[1413] in linux-announce channel archive
Linuxconf-1.0: A new admin tool with a twist!
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lars Wirzenius)
Fri Dec 8 02:15:23 1995
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 21:24:12 +0200
From: Lars Wirzenius <wirzeniu@cc.helsinki.fi>
To: linux-announce@vger.rutgers.edu
From: Jacques Gelinas <jack@solucorp.qc.ca>
Subject: Linuxconf-1.0: A new admin tool with a twist!
Approved: linux-announce@news.ornl.gov (Lars Wirzenius)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce
Followup-to: comp.os.linux.setup
Organization: ?
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Linuxconf 1.0
Introduction
This is the first release of Linuxconf, a new admin tool for Linux.
After a year of development at Solucorp, we are quite proud of it. It
is available from sunsite.unc.edu as
/pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf=AD1.0.src.tar.gz
/pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf=AD1.0.bin=ADaout.tar.gz
1. What is Linuxconf
Linuxconf is a new admin tool for Linux. It goes much further than the
simple set of user interface dialogs and script based utilities. It is
a fully integrated utility which help you maintain a working Linux
system without difficulties.
Linuxconf knows how to manage quite a few things in your system.
2. Why is it "hot"
Linuxconf is both a configurator and an activator. It is the one which
decide if ...
o A daemon must be started.
o A configuration command must be executed.
o A daemon must be killed/restarted.
o A daemon must be signaled (kill =ADHUP ...).
o A network interface must be (re)configured.
o A network route must be set/remove.
Linuxconf act based on configuration files. It knows about most Linux
configuration files and can compare their status with what is running
currently. Based on this query, Linuxconf can bring your system
"current".
Whether you use Linuxconf's user interface or edit the configuration
files by hand is unimportant. The following command
netconf =AD=ADstatus
will give you a report of what has to be done to bring the system
"current".
netconf =AD=ADupdate
will do it for you!
Rebooting is simply not an option anymore. This is really its main
goal. Every time you quit Linuxconf, it will probe all configuration
files and make sure your workstation is "current". If it is not, it
will tell you what have to be done and do it (you are allowed not to
do it).
3. Linuxconf takes control very early
A new /sbin/init is shipped with Linuxconf. It is based on the
standard Slackware init (release 2.5). When Linux boot, /sbin/init
takes control and call /etc/rc.d/rc.S to do basic initialization of
the system. Then init call Linuxconf to select a proper run level
(unless you have a default run=ADlevel in /etc/inittab).
From this screen, you are allowed to ...
o Start Linux in graphical mode (xdm) and fully activate the
networking.
o Go graphic, without networking.
o Run as an X terminal.
o Start in text mode, full networking.
o Text mode, no network.
o Configure the workstation.
Linuxconf allows you to configure the workstation even before it is
fully booted. This is a winner as it saves you from false start boot
(often with an invalid network configuration).
4. What Linuxconf knows so far
Linuxconf knows how to configure and managed the following things.
o System time, time zone, CMOS clock.
o Basic networking configuration (IP numbers and net mask) of the
four Ethernets adaptors.
o Static routing. Default route.
o Filesystems (/etc/fstab).
o Routed daemon.
o NIS client (ypbind).
o NFS server.
o Users and groups.
o The named daemon. Yes Linuxconf provides a friendly interface to
configure and maintain a DNS. Check this out!
o Sendmail. Check this out!
o Fire=ADwalling (Packet filtering).
Further, Linuxconf provide a friendly interface to configure theses
files.
o /etc/fstab
o /etc/host.conf
o /etc/hosts
o /etc/networks
o /etc/resolv.conf
5. Command line mode
Linuxconf provide a command line mode allowing better integration with
shell scripts. Here is a sample
o netconf =AD=ADrunlevel local | client | server
o netconf =AD=ADstatus
o netconf =AD=ADupdate
o dnsconf =AD=ADset host ip=ADnumber ...
o dnsconf =AD=ADunset host
The dnsconf utility should be easily integrated with the DHCP daemon,
allowing full synchronization with the DNS.
6. Current state
Linuxconf is now usable and already a big time saver.
Linuxconf install over any standard Slackware system. Just UN tar
linuxconf=AD1.0.bin=ADaout.tar.gz in the root and execute
/install/doinst.sh. Read carefully what is written.
Linuxconf may work with other distribution (it should in fact). I
have no experience with other than Slackware (2.x) at this point, so I
can only recommend Linuxconf to really experienced users (Using
something different than Slackware).
This is the first public release so I expect some glitches. At this
time, I am seeking experienced Linux administrator.
7. Documentation
Linuxconf has online help (context) for most screen. (42 out of 49
help screen are done). This represent a lot of work. Comments and some
help are welcome.
8. Technology
Linuxconf is written in C++. It currently has a ncurses interface. It
scores at around 27,000 lines of code.
It currently compiled with GCC 2.6.2. GCC 2.7.0 should work fine, just
check out the =ADfno=ADfor=ADscope option.
9. Future
Many more things are expect to be included in Linuxconf. Here are few
of them.
o Graphical user interface..
o Inittab, and getty management.
o inetd.conf
o Samba management.
o sudo management.
o bootp, DHCP, rarp.
o uucp configuration.
10. Licensing
Linuxconf is distributed under the GNU GPL license. See the file
LICENSE included in the distribution.
Like most other Linux components, there are very little restrictions
about usage and redistribution. We would like to hear from
distribution maintainer. Linuxconf is certainly a key candidate to
ease Linux acceptance. Comments are welcome!
11. Author
Linuxconf was written at Solucorp by Jacques Gelinas
(jacques@solucorp.qc.ca). Solucorp is installing Linuxconf to customer
site for some time now. Solucorp is a consulting company doing work
in the following fields.
o Linux!
o Networking (Internet services, fire=ADwalling).
o Multi=ADplatform software development.
- --------------------------------------------------------
Jacques Gelinas (jacques@solucorp.qc.ca)
Use Linux without reformating: Use UMSDOS.
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