CTS 2311 (Unix/Linux Security) Project #1
Install Linux

1. You must install Fedora Linux using the CDs provided on your assigned classroom computer and hard drive.  (Note: Installing from a live CD/DVD configures the system a little differently than installing from a normal install CD/DVD.)
2. First gather system information for your assigned computer(s).  It may have changed since last term!
3. Next, plan your hard disk partitioning scheme.  You will need to have a /boot partition and a /home partition at least.  Make sure the root partition is large enough to hold all binaries and configuration files that you will put in it, plus room for more later.  10-15GB is reasonable.  (Less if you create many partitions.)  Later in this course you will create large disk image files, make sure you have space for them.
4. You should use a default network (DHCP client) setup, and use an initial firewall that blocks nearly everything, but must allow SSH (at least).
5. If you've been assigned a second computer, install the same distro on it as well.  (This machine will be used to test access to your server, and only needs to be configured as a client host.)
6. You must enable SELinux during the install.  However you should initially configure it for permissive mode.
7. After the basic install is complete, bring your system up to date with all available updates for your operating system.  This may require you to configure yum first.  Note that although this process can take a long time, you can interrupt it and later resume the update.

   I would suggest adding an extra Yum repository to include some extras that Red Hat doesn't include by default, due to licensing issues.  Consider adding rpmfusion.org.

8. Finally perform any other post-install steps you see fit.  (See a list of post install steps for some ideas.)  I would suggest setting up printing at least.  What changes did you make to the initial (default) setup?

Make a copy of your system journal pages that document in detail the Linux install done in class, including any post install steps done.  The system journal is a vital document that is used frequently for documentation of changes and of work performed, for accountability, and for trouble-shooting.

For this class you can use a wiki to host your system journal.  Create (if you haven't done so previously) an account on the class wiki: YborStudent.hccfl.edu/UnixWiki.  Then edit and create pages as necessary.  (Use the help link for page creation and editing help.)

Start your journal with the system name, location, purpose, and date.  The initial system install documentation should include a hardware inventory for each system component (make, model, and configuration for each) such as the NIC, the video card, the RAM, CPU, Hard Disk(s), removable media, etc.  Then each configuration choice made during the install should be documented in enough detail so that someone else could duplicate your setup if necessary, even if using a slightly different distribution.  (Thus, saying "selected all defaults" is not good enough!)  Don't forget to include any post-install steps taken!

Write down every step either before you try it, or as you do it.  You will never remember exactly what you did, later!  If you stick to command line tools, you can use the script command to record every keystroke you type and all output.  However this command isn't available for the install step, so you should either use paper and pencil, or use a second computer and work on your wiki page for your journal.  You should record everything, even the steps you un-do later!  You can always clean up the journal before creating management reports, or before you turn it in to your instructor for grading.  Keeping an accurate and complete journal is a common requirement for all engineers, not just system administrators.

A beginner administrator tends to document each command issued, for example:

 2/30/01  WP  useradd -m FooBarr

Which says what command was done, when it was done, and by whom (WP are the initials of the administrator).  This is actually not a bad journal entry.  But with experience your journal entries change.  Instead of showing how something was done (i.e., what command), the journal shows what was done and why:

2/30/01  WP  Added user account for new employee "Foo Barr",
             a programmer on the "DSL" project.

(Having both types showing the exact command used and why would be the most useful of all, but in reality no one keeps that detailed a journal.)  A sample system journal can be found from our class web page, in the resources section.  Please note that a single journal entry can list several related commands.  This is easier to read than adding a date (and initials) to every line in the journal:

    2/30/01  WP  Added user account "fbarr" for new employee "Foo Barr",
                 a programmer on the "DSL" project.
                 Updated /etc/group entry for DSL to include fbarr.

Additional Linux installation help can be found at the CTS-2301 Linux Install Project webpage and at the Disk Partitioning Guide webpage.

A copy of your journal pages.  You can send as email to (preferred).  If email is a problem for some reason, you may turn in a hard-copy.  In this case the pages should be readable, dated, and stapled together.  Your name should appear on the first page.  See the System Journal Hints section above for more details.

Don't turn in your whole journal, you will need to add to it every day in class!  It is common in fact to keep the journal as a text file on the system (with a paper backup of course).

Please see your syllabus for more information about submitting projects.