RHCSA Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Certification Study Guide (Exam EX200), 8th Edition

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
About the Authors
Contents at a Glance
Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
RHCSA Exam Readiness Checklist
1 Prepare for the Red Hat RHCSA Certification
	The RHCSA Exam
		The Exam Experience
		Evolving Requirements
	Basic Hardware Requirements
		Hardware Compatibility
		Architectures
		RAM Requirements
		Storage Options
		Networking
		Virtual Machine Options
	Get Red Hat Enterprise Linux
		Get a Subscription at No Cost
		Purchase a Subscription
		Third-Party Rebuilds
		Check the Download
		Exercise 1-1: Get Red Hat Enterprise Linux
	An Environment for Practice Labs
		System Roles
		Getting VMware Workstation Player
		Virtual Networks on a Hypervisor
		Configure a Virtual Machine on VMware Workstation Player
	RHEL 9 Installation
		Boot Media
		Basic Installation Steps
		The Installation Perspective on Partitions
		Partition Creation Exercise
		Exercise 1-2: Partitioning During Installation
		Wow, Look at All That Software!
		Baseline Packages
		During the Installation
		Initial Setup
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
2 Fundamental Command-Line Skills
	Shells
		Other Shells
		Virtual Consoles
		GUI Shell Interfaces
		Differences Between Regular and Administrative Users
		Standard Streams and Command Redirection
	Standard Command-Line Tools
		File and Directory Concepts
		File Lists and ls
		File-Creation Commands
		Wildcards
		File Searches
	File Permissions
		File Permissions and Ownership
		Commands to Change Permissions and Ownership
		A Basic Introduction of User and Group Concepts
	Managing Text Files
		Commands to Read Text Streams
		Commands to Process Text Streams
		Edit Text Files at the Console
		Exercise 2-1: Using vi to Create a New User
		If You Don’t Like vi
		Edit Text Files in the GUI
	Accessing the Documentation
		When You Need Help
		A Variety of man Pages
		The info Manuals
		Detailed Documentation in /usr/share/doc
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
3 Managing Basic Networking
	A Networking Primer
		IPv4 Networks
		Networks and Routing
		Tools and Commands
	Network Configuration and Troubleshooting
		Network Configuration Services
		Network Configuration Tools
		Exercise 3-1: Configure IPv4 Settings on a Network Interface
		Configure Name Resolution
		Hostname Configuration Files
	An Introduction to IPv6
		Basic IPv6 Addressing
		Troubleshooting Tools
		Configure IPv6 Addresses
	Administration with Secure Shell and Secure Copy
		Command-Line Access
		More SSH Command-Line Tools
		Graphical Secure Shell Access
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
4 Software Management
	The RPM Package Manager
		What Is a Package?
		What Is the RPM Database?
		What Is a Repository?
		Install an RPM Package
		Uninstall an RPM Package
		Install RPMs from Remote Systems
		RPM Installation Security
		Updating the Kernel
	More RPM Commands
		Package Queries
		Package Signatures
		File Verification
		Exercise 4-1: Practice with rpm Commands
	Dependencies and the dnf Command
		An Example of Dependency Hell
		Relief from Dependency Hell
		Red Hat Subscription Management
		Exercise 4-2: Subscribe a System to Red Hat Subscription Management
		Basic dnf Configuration
		Exercise 4-3: Create a dnf Repository from the RHEL 9 DVD
		Third-Party Repositories
		Exercise 4-4: Configure Access to the EPEL Repository
		Basic dnf Commands
		Installation Mode
		Security and dnf
		Updates and Security Fixes
		Package Groups and dnf
		More dnf Commands
	Module Streams (*)
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
5 systemd and the Boot Process
	The Boot Process
		Basic System Configuration
		Startup Menus
		Access to Linux Bootloaders
	Bootloaders and GRUB 2
		GRUB, the GRand Unified Bootloader
		Exercise 5-1: Boot into a Different Target
		Exercise 5-2: Recover the Root Password
		Modify the System Bootloader
		How to Update GRUB 2
		The GRUB 2 Command Line
		Exercise 5-3: Using the GRUB 2 Command Line
		An Option for Booting from GRUB 2: Rescue Mode
	Between GRUB 2 and Login
		Kernels and the Initial RAM Disk
		The First Process, Targets, and Units
		Switch Between Targets
		Reboot and Shut Down a System Normally
		systemd Replaces Upstart and SysVinit
		systemd Units
		Virtual Consoles and Login Screens
	Control by Target
		Functionality by Target
		The Innards of systemd Units
		Service Configuration
	Time Synchronization
		Time Zone Configuration
		Sync the Time with chronyd
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
6 User Administration
	User Account Management
		Different Kinds of Users
		The Shadow Password Suite
		Command-Line Tools
		Exercise 6-1: Add a User with Cockpit Web Console
