CTS 215 - Server Administration

4 credit hours - Three hours of lecture and two hours of lab weekly; one term.
Install and configure Windows and Unix server. Create and manage users and groups. Manage protocol support, disk administration, shells, web servers, and network security features. Implement boot-up and shutdown process, and file system structures. Obtain a basic understanding of server virtualization. This course covers both Windows and Linux/Unix server platforms. Master the tools and concepts that would be utilized by a junior-level network administrator. Lab fee $50.

Prerequisite(s): CTS 105 , CTS 110 , and CTS 120 .

Course Outcomes:

Identify the characteristics of network platforms and their relationship to PCs
- Identify differences between Windows and Linux/Unix platforms.
- State the role of PCs and Servers.
- Discuss when Windows should be used and when Linux should be used on PCs.
- Describe the different versions of the Windows Server platform.
- Describe the different versions of Linux, and the multiple versions of Unix.
- Illustrate the Linux/Unix release and versioning process.
- Explain the value of secondary storage devices.
Install both Windows and Linux/Unix Servers
- Identify the hardware and kernel requirements for each platform.
- Install Windows Server on a server platform.
- Recognize the flow of the Windows Bootup and Shutdown processes.
- Explain how a Windows unattended installation might proceed.
- Install the Fedora version of Linux on a server.
- Perform the Fedora version of Linux Bootup and Shutdown processes.
- Explain how an Unix versions might be installed on proprietary hardware.
Configure and customize both Windows and Linux/Unix servers for use as network servers
- Configure Windows performance options and environment variables.
- Describe NTFS, the Windows Server file system.
- Explain the purpose of the Windows Registry.
- Use the Windows Configuration wizards to modify the server parameters to demonstrate the ability to configure a Windows Server for a network enabled environment.
- Explain the purpose of the BIOS, and demonstrate the ability to modify BIOS parameters.
- Describe when to use each of the following and the overhead required for each: primary partitions, extended partitions, and logical volumes.
- Describe the Fedora version of the Linux Server file system, and contrast it to the Windows Server NTFS.
- Modify Linux/Unix system behavior by adjusting boot parameters.
Use shells to write code that can display and modify parameters on both Windows and Linux/Unix servers when used as network servers
- Write code using the Windows Powershell to display and set system options and environment variables.
- Write code using the Linux/Unix Bourne shell (BASH) to display and set system options and environment variables.
- Describe which shell should be used for which purpose on a given platform.
- Explain the value of using the BASH shell on Windows Servers.
- Discuss the purpose and functionality of Linux/Unix and Windows utilities.
Identify how Users, Groups, Devices, and Sites are implemented on the various server platforms.
- Identify the differences between the Windows Server implementation and the Linux/Unix implementation of users, groups, devices, and sites.
- Explain the role of sites in a networked environment.
- State the role of domains, trusts, and accounts in a networked environment.
- Design a domain to be implemented on a Windows Server.
- Create domains, trusts, and accounts.
- Add users and groups to a domain.
- Explain how the TCP/IP protocol LDAP can be utilized in a network of mixed Windows and Linux/Unix computers.
- Describe the function of distinguished names (DN) in a computer network.
- Add users and groups to a Linux/Windows system.
- Explain how directory system agent entries work in a Linux/Windows system.
Manage resource access on both Windows and Linux/Unix platforms
- Identify the requirements for file and folder permissions.
- Configure file and folder permissions.
- Turn on and monitor the audit function on files and folders for a networked, multi-platform environment.
- Explain the differences between DFS in Windows and Linux/Unix file and folder permissions.
- Set up file and folder permissions on both Windows and Linux/Unix.
Describe how to manage and protect data stored in a networked, multi-platform Windows and Linux/Unix environment.
- Describe the differences between Basic and Dynamic disks on Windows Servers.
- Configure Dynamic disks on a Windows Server.
- Discuss the partition and volume management process on Windows Server.
- Partition data stores on Windows Servers.
- Identify the purpose of disk backups in a networked, multi-platform Windows and Linux/Unix environment.
- Perform disk backups on a networked Windows Server.
- Use disk tools to partition a Linux/Unix server.
