Tuesday, December 4, 2001
Full-Day Tutorials T1 Building and Using a Personal Beowulf NEW Willem A. (Vlakkies) Schreuder, CU Boulder T4 PHP: Scripting the Web NEW Rasmus Lerdorf, Consultant T5 Using Cryptography and Authentication for Mail Transport and Sendmail NEW Craig Hunt, Consultant T6 UNIX Security Threats and Solutions NEW Matt Bishop, University of California, Davis T7 Managing Production Linux Servers Aeleen Frisch, Exponential Consulting T8 System and Network Performance Tuning Marc Staveley, Consultant		Half-Day Tutorials - Morning T10 Introduction to Python NEW Wesley Chun, CyberWeb Consulting T11 Using SANs and NAS NEW W. Curtis Preston, Storage Designs T13 Documentation Techniques for Sysadmins Mike Ciavarella, Cybersource Pty Ltd Half-Day Tutorials - Afternoon T14 Internet Programming with Python NEW Wesley J. Chun, CyberWeb Consulting T15 Administering Veritas NetBackup NEW W. Curtis Preston, Storage Designs T16 Advanced Shell Programming NEW Mike Ciavarella, Cybersource Pty Ltd T17 Practical Project Management NEW Strata Rose Chalup, Project Management Consultant

Willem A. (Vlakkies) Schreuder (T1) holds a Ph.D. in Computational Fluid Mechanics and is currently working on a second Ph.D. in Parallel Systems. He has been solving practical problems in mathematical modeling in academia and private industry for about 20 years, and has been a UNIX sysadmin for more than 15 years. He uses his personal Beowulf to solve problems in software development, computational fluid dynamics, data analysis,scientific visualization and animation.



T4 PHP: Scripting the Web NEW
Rasmus Lerdorf, Consultant

Who should attend: Web site designers or programmers working on Web-related projects. No programming background is required, but a basic understanding of HTML and HTTP is assumed.

PHP is a popular scripting language used for creating dynamic Web sites. This tutorial, taught by the original developer of the language, will cover all the main features of the language.

Topics include:

• History
• Language overview
• Sessions
• Error handling
• Database examples
• Creating graphics on the fly
• Creating PDF and Flash on the fly
• XML/XSLT
• Caching, content compression, and other tips
• Content management
• Extending PHP

Anybody involved with Web development will come out of this tutorial with some new approaches to common problems.

Rasmus Lerdorf (T4) has been designing large-scale UNIX-based solutions since 1989.In the Open Source community, he is known mostly as the creator of the PHP scripting language. He has also contributed to a number of other Apache-related projects and is a member of the Apache-core team.




T5 Using Cryptography and Authentication for Mail Transport and Sendmail NEW
Craig Hunt, Consultant

Who should attend: System administrators interested in learning about the cryptographic tools SASL and openssl, which are now bundled in Linux and available for all versions of UNIX. Sendmail administrators interested in learning about the AUTH and STARTTLS extensions to SMTP will also benefit. Attendees need basic system administration skills and knowledge of sendmail configuration to gain the most benefit from this course.

Soon all Linux and UNIX systems will ship with built-in cryptographic capabilities. System administrators need to understand what those tools can and cannot do for them and how to use the tools. This tutorial outlines the current state of cryptographic support in Linux and shows attendees how to make use of the openssl and SASL services. The network protocols that underlie these cryptographic services are described. Attendees will receive practical advice about using strong authentication and encrypted data streams with sendmail. Sendmail is also used as a model to show the strengths and weaknesses of cryptography for security. This tutorial describes in detail how to install, configure, and use openssl, SASL and sendmail to support the AUTH and STARTTLS mail protocol extensions.

Topics include:

• The SMTP AUTH security option
• The STARTTLS protocol
• The SASL and TLS protocols
• SASL configuration
• Using openssl to support sendmail
• Configuring sendmail to use the cryptographic protocols
• Securing services with stunnel

Craig Hunt (T5) is the author of the bestsellers "TCP/IP NetworkAdministration" from O'Reilly and "Linux Network Servers 24seven" from Sybex. Craig is also the series editor for the Craig Hunt Linux Libraryfrom Sybex. This library of advanced system administration books includes his new book "Linux Sendmail Administration". He has more than 20 years of computer experience and more than 10 years experience in training computer science professionals. He is a well-known lecturer, who speaks about networking and Linux at USENIX, Networld+Interop, COMDEX, LinuxBusiness Expo, ComNet and the Open Source Software
Convention.

