How To Become A Linux Administrator

Can you explain to me how to become a Linux administrator?

I might say to start by getting a computer that has Linux installed on it and learning about the operating system.

I’m already ahead of you.

In theory, having a Linux box with admin rights makes you a Linux administrator.

I want something I can put on my resume, not just have bragging rights as a Linux fan on online forums.

Practicing installing software and configuring it. Take the time to understand how to install and upgrade Linux systems.

What else would a Linux admin need to know, aside from the fact that Linux has that little penguin logo?

To learn how to properly manage a Linux box, read a lot of literature on Unix before deploying a Linux distribution you can practice with.

I’ve already gotten the advice to read Linux magazines and books. Is it any better to say I read the blogs instead?

To be taken seriously as a Linux administrator, you have to know how to use VNC, SSH, tar, lists, system log files. You have to be able to manage kernel run-time parameters, virtual machines and networks.

That does sound like system admin work.

You’ll have to manage NTP, FTP and HTTP servers.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

No, fruit based references are pretty much just Apple. You need to be able to configure Apache and any thing else they want on the server as well as use cron jobs and bash scripts.

I thought people bashed Bash because of the security hole found in it in 2014.

That was newsworthy because Bash had not had any known holes before that, whereas Java updates at least once a year due to a security hole. Oh, you should learn about shell scripting.

I hope I can come out of my shell to ask questions about it.

There are plenty of how to resources from StackOverflow dot com to online how to instruction sets. Learn how to use VI, since this is critical to log analysis.

I’m imagining that applies to user login logs.

And security logs. You need to learn how to use MySQL command line tools effectively, even more so if the server actually has a MySQL database on it.

I’d rather learn Oracle, since that skill set pays more.

Only because Oracle is licensed and charges for a lot of the training in how to use it. MySQL is free and growing in popularity because it is free.

I suppose that is your two cents worth on the topic.

Consider it a free open source opinion. If you want to become a Linux admin, learn the basics through reading ebooks, real books and online resources.

That gives me a good basic understanding, but managers may not trust it.

Then you can consider going to the Linux Professional Institute and taking the LPIC1 test to prove you know the basics about administering a Linux box. The alternative is setting up the servers on a cheap contract basis.