Course detail

Advanced Topics of Linux Administration

FIT-ILIAcad. year: 2025/2026

Students attending the course obtain hands-on experience with modern Linux systems. The course starts with the process of selecting a Linux distribution suitable for a certain planned scenario of its usage. Students install a Linux system into a virtual environment that can be safely used for learning and experimenting with system configuration and with an opportunity to quickly reprovision a broken system. Students obtain a deeper knowledge and practical experience in the broader area of Linux system administration topics covering installation, configuration, management, and security. A part of the course is dedicated to virtualization and later focuses on utilization of Linux containers for running applications. All individual topics are used in a complex scenario focused on a deployment of an application and service using Linux containers at the end of a semester.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Tomáš Vojnar, Ph.D.

Department

Department of Intelligent Systems (UITS)

Entry knowledge

User-level proficiency in the GNU/Linux operating system.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The gained knowledge and experience are evaluated by a mid-semester assignment covering the contents of the course (20 points) and further through a final practical test (80 points). The practical test has the form of having to install and configure a system according to some predefined requirements in a given time limit.

Points for both the mid-term assignment and the final practical test will be assigned based on an evaluation of the systems or their components installed and configured by the students.

Aims

The course covers advanced topics of administration of Linux/Unix operating systems as well as services typically running on such systems. The course puts emphasis on practical training of administration skills and problem solving.
Students will acquire knowledge and hands-on experience of modern technologies for GNU/Linux that are used in complex enterprise environments. Using these technologies, students will be able to design and implement solutions based on GNU/Linux servers for various application scenarios of such servers. The extent of the acquired knowledge corresponds to the level of Red Hat certifications. Improved knowledge of operating systems and their administration.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Negus, C., Bresnahan, C.: Linux Bible, Wiley, 8th ed., 2012. (EN)
Nemeth, E., Snyder, G., Hein, T.R., Whaley, B.: UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook, Prentice Hall, 4th ed., 2010. (EN)
Vermeulen, S.: SELinux System Administration, Packt Publishing, 2013. (EN)

Recommended reading

Vermeulen, S.: SELinux Cookbook, Packt Publishing, 2014. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BIT Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, elective
  • Programme BIT Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Exercise in computer lab

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Aleš Zelinka
Ing. Eduard Beneš
Mgr. Karel Šrot, Ph.D.
Robin Hack

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to Linux distributions, virtualization of a system, and installation of a Linux OS.
  2. Managing and troubleshooting system boot and services.
  3. Software package management on Linux systems.
  4. Creation and basic management of storage for OS, application, and user data

  5. Cryptography in GNU/Linux and secured communication.
  6. Disk encryption and data backup.
  7. Increasing system security through SELinux.
  8. Network management, security practices, and troubleshooting.
  9. Creation and management of Linux Containers.
  10. Configuration management and monitoring of systems.
  11. Advanced systemd topics.
  12. Designing a solution for complex Linux usage scenarios.
  13. Practical exam.

Project

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Robin Hack
Ing. Eduard Beneš
Aleš Zelinka
Mgr. Karel Šrot, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  1. Installation and configuration of virtual machines running Linux system.
  2. Creation of container images and deployment of custom Linux containers.
  3. Configuration of basic disc encryption and data backup solution.
  4. System service management using systemd.
  5. Creation of a file system on top of LVM and software RAID.
  6. Design of a solution for the deployment of a containerized application.