME Desktop
  • (these two packages are generally not required)
  • Administration Tools.
  • System Tools
  • Windows File Server
  • FTP Servers
  • Mail Servers
  • Web Servers
  • Network Servers
  • Editors
  • Text Based Internet
  • Server Configuration Tools
  • Base
  • Printing Supports

January 7, 2012

How to configure linux print server step by step guide Example and Implementation


Linux uses the Common UNIX Printing System, also known as CUPS. CUPS uses the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) to allow local printing and print sharing. The /etc/cups/ directory stores all the configuration files for printing. However, these files can be easily managed with the Printer Configuration Tool in Linux.
Exam question Raw (Model) printer named printer1 is installed and shared on 192.168.0.254. You should install theshared printer on your PC to connect shared printer using IPP Protocols.
Exam question Raw printer named printerx where x is your station number is installed and shared on server1.example.com. Install the shared printer on your PC to connect shared printer using IPP Protocols. Your server is 192.168.0.254.
Before you can use any printer, you first have to install it on a Linux system on your network. To start the Printer Configuration Tool, go to the System menu on the top panel and select Administration, Printing or execute the command system-config-printer.
printer path
If no printers are available for the system, only the Server Settings view is available for selection. If local printers are configured, a Local Printers menu will available.

Install new printer

click New Printer on the toolbar.
new printer
In the dialog window that appears, accept the default queue name or change it to a short, descriptive name that begins with a letter and does not contain spaces. Then select printerfrom list and click on forward and click on finsh.
spool directories
When your system prints a file, it makes use of special directories called spool directories. The location of the spool directory is obtained from the printer's entry in its configuration file. On Linux, the spool directory is located at/var/spool/cups under a directory with the name of the printer.
print job
A print job is a file to be printed. When you send a file to a printer, a copy of it is made and placed in a spool directory set up for that printer.
classes
CUPS features a way to let you select a group of printers to print a job instead of selecting just one. That way, if one printer is busy or down, another printer can be automatically selected to perform the job. Such groupings of printers are called classes. Once you have installed your printers, you can group them into different classes.
Once you have successfully installed local printer it will show in right pane. and in left pane you can see all administrative options.
printer option
  • To view shared printer on other system Tick mark on first option
  • To share locally attached printer tick mark on second option
  • To allow remote administration of this printer check mark on third option
Tick mark on appropriate option and click on apply
share printer from server

configure window clients

Go on window system and ping from printer server and open internet explorer and give the ip address of server with printer port 631
internet explorer
This will launch CUPS web application click on manage printer
manage printer
now you will see the shared printer on server click on print test page
print test page
A test page will be send on printer server copy this url of printer
copy url
click on start button select printer and fax and click on add new printer. this will launch add new printer wizard click next on welcome screen and select network printer
network printer
On this screen select internet printer and paste the url which you copied from internet explorer
internet printer
Install appropriate driver from list or use have disk option you have drive cd and click next. On next screen set this printer defaults and click on next and finish.
set defaults

Remote administration of print server

Go on linux system and ping from server and click on printing from administration menu
printer path
Now click on go to server 
go to printer server
Now give print server ip address
ip address of print server
It will take few minute to connect from server depending on network speed
connecting
Now give root password to connect printer server
root password
you can see all print administrative Manu in right pane Once you have connected with sever
print server options

configure Linux clients

Go on linux system and ping from server and click on printing from administration menu
printer path
Now click on new printer
new printer
Click on forward In the next New Printer screen, select the type of connection to internetprinting protocols and in hostname give server ip and printer name in printername
select ipp
select the appropriate model. If multiple drivers are available, select the one most appropriate for your configuration. If you do not want to choose the default and click forward and finish. The main Printer Configuration window should now include the name of your printer.
make default
To print test page click on print test page and a test page will send to print server
print test page

Managing Printers from the Command-Line

The lpadmin command enables you to perform most printer administration tasks from the command-line.
lpadmin

lpc      To view all known queues
lpr      To send print requests to any local print queue
lpq      To see the print queue
lprm     To delete the jobs of your choice use it  with the job number
lp       To print any file.
lpadmin