- Describe the purpose of hard links and symbolic links on a Linux/Unix server.
- Install hard links and symbolic links on a networked Linux/Unix server.
- Recognize the benefits and disadvantages of disk duplexing, striping, and checksums in a networked, multi-platform Windows and Linux/Unix environment.
- Calculate the extra disk space required when doing each of the following: disk duplexing, striping, and checksums.
- Describe the purpose of SANs (Storage Area Networks)
Install a Web Server on either a networked Windows or a Linux/Unix platform.
- State the role of Certificate Services in an Internet.
- Explain when to use Active Server pages and when to use Passive pages.
- Create virtual directories and domain names.
- Install and test a Windows Server based web page service using IIS.
- Describe how CGI scripts add value to Internet web pages.
- Recognize the source of Error Codes that commonly occur when retrieving web pages.
- Explain how redirects are utilized as part of an advanced web server configuration on a Linux/Unix server.
- Demonstrate how to install and test a Fedora verion of Linux Server based web page service using the Apache server with PHP scripting.
Install remote services on a networked Windows platform for use in a networked Windows and Linux/Unix world.
- Explain the value of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in the Internet.
- Recognize the role of dial-up remote access services on legacy Windows Server systems.
- Recognize the role of terminal services in legacy Windows Server systems for accessing network resources remotely.
- Configure Terminal Services on a Windows Server.
- Identify the differences between the Windows implementation of ASCII and the Linux/Unix implementation (CR/LF)
- Recognize the role of dial-up remote access services on legacy Linux/Unix Server systems.
- Explain how X-terminals are utilized by users and network administrators.
- Configure X-windows on Linux/Unix servers.
Create a Virtualized environment that includes both a networked Windows Server and a Linux/Unix server.
- State the advantages of and the basic properties of a virtualized system
- Discuss the features and requirements of implementing Hyper-V on a Windows Server.
- Install Hyper-V on a Windows Server.
- Add a virtualized Linux server to an existing installation of Hyper-V on a Windows Server.
Identify the processes supporting software application and data provisioning in server environments.
- Describe the differences between the Windows .NET framework and the Linux/Unix software development life cycle.
- Manage Windows Server based applications.
- Implement distributed computing on Windows Servers and Linux/Unix servers.
- Identify the components of distributed transactions in a network.
- Discuss how load balancing is accomplished in a network.
Identify the components and processes for securing Windows Servers in server environments.
- Explain the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption.
- Implement account and audit policies in a Windows Server based networked environment.
- Publish and assign software on Windows Servers.
- Use the cipher command to help secure a Windows Server in a networked environment.
- State the role of Network Address Translation (NAT) as a security mechanism in a networked, multi-platform Windows and Linux/Unix environment.
- Install and configure Network Address Translation (NAT) on a Windows Server.
- Discuss how IPsec can assist in network security.
- Install and configure security for a networked Windows Server.
Identify the components and processes for securing Linux/Unix servers in server environments.
- Code iptables and security rules on a Linux/Unix server.
- Implement a firewall on a Linux/Unix server.
- Discuss how packet matching criteria and extensions can increase a Linux/Unix system security.
- Explain how to find and download a current copy of the Secure Linux (SeLinux) demonstration system from the National Security Agency (NSA) website.
Monitor both Windows Servers and Linux/Unix servers in a networked environment.
- Use the Windows Server Task Manager to monitor system wide resources.
- Capture data for performance monitoring a networked server environment, and be able to analyze basic performance problems.
- Analyze the numeric outputs of performance monitors.
Ensure system reliability on both Windows Servers and Linux/Unix servers when those servers are in a networked environment.
- Explain how servers and a network interact when resolving problems on a Windows Server system.
- Resolve boot problem by using SAFE mode on a Windows Server system.
- Recognize when to use each of the different Linux/Unix server system logs to resolve problems in a networked environment (var/log, var/log/messages, and var/spool)
- Discuss how to use Google groups and Open Source documentation to assist in resolving problems on Linux/Unix servers.