T6 UNIX Security Threats and Solutions NEW
Matt Bishop, University of California, Davis

Who should attend: Anyone interested in threats to UNIX security and how to deal with them.

This tutorial uses case histories to show what vulnerabilities the attackers exploited, how the system administrators might have closed those loopholes, and how the intruders were discovered. Concepts and mechanisms, as well as publicly available tools, are discussed. This course focuses on non-network problems.

Topics include:

• Security policies vs. security
  mechanisms
• Password security
• Files and auditing
• Access control mechanisms
• Management of privileges
• Malicious logic and the UNIX
  system
• Basic vulnerabilities analysis
• Baisc incident management
• Security holes past and current
• Managing the humans
• Where to get help

Matt Bishop (T6) began working on problems of com puter security, and the security ofthe UNIX operating system at Purdue where he earned his doctorate in 1984. He has taught courses in computer security, cryptography, operating systems, and software engineering at both Dartmouth College and at the University of California at Davis, where he teaches now. Matt's current research interests are analyzing vulnerabilities in operating systems, protocols, and software in general; denial of service; intrusion detection; and formal models of access control.


T7 Managing Production Linux Servers
Aeleen Frisch, Exponential Consulting

Who should attend: Current Linux system administrators, and administrators from sites considering converting to or adding Linux systems. Attendees who are new to system administration will find the pace quite rapid.

We will focus on the administrative issues that arise when Linux systems are deployed to address a variety of real-world tasks and problems arising from both commercial and R&D contexts.

Topics include:

• Recent kernel developments
• Advanced file systems
• Disk striping and RAID
• Enterprise and high performance networking options
• Multiprocessing and clustering
• Network-based user authentication
• Automating installation and system configuration
• Configuring a compute server
• Web servers and electronic commerce
• Linux and databases
• Operating in heterogeneous environments

Aeleen Frisch (T7) has been a system administrator for over 15 years. She currently looks after a very heterogeneous network of UNIX and Windows NT systems. She is the author of several books, including Essential Windows NT System
Administration.




T8 System and Network Performance Tuning
Marc Staveley, Consultant

Who should attend: Novice and advanced UNIX system and network administrators, and UNIX developers concerned about network performance impacts. A basic understanding of UNIX system facilities and network environments is assumed.

We will explore techniques for tuning systems, networks, and application code. Starting from a single-system view, we'll examine how the virtual memory system, the I/O system, and the file system can be measured and optimized. We'll move on to Network File System tuning and performance strategies. Detailed treatment of network performance problems will lead to examples of network capacity planning. Application issues will be covered. Many examples will be given, along with guidelines for capacity planning and customized monitoring based on your workloads and traffic patterns. Analysis periods for particular situations will be provided.

Topics include:

• Performance tuning strategies
  • Practical goals
  • Monitoring intervals
  • Useful statistics
  • Tools, tools, tools
• Server tuning
  • Filesystem and disk tuning
  • Memory consumption and swap space
  • System resource monitoring
• NFS performance tuning
• Network performance, design, and capacity planning
• Application tuning

Marc Staveley (T8) recently left Sun Microsystems Enterprise Services to join a start-up, where he is applying his 16 years of experience with UNIX development and administration. Previously Marc was an independent consultant and has held positions at NCR, Princeton University, and the University of Waterloo. He is a frequent speaker on the topics of standards-based development, multi-threaded programming, systems administration, and performance tuning.



T10 Introduction to Python NEW
Wesley Chun, CyberWeb Consulting

Who should attend: Developers and system administrators familiar with at least one high-level language who want to add Python to their toolbox.

Python is interpreted, interactive, and inherently object-oriented, featuring an easy-to-learn syntax that is clear and concise. As a scripting language, Python is often used for many common network and system administration tasks. Python is available for many versions of UNIX (e.g. Solaris, Linux, FreeBSD), Windows 3.x/9x/NT/2000, and Macintosh, as well as less common platforms such as OS/2, PalmPilot, and DOS.

Python is also available in a Java-compiled interpreter called Jython, which will run anywhere a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is available. Python classes can interact with Java classes and vice versa, making Jython a powerful tool in Java development.

