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LILO is the most commonly used boot loader for Linux on Intel-based/compatible systems. A boot loader is a program that loads the operating system into the computer's memory from its hard disk when the computer is first started up. When a computer is booted, the first thing it does is to look at a fixed sector of its hard disk; the "master boot record" (or MBR). The program it finds there (in this case LILO) is responsible for loading and starting whatever operating system the computer is going to run. LILO, which stands for LInux LOader, is a very efficient boot loader, and it may be used to start other operating systems in addition to Linux.
I am regularly confronted by Windows NT users who are overwhelmed by how much information they can collect and process using the Windows NT Event Viewer. It is so nice, they maintain, that occurrences (events) are sorted by system, system security, and applications, and that entries can be filtered and searched.
Many new Linux users have trouble with device nodes for a number of different reasons. For the uninitiated, it is often difficult to figure out exactly what device node is needed for a particular task. Part of this is because the device node names aren't exactly intuitive, and part of it is because it's not often obvious which device node is the one you actually need.
If you were to install nothing but the Linux kernel on your hard disk, it would not do very much. A surprisingly large part of Linux's power and flexibility come not from the core of the operating system or from the applications that come with it, but from daemons. These special background programs are typically run without user intervention, and provide everything from printing to file services to access to Web pages.
With the World Wide Web now a mainstream phenomenon and computer prices dropping by the minute, there are more machines than ever connected to the Internet. All of this activity has created a bit of a real estate problem for the classic TCP/IPv4 addressing system and those of us who are beholden to it. Assigning a TCP/ IP address to each and every machine on your network today can be tricky -- either because of the cost, or because your network has simply run out of addresses. But don't despair, Linux IP Masquerade is ready and able to come to your rescue.
One of the frequently asked questions regarding Linux system administration is, "How do I backup my system?" While backup on a Microsoft platform is pretty straight forward (click on the backup button or select backup from the Start menu), Linux backups can be quite intimidating if you're not familiar with the UNIX paradigm of files and devices. This column will explore the devices and methods involved in protecting the data that exists on your Linux systems.
Someone recently asked me to help them install a Web server on her Linux system. I simply pointed her Web browser at http:// localhost, and up came a "Test Page" from Red Hat's Apache package, displaying the banner "It worked!"
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are a cost-effective, relatively secure means of transporting data between a number of connected points. And Linux can be used quite easily to set up and administer such a network. Using simple tools created by the folks at LinuxCare, someone with a basic Linux background can set up and maintain a VPN for either corporate or personal use.