This document is an introduction to network administration, intended both for the simple user who wants to know more about the functioning of the network than for future network administrators.

Content of the eBook

1- TCP / IP Protocol (Introduction to TCP / IP – Data Transfer – The Name Server)

2- Configuration (Start – Configuration of the interface – Configuration of the routing – Configuration of the DNS)

Before starting the configuration of a machine you must have some information. At a minimum, each machine must have a unique IP address and a name. If the machine is on a network connected to the Internet, its address must be unique (over the entire Internet network). For an unconnected network, this address must be unique at the local network level.

3- Applications (The ‘r’ command family – Basic applications: telnet, ftp – The mail: e-mail – NIS: Network Information Service – NFS: Network File System – Setting up an anonymous FTP server)

In this chapter we will present the most common applications that can be found above TCP / IP. We will discuss their installations, their uses, their configuration files (user or system) as well as some interesting ‘tips & tricks’.

4- Troubleshooting and security

The mission of the network administrator can be divided into three distinct tasks: network configuration, troubleshooting and security. If the first task requires detailed knowledge of the installation and configuration scripts, the resolution of network malfunctions is confronted with unforeseen situations. The security of the network is halfway between the first two tasks, the security of a site is provided during the installation of the various systems on the network and continues with monitoring and regular information of users.