Topics include:

• Syntax and style
• Development and run-time environments
• Objects and the Python memory model
• Data types and operators
• Files and I/O
• Errors and exception handling
• Functions and functional programming
• Modules and packages
• Classes, methods, and class instances

Wesley J. Chun (T10, T14) holds computer science, mathematics, and music degrees from the University of California. He is currently a principal at CyberWeb Consulting, specializing in software engineering, Web site design and architecture, corporate training, and technical documentation. He has over a decade of programming and instructional experience, and currently is a coordinator for the Silicon Valley-San Francisco Bay Area Python users group (BayPIGgies), a volunteer moderator for the Python Tutor mailing list, and the author of Core Python Programming, the Python book in Prentice Hall's Core series.

T11 Using SANs and NAS NEW
W. Curtis Preston, Storage Designs

Who should attend: System administrators and system engineers responsible for the design and implementation of storage systems. Attendees should be aware of storage systems concepts; a basic familiarity with SAN and NAS is helpful but not required.

This tutorial will explain the differences and similarities between Storage Area Networks (SAN) and Network Attached Storage (NAS), including an explanation of why NAS is now competing with SAN in certain markets. It will also cover the myriad of backup and recovery options that each brings to the table, and the pros and cons of each of them. It will then offer guidelines on how to decide whether SAN or NAS is right for you.

Topics include:

• SAN & NAS overview: why and what
• SAN architecture overview
• NAS architecture overview
• Managing SANs
• Backing up with SANs
• Managing NAS
• Backing up NAS

W. Curtis Preston (M9, T11, T15) has been specializing in backup and recovery for over seven years and has designed, implemented, and audited enterprisewide backup and recovery systems for many Fortune 500 and e-commerce companies. His O'Reilly & Associates book, UNIX Backup & Recovery, has sold over 20,000 copies, and he writes a regular column for UnixReview online and SysAdmin magazine. Curtis's Web address is https://www.backupcentral.com, and he can be reached at curtis@backupcentral.com.





T13 Documentation Techniques for Sysadmins
Mike Ciavarella, Cybersource Pty Ltd

Who should attend: System administrators who need to produce documention for the systems they manage or who want to improve their documentation skills.

Attendees will learn basic techniques for writing effective documentation and improving their documentation practices.

Topics include:

• Why system administrators need to document
• The document life cycle
• Targeting your audience
• An adaptable document framework
• Common mistakes
• Tools to assist the documentation process

Attendees should be able to make immediate, practical use of the techniques presented in this tutorial in their day-to-day tasks. Particular emphasis is placed on documentation as a time-saving tool rather than a workload imposition.

Mike Ciavarella (T13, T16) has been producing and editing technical documentation since he naively agreed to write application manuals for his first employer in the early 1980s. He has been a technical editor for MacMillan Press and has been teaching system administrators about documentation for the past four years. Mike has an Honours Degree in Science from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and is currently a Senior Partner with Cybersource Pty Ltd, where he heads Cybersource's Security Practice. In his spare time, Mike is a caffeine addict and photographer.

T14 Internet Programming with Python NEW
Wesley J. Chun, CyberWeb Consulting

Who should attend: Developers familiar with Python who are interested in exploring client-server socket programming, Web client development, and CGI programming in Python.

This tutorial will introduce current Python programmers to three different areas of network programming. Attendees will leave this tutorial able to "start coding back in their hotel room." An introduction to each topic will be followed by a walk-through of sample code.

Topics include:

• Network programming with sockets
• Web client programming
• CGI programming

Wesley J. Chun (T10, T14) holds computer science, mathematics, and music degrees from the University of California. He is currently a principal at CyberWeb Consulting, specializing in software engineering, Web site design and architecture, corporate training, and technical documentation. He has over a decade of programming and instructional experience, and currently is a coordinator for the Silicon Valley-San Francisco Bay Area Python users group (BayPIGgies), a volunteer moderator for the Python Tutor mailing list, and the author of Core Python Programming, the Python book in Prentice Hall's Core series.

T15 Administering Veritas NetBackup NEW
W. Curtis Preston, Storage Designs

Who should attend: System administrators involved in the design, implementation, and administration of Veritas NetBackup. Participants who are not yet using NetBackup should review NetBackup documentation before attending this session.

