January 2004 • Volume 13 • Number 1

Features

Spenneberg describes how to use User-Mode Linux (UML) to model a testbed for a VPN solution.

Current: An Open Source Update Server for Red Hat Linux • John Berninger

Berninger covers deployment and maintenance of a Current server for downloading and installing system updates and new packages.

A Simple DNS-Based Approach for Blocking Web Advertising • Hal Pomeranz

To reduce visual noise when surfing the Web, Pomeranz shows how to create bogus DNS zones to block Web advertising.

Python in Systems Administration: Part II — Step up from Shell • Cameron Laird

This second installment in Laird’s series on Python explains the parallels between Python and Perl, then spotlights instances where Python might serve you better.

Managing System Identity with changeident • John Spurgeon and Ed Schaefer

In this article, the authors present a Korn shell application called changeident that automates the process of changing a system’s identity.

Building a Web Log Rotation System • Reinhard Voglmaier

Voglmaier shares some techniques for analyzing and successfully managing log files.

Rejecting Forged Email with Enhanced DNS • David Soble

Soble discusses changes that could be made to the existing DNS and SMTP protocols to help prevent email abuse, particularly the problem of forged email.

Reindexing MRTG: An Ops Control Panel • Ben Stern

Stern describes a new front-end for MRTG that provides a broad understanding of the state of the network.

Creating a Bootable Backup of a Linux Operating System • Newton Hammet

Hammet shares a backup script, mkbkup.pl, that creates a bootable backup of his operating system.

RPKGADD: A Remote Package Management Tool for Solaris™ • Adam Ronthal

Ronthal describes a Korn shell script developed to efficiently distribute and install Solaris packages on a large number of machines.

Columns

Questions and Answers • Amy Rich

Departments

Call for Papers

New Products