Unix/Linux Systems Administration Course Syllabus

10-Week Comprehensive Program

Modified

July 1, 2025

Course Syllabus: Unix/Linux Systems Administration

Course Information

Course Title: Unix/Linux Systems Administration
Duration: 10 Weeks
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Next Start Date: September 10th, 2025
Format Options: Instructor-Led Online, Self-Paced, In-Person Workshops

Course Description

This comprehensive course provides participants with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively administer Unix and Linux systems across various environments. From fundamental command-line operations to advanced server configuration, performance tuning, and automation, students will gain practical experience in all aspects of Linux system administration. Through a combination of theoretical learning and extensive hands-on lab work, this course prepares participants to confidently manage production Linux environments.

Prerequisites

Basic familiarity with command-line interfaces
Fundamental understanding of operating systems concepts
Basic networking knowledge
Problem-solving aptitude and logical thinking
Computer with internet access and ability to run virtual machines

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Configure and manage Unix/Linux systems with confidence
Implement effective user management and permission schemes
Write and maintain shell scripts for automation
Manage file systems, storage, and backups efficiently
Configure and troubleshoot network services
Implement system security measures and harden systems
Monitor and optimize system performance
Troubleshoot complex system issues
Deploy and manage production-ready Linux environments

Course Structure

Week 1: Unix/Linux Fundamentals

History and philosophy of Unix and Linux
Major distributions and their characteristics (RHEL/CentOS, Debian/Ubuntu, SUSE)
System architecture overview
File system hierarchy standard
Essential command-line navigation and file operations
Text editors (vim, nano)
Manual pages and documentation
Lab: Setting up a Linux environment and basic system exploration

Week 2: User and Permission Management

User account management (creating, modifying, deleting)
Group management and membership
Password policies and management
Standard file permissions (read, write, execute)
Special permissions (setuid, setgid, sticky bit)
Access Control Lists (ACLs)
Sudo configuration and best practices
Lab: Implementing a comprehensive user and permission scheme

Week 3: Shell Scripting and Automation

Bash scripting fundamentals
Variables, environment, and scope
Control structures (if, case, loops)
Functions and modularity
Regular expressions and text processing tools (grep, sed, awk)
Script debugging techniques
Scheduling with cron and systemd timers
Lab: Creating automation scripts for system administration tasks

Week 4: File System Management

Linux file system types (ext4, XFS, Btrfs)
Partitioning tools and techniques
Logical Volume Management (LVM)
Mounting and managing file systems
File system maintenance and checks
Disk quotas implementation
RAID configuration
Lab: Setting up and managing complex storage configurations

Week 5: Process and Service Management

Understanding Linux processes and the process lifecycle
Process monitoring and control
Job control and background processes
Systemd architecture and unit files
Service management (starting, stopping, enabling)
SysV init system (historical context)
Resource limits and control
Lab: Configuring and managing system services

Week 7: Network Services and Security

DHCP server configuration
DNS server basics (BIND, dnsmasq)
Web server fundamentals (Apache, Nginx)
File sharing services (NFS, Samba)
Firewall management (iptables, nftables, firewalld)
Network security best practices
Lab: Implementing and securing network services

Week 8: System Security

Security principles and defense in depth
System hardening techniques
User authentication mechanisms
PAM configuration and modules
Security auditing and compliance
SELinux/AppArmor fundamentals
Intrusion detection basics
Lab: Implementing a comprehensive security policy

Week 9: Performance Tuning and Monitoring

System performance metrics
Monitoring tools (top, htop, sar, vmstat)
Performance monitoring systems (Prometheus, Grafana)
Resource utilization analysis
Identifying system bottlenecks
Kernel tuning parameters
Log management and analysis
Lab: Monitoring, analyzing, and optimizing system performance

Week 10: Advanced Topics and Capstone Project

Containerization with Docker basics
Configuration management introduction
Backup strategies and tools
Disaster recovery planning
Cloud integration concepts
Capstone project: Design, implement, and document a complete Linux environment
Final assessment and review

Instructional Methods

Interactive lectures with demonstrations
Extensive hands-on lab exercises
Real-world scenario simulations
Troubleshooting challenges
Group discussions and knowledge sharing
Command-line workshops
Individual and group projects

Assessment and Grading

Assessment Components

Weekly Labs and Exercises (40%)
- Hands-on technical tasks
- Command-line proficiency demonstrations
- Configuration assignments
Shell Scripting Project (15%)
- Development of administration automation scripts
- Documentation and presentation
System Administration Project (15%)
- Design and implementation of specified system components
- Performance and security evaluation
Capstone Project (25%)
- Comprehensive Linux environment implementation
- Documentation and presentation
Participation and Engagement (5%)
- Contribution to discussions
- Collaboration in group exercises

Grading Scale

A: 90-100%
B: 80-89%
C: 70-79%
D: 60-69%
F: Below 60%

Required Materials

Personal computer capable of running virtualization software
Virtualization platform (VirtualBox, VMware)
Access to the course learning management system
Linux virtual machines (provided during the course)
SSH client for remote access
Recommended readings (provided throughout the course)

Course Policies

Attendance and Participation

Instructor-led format: Attendance at live sessions is strongly encouraged
Self-paced format: Regular progress through course materials is expected
Active participation in hands-on exercises is essential for skill development

Lab Environment Usage

Lab environments are provided for educational purposes
Students are responsible for maintaining their virtual environments
Regular backups of work are strongly encouraged

Academic Integrity

All work must be original or properly attributed
Collaboration is encouraged, but individual assignments must reflect individual work
Sharing access credentials to systems is prohibited

Support and Resources

Instructor office hours (schedule provided at course start)
Technical support for lab environments
Community forum for peer assistance
Curated list of external resources and readings
Recorded lectures and demonstrations

Accessibility

We are committed to providing an inclusive learning environment. Students with disabilities or special needs are encouraged to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course to discuss accommodations.

Course Schedule

A detailed week-by-week schedule with specific topics, readings, lab exercises, and assignment due dates will be provided at the start of the course.

This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. All changes will be communicated to students in advance.