		Exercise 6-2: Real and Fake Shells
		Modify an Account
	Administrative Control
		The Ability to Log In
		The su Command
		Limit Access to su
		The sg Command
		Superuser Access with the sudo Command
	User and Shell Configuration
		Home Directories and /etc/skel
		Exercise 6-3: Another Way to Secure a System
		Shell Configuration Files in User Home Directories
		Login, Logout, and User Switching
	Special Groups
		Standard and Red Hat Groups
		Shared Directories
		Exercise 6-4: Control Group Ownership with the SGID Bit
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
7 Storage and Filesystem Administration
	Storage Management and Partitions
		Current System State
		The fdisk Utility
		The gdisk Utility
		The parted Utility
		Using parted: Starting, Getting Help, and Quitting
		Graphical Options
		Exercise 7-1: Work with fdisk and parted
	Filesystem Formats
		Standard Filesystems
		Journaling Filesystems
		Filesystem Format Commands
		Swap Volumes
		Filesystem Check Commands
		Exercise 7-2: Format, Check, and Mount Different Filesystems
	Basic Linux Filesystems and Directories
		Separate Linux Filesystems
		Directories That Can Be Mounted Separately
	Logical Volume Manager (LVM)
		Definitions in LVM
		Create a Physical Volume
		Create a Volume Group
		Create a Logical Volume
		Make Use of a Logical Volume
		More LVM Commands
		Remove a Logical Volume
		Resize Logical Volumes
	Filesystem Management
		The /etc/fstab File
		Universally Unique Identifiers in /etc/fstab
		The mount Command
		More Filesystem Mount Options
		Virtual Filesystems
		Add Your Own Filesystems to /etc/fstab
		Removable Media and /etc/fstab
		Network Filesystems
	The Automounter
		Mounting via the Automounter
		Exercise 7-3: Configure the Automounter
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
8 Linux Security
	Basic Firewall Control
		Standard Ports
		The firewalld Service
		Exercise 8-1: Adjust Firewall Settings
		Exercise 8-2: Firewall Configuration with the Cockpit Web Console
	Securing SSH with Key-Based Authentication
		SSH Configuration Commands
		SSH Client Configuration Files
		Basic Encrypted Communication
		Set Up a Private/Public Pair for Key-Based Authentication
	A Security-Enhanced Linux Primer
		Basic Features of SELinux
		SELinux Status
		SELinux Configuration at the Command Line
		Configure Basic SELinux Settings
		Configure Regular Users for SELinux
		Manage SELinux Boolean Settings
		List and Identify SELinux File Contexts
		Restore SELinux File Contexts
		Exercise 8-3: Configure a New Directory with Appropriate SELinux Contexts
		SELinux Port Labeling
		Identify SELinux Process Contexts
		Diagnose and Address SELinux Policy Violations
		The GUI SELinux Administration Tool
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
9 System Administration Tasks
	Resource Management and System Tuning
		System Resource Management Commands
		System Tuning Profiles
	Archives and Compression
		gzip and bzip2
		tar
		star
	Running Tasks on a Schedule: cron and at
		The System crontab and Components
		Hourly cron Jobs
		Regular anacron Jobs
		Setting Up cron for Users
		Exercise 9-1: Create a cron Job
		Running a Job with the at System
		Secure cron and at
	Bash Scripts
		A “Hello, World” Script
		Bash Variables
		Bash Control Structures
		Exercise 9-2: Create a Script
	Local Log Files
		System Log Configuration File
		Log File Management
		A Variety of Log Files
		Service-Specific Logs
		Exercise 9-3: Learn the Log Files
		View systemd Journal Log Entries
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
10 An Introduction to Containers
	Fundamentals of Container Technology
		The Rise of Container Technologies
		Virtualization and Containers
		Understanding Container Architecture
		Docker and Podman
	Getting Started with Containers
		Installing Container Tools
		Running Your First Container
		Rootless and Rootful Containers
	Building and Using Container Images
		Image Registries
		Building Container Images: A Primer
		Exercise 10-1: Building and Running a Container Image
		Exercise 10-2: Uploading an Image to Quay.io
	Managing Containers
		Podman Commands
		Running a Container as a SystemD Service
		Exercise 10-3: Running a Container as a Service
		Persistent Storage
		Exercise 10-4: Attaching Persistent Storage to a Container
		Certification Summary
		Two-Minute Drill
	Q&A Self Test
		Lab Questions
		Self Test Answers
		Lab Answers
A Prepare a System for the Sample Exams
	Sample Exam System Requirements
B Solutions to RHCSA Sample Exam 1
	RHCSA Sample Exam 1 Discussion
C Solutions to RHCSA Sample Exam 2
	RHCSA Sample Exam 2 Discussion
D About the Online Content
	Single User License Terms and Conditions
	Downloadable Book Resources
		Lab Files
		Appendix A: Prepare a System for the Sample Exams
		Sample Exams
	Technical Support
INDEX