Current Server Guide

The following are notes on the existing server guide:

ServerGuide Wiki Page

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ServerGuide

Update Release target to Gutsy Gibbon.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Comment on where to find HTML/PDF versions needs to be changed as links go around in a loop.

Chapter 2: Installation

Preparing to Install

• Does Ubuntu server really still support powerpc? I don't see any powerpc images on the release testing site - http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/gutsy/tribe-5/

• Under backing up, do we need the comments about multi-boot? Production servers are generally single OS systems.

Chapter 3: Package Management

• Do we need to mention the simple graphical interface which is easy to use by those new to Ubuntu. when we are installing a server?

• The software packages used by Ubuntu are the same across all of the Ubuntu products, so a package that is installed in Ubuntu can also be installed on a Ubuntu Server system.

Introduction

• Ubuntu's package management system is the same system used by the Debian GNU/Linux distribution (not just 'derived from').

Apt-Get

• No comment

Configuration

• Shouldn't removing the requirement on having the CDROM/DVD repository be something that is done automatically during the install process?

• Example needs to be updated to reflect Gutsy details.

Extra Repositories

• Example needs to be updated to reflect Gutsy details.

• Some explaination should be added for:
  • gutsy-security
  • gutsy-updates
  • gutsy-backports
  • gutsy commertial

=== Chapter 4: Networking ===

• Why should I care about graphical configuration tools?

Ethernet

• What about an adding the ip command to the list of low level options?

Managing DNS Entries

• Another option are the tools for automatically updating the resolv.conf file. (Can't for the life of me remember what they are called right now, but there is a Ubuntu specification for porting software that plays with resolv.conf file to use the new system.)

Managing Hosts

• Something about how a server name need to be added to /etc/hosts, otherwise apache2 will complain at startup (as an example).

• Remove comment about playing with /etc/nsswitch at your peril - is it really needed? Is it a useful comment?

TCP/IP

TCP/IP Configuration

• Good introduction

• Should interfaces and resolv.conf discussion be deleted/merged into previous section?

IP Routing

• Need example on how to view routing tables with route and ip route.

TCP and UDP

• No comment at this stage.

ICMP

• No comment at this stage.

Daemons

• Give an example of showing how to find out what ports are being listened on using netstat.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

• Should title be changed to Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server?

• Configuration of:
  • IP-Address and Netmask for the local network
  • DNS server details (IP address) and local domain
  • WINS server details
  • Client hostname
  • Default network gateway
  • Time server
  • Print server

• dhclient is installed by default.

Installation

• ... of DHCP Server
• Assign an IP address randomly, or from a pool?
• What about the configuration options for the options mentioned in the previous section?
  • Client hostname
  • Time server
  • Print server

References

• Need to fix this section.

OpenSSH Server

• The openssh-client package is installed by default.

• Installation can be done with apt-get install ssh.

Configuration

• ssh_config or sshd_config - There seems to be some confusion.