Anyone who has implemented a medium-to-large installation of any commercial backup software package understands the challenges that such a project will face. This tutorial focuses on the challenges unique to Veritas NetBackup, with heavy emphasis on configuring NetBackup in such a way that it will be easier to automate, easier to monitor and make reports from, takes full advantage of your storage resources, and, above all, ensures that your data is being protected properly. The tutorial will also answer the questions that all NetBackup administrators find themselves asking and will provide scripts to automate NetBackup.

Topics include (with an emphasis on decisions to be made):

• NetBackup architecture
• System design
• Commonly used (and misunderstood) commands
• System automation
• frequently asked questions, including:
  • How do I do offsite tape duplication? Is bpvault worth it?
  • Why can't I delete this tape?
  • Can NetBackup tell me when I'm low on volumes, instead of waiting until I'm out?
  • How do I automate the importing, exporting, and labeling of library volumes?
  • How do I back up NAS systems?
  • Is there any way to manage the exclude lists centrally?

After completing this tutorial, participants will be able to answer all of these questions and will have the tools necessary to better automate their NetBackup installation. They will also be aware of common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

W. Curtis Preston (M9, T11, T15) has been specializing in backup and recovery for over seven years and has designed, implemented, and audited enterprisewide backup and recovery systems for many Fortune 500 and e-commerce companies. His O'Reilly & Associates book, UNIX Backup & Recovery, has sold over 20,000 copies, and he writes a regular column for UnixReview online and SysAdmin magazine. Curtis's Web address is https://www.backupcentral.com, and he can be reached at curtis@backupcentral.com.



T16 Advanced Shell Programming NEW
Mike Ciavarella, Cybersource Pty Ltd

Who should attend: Junior or intermediate system administrators or anyone with a basic knowledge of programming, preferably with some experience in Bourne/Korn shells (or their derivatives).

The humble shell script is still a mainstay of UNIX/Linux system administration, despite the wide availability of other scripting languages.

This tutorial details techniques that move beyond the quick-and-dirty shell script.

Topics include:

• Common "mistakes" and unsafe practices
• Modular shell script programming
• Building blocks: awk, sed, etc.
• Writing secure shell scripts
• Performance tuning
• Choosing the right utilities for the job
• Addressing portability at the design stage
• When not to use shell scripts

Mike Ciavarella (T13, T16) has been producing and editing technical documentation since he naively agreed to write application manuals for his first employer in the early 1980s. He has been a technical editor for MacMillan Press and has been teaching system administrators about documentation for the past four years. Mike has an Honours Degree in Science from the University of Melbourne in Australia, and is currently a Senior Partner with Cybersource Pty Ltd, where he heads Cybersource's Security Practice. In his spare time, Mike is a caffeine addict and photographer.

T17 Practical Project Management NEW
Strata Rose Chalup, Project Management Consultant

Who should attend: Sysadmins who want to stay hands-on as team leads or system architects and need a new set of skills with which to tackle bigger, more complex challenges. No previous experience with project management is required. Participants will get a no-nonsense grounding in methods that work without adding significantly to one's workload. People who have been through traditional multi-day project management courses will be shocked, yet refreshed, by the practicality of our approach. To get the most out of this tutorial, participants should have some real-world project or complex task in mind for the lab sections.

This tutorial focuses on complementing your own organizational style (or lack thereof) with a toolbox of ways to organize and manage complex tasks without drowning in paperwork or clumsy, meeting-intensive methodologies. Also emphasized is how to bridge the gap between ad-hoc methods and the kinds of tracking and reporting that traditionally trained managers will understand.

Topics include:

• Quick basics of project management
• Skill sets
  • Defining success
  • Chunking and milestoning
  • Delegating
  • Tracking
  • Reporting
• Problem areas
• Project mangement tools
  • What tools should do for you
  • UNIX commands and scripts for 90+%
  • Freeware PM tool options
  • The only 15 minutes of MS Project you'll ever need
• Real-world lab
  • Applying skillsets to a sample project
  • Generating skeleton documents and notes as we go along
  • Project Fixit Q&A

Strata Rose Chalup (T17) began as a fledgling sysad min in 1983, and has been leading and managing complex IT projects for many years, serving in roles ranging from Project Manager to Director of Network Operations. She has authored several articles on management and working with teams, and specializes in multi-vendor infrastructure rollouts. Another MIT dropout, Strata is founder and CEO of VirtualNet Consulting, and applies her management skills on various volunteer boards, including BayLISA and SAGE.