Windows admins should learn about Linux
Scott Lowe
Published: 08 May 2002 16:08 BST
4. Basic system utilities
Even if you choose to use a graphical interface, you will have to use the command line at some point, probably sooner than you think. When that time comes, knowing a few key system commands will go a long way toward helping you to administer your systems.
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5. Escape DLL hell, but enter dependency heck
If you have administered Windows systems for any length of time, you have experienced DLL hell. This condition occurs when two separate programs have made an extension to the same common DLL, causing one of the two programs to malfunction because its version of the DLL is not present.
In Linux, the situation is not quite as bad; it's more like dependency heck. While most programs installed in Linux require the use of library files, I haven't run across conflicts like I experience in Windows. The one frustration I do have is installing a new piece of software and finding that I don't have the required libraries installed. Most system libraries are available on the Linux installation CDs and can be installed using RPM, which stands for Red Hat Package Manager. This assumes that you are using an RPM-enabled distribution, of course. To mount the CD-ROM, at the command line, you can type the following:
mount /dev/cdrom
You can switch to it by typing the following:
cd /mnt/cdrom
From there, you can traverse the directory structure of the CD-ROM by using the ls and cd commands. Or, if you are looking for a specific library, use the find command.
Linux serves a purpose
This is a quick primer to give you an idea of some of the things that you will run across as a Windows administrator making your first forays into Linux. I find that using Linux for certain tasks makes a lot of sense, because it has the potential to save a significant amount of money and is secure and stable. If you're considering a switch to Linux in your organisation, check out my article "Make a case for Linux on your desktops" first.
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