Tag Archives: Linux

Best Open Source Tools Perfect for Linux Administrators

September 14, 2015 Callum Huddlestone

System administrators rely on particular set of tools to meet their requirements. In Linux environment, there are many open source tools that are used to achieve desired set of goals. Some of these tools are as follows:

Adminer
Linux administrators often act as database administrators. Adminer tool is used to make management of data effective and stress-free. Adminer is user friendly tool that improves performance and gives more security than other similar tools. Another factor that has made Adminer first choice of administrators’ is its compatibility with PostgreSQL and MySQL, SQL server, and Oracle Database.

BleachBit
Admins are required to keep sensitive data secure and confidential at all times. BleachBit is also known as CCleaner and is a valuable open source tool for Linux that has gained reputation for its easy to use format. It helps system administrators to increase disk space by taking out sensitive data. BleachBit has ability to search files, folders, web browsers, databases and registry thoroughly without removing important files that are required to perform various functions.

FileZilla
It is the job of Linux administrators to use web server for uploading as well as downloading files. When it is your day to day duty to download and upload files, you must have a dependable tool for transferring files. As compared to other applications, FileZilla is lightweight, robust and reliable app that supports protocols such as IPv6, HTTP, SFTP and FTP. FileZilla supports administrators by making file management trouble-free using built-in file management capabilities. Built-in system allows administrators to systematize files in line, resume transfer, pause and revise files.

Open Source Puppet
This tool has given support to Linux administrators in performing all jobs. For instance, it is easy to arrange cron jobs to work across different Linux systems without setting them manually. Open Source Puppet is able to execute checks to make certain that system services, such as Apache are in working mode. Moreover, it helps in taking the initiative to begin services that are currently discontinued. Centralized aptitude of Open Source Puppet is really useful when administrators need to perform some mind-numbing actions, such as running commands on various systems. Instead of mentioning the same command on multiple systems again and again, Open Source Puppet allows you to run command once and it will keep on executing it on all other systems. As a result, administrators save loads of time and get rid of monotonous actions as well.

Webmin
Administrators need to use Webmin while managing Linux distro in web sphere. Webmin was designed to support UNIX; however, it is used in BSD and Linux systems to simplify management processes. Streamline interface is available to make everything convenient starting from accounts of users to domains management. Webmin is used as an alternative to Plesk and cPanels.

Though there are a number of other open source tools which are great for Linux administrators, the above five Linux open source tools are indomitable. Do you have a favourite Linux tool? If so, please share with us in the comment below.

Significant Linux Backup Practices Helpful For Administrators

September 11, 2015 Damien Garvey

Linux is an operating system that is preferred for reliability, security and steadiness. However, like other operating systems, it has issues concerning data protection due to:

Electrical surge
IT data breaches
Fire
Failure of hardware
Physical theft
For Linux administrator, it is important to have online backup plan to avoid downtime and loss of important data, money and time.

Planning before Backup
Planning is crucial stage to check various sections of strategy in detail. Ask some questions to find out your requirements for backup plan, such as:

What type of data you need to have backup?
What kind of backup will support your system?
Do you need incremental of full data backup?
How often you need to access to stored data?

Automate Tools
There are backup utilities that need to use command line to perform work. SPX is specifically made for Linux that gives opportunity to administrators to check backup jobs and restore systems to virtual environment or hardware within a few minutes. This automation is helpful in executing management tasks when disaster recovery plan is activated.

Backup Storage Needs Investment
If you have an online backup plan, you will need to revise your strategy for storage. Though backup software can compress all files to increase storage space, storage practices require handling copies of files. If Linux box is connected to NAS appliance or hard drive, you can develop solid foundation.

How to Cover Security Challenges?
While selecting data for online backup, you must keep in mind all of the security threats. For data protection, you may need to have lock-in key. Linux provides Seahorse as encryption tool to manage passwords, create Secure Shell keys, and PGP keys to improve security features.

Protection of Backups
It is counter intuitive to keep backups onsite because disaster can ruin years of hard work in a short time. There are two options available for security perspective:

Remove & Transfer
DVDs and tape are inexpensive and removable media that can be used for backup. Save copies of important data by using local backups. It might be a bit difficult to transfer data and swap out media, however, it gives satisfaction as important files are kept offsite.

Network Transfer
Network transfer is one of the easiest ways for offsite backups when you have given access to a distant server. Time required for transferring process depends on backup size, however, the process is fast and just like uploading files. Recovery time is improved through network transfer as there is no need to find and use physical media.

Backups Assessment
It is suggested to check backup plans and strategies on regular basis in order to avoid catastrophe. Automation is perfect to skip monotonous processes. If there is information that is worthy to save on a tape, disc or server, it definitely needs to be checked up time and again.

High Traffic Environments: Backing up your Server in the Cloud

August 14, 2015 Callum Huddlestone

Server backup can be tricky. The backup cloud must support all kinds of operating systems and applications. It should be remembered that servers operate in a high traffic environments. They are always connected to the remote backup server in the cloud via the Internet and continuously service the data requirements of the end user. The server platform can include all flavours of Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, AS-400, Solaris or all kinds of applications such as Exchange/ Outlook, Lotus Notes/Domino, Groupwise, SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, IBM DB2, Sharepoint or more.

Agentless server backup is preferable. The agentless software requires only a single instance installation of the agent on a network. All servers connected to the network can then be identified and the agent can be configured to accept backup requests from the servers. The entire backup process can be managed and controlled from a single console.

IT Administrators can schedule backups and decide on the granularity of the backup. For instance the IT Administrator can decide that Windows and Linux systems must be backed up continuously and other systems may be backed up as per a fixed schedule. A single backup can be the backup of all data in a server, a share or volume or directory. The backup may also be of a single file or registry. Backups can also be scheduled to start and stop within a specific backup window.

Multiple servers can be backed up in parallel. The multi threaded backup application ensures that the software can process large volumes of data and support concurrent backup and restore requests. The only limiting factor would be the amount of bandwidth that is available with your organization.

The data being backed up to the server can be compressed or deduplicated using compression algorithms that have been tested and proven. The lossless algorithms can reduce the size of the raw data being transmitted from the server and common file elimination protocols can ensure that the same file is not transmitted twice. Versions of files may be stored with appropriate version numbers for ease of discovery. Retention policies can be specified to ensure that only relevant and active files continue to be stored in expensive storage media and other files are relegated to cheaper storage systems to save on costs.

Backup Technology’s Backup for Servers is high performance software that is designed to operate efficiently in high traffic environments with many of the features that have been discussed above. For more information please visit, http://www.backup-technology.com