We will install Ubuntu Linux
, Nexenta Open Solaris and Microsoft Windows XP (on the troop laptop). We will also take a quick look at FreeDOS.
What is the installation of an operating system?
- bare metal computer
- capable of executing instructions, but which instructions do we want it to execute?
- microwave oven doesn't need an operating system
- personal computer does (so it can be an entertainment console one day, calculate income taxes the next, and receive an email message while doing either task)
- What are operating systems?
A package of programs that orchestrate and manage a computer's component parts.
- User Interface: Prompt/Explorer/Finder/Shell/Desktop - which software do you choose to execute?
- Services or daemons are started for you during the boot process
- Resource Sharing/Multitasking - efficient use of computing resources
- You play a CD
- While writing an email
- While your buddy contacts you via IM
- Library of re-usable program parts - efficient software development
- Framework for layered software model - manage complexity
| application programming layer |
dialog boxes, message boxes, buttons, files, database connections, email, web request/response |
| system programming layer |
handles, messages, sockets, ports |
| device driver layer |
status registers, I/O registers, DMA, command sets |
| interrupt handlers |
interrupt vectors, priorities, re-entrant code |
| hardware |
circuits, buses, timing, routing |
- Security and privacy
- authentication – prove who you are
- authorization – rules for what you are authorized to do
- controls – mechanisms for enforcing authorization policies
- What is involved in installation of an operating system?
- BIOS Setup
- Booting from an installation CD
- Selecting configuration options
- Your preferences
- Customization for particular hardware
- Writing a bootable image on a harddisk
- Rebooting from harddisk
- Post-installation configuration
- Hardening
- A more complete tasklist for servers in a large organization Provisioning a Server
Linux is a popular computer operating system, derived from AT&T Bell Laboratories Unix, it is widely available, and it is free. We will install the ubuntu distribution because I use that distribution on my home server.
Solaris is one of the most widely used commercial operating systems, also derived from Unix. It has recently been "open-sourced" (OpenSolaris), it has a strong focus on long-term stability, and it is the OS that I use at work. We will use the NexentaOS distribution of OpenSolaris because it shares many components with Ubuntu (while being based on a completely different kernel.)
We will install Windows XP on the Troop 11 laptop.
In a subsequent meeting we may want to install a server application:
To experience installation of a server application, we could install a server for a multi-player game.
- LieroX is a popular multi-player game. It is also free. OpenLieroX is available for Linux.
- ArmagetronAD is another popular multi-player game, that is free, open-source, and available for Linux.
- Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory a.k.a. WET or ET is another free multi-player game with a Linux version.
