Chapter 6 Study Guide 199
4.Repeat as often as needed to become efficient at configuring the X Window System with XF86Setup.
Lab 6-3 Linux
The objective for this hands-on lab is to gain experience in configuring and reconfiguring the X Window System. Any distribution of Linux may be used for this exercise.
1.Back up the configuration files for the current X Window System.
2.Start the custom X Window System configuration program that is included with the Linux distribution of your choice and configure the X Window System. Be sure to note each step used and compare with the configuration used during the initial installation.
3.Verify that the installation works correctly.
4.Repeat as often as needed to become efficient at configuring the X Window System with the custom X Window System configuration program.
Answers to Chapter Questions
Chapter Pre-test
1.The X Window System provides the GUI capabilities in Linux. It provides the X Server for support of the hardware, X Client for support of the software, the X Protocol for local and remote connections between the X Server and Client, and finally, a Window Manager.
2.The software and resources for the X Window System are at www.X.org and several other Web sites.
3.The X Window System is configured with XF86Config, XF86Setup, and several custom programs that are included with Linux distributions.
4.Configuring the X Window System manually with a text editor or XF86Config can be a fast and easy way for a very experienced administrator to configure the X Window System.
5.The files used for the X Window configuration are X, xinit, .xinitrc, and xf86config.
6.The major parts of the X Window System are the X Client, X Server, X Protocol, and Window Manager.
200 Chapter 6 Study Guide
7.The most dominant desktops used in Linux are KDE and GNOME.
8.Desktop environments often include several useful applications and provide a full-featured desktop for the user.
9.The X Window System can be used for remote systems; this is actually a major feature of the system because it works equally well on remote and local systems.
10.The ability to use the X Window System to manage remote systems is an enormous advantage for administrators. This allows the administrator to install, test, and troubleshoot user issues remotely while not changing the environment.
Assessment Questions
1.A. The X Consortium at www.x.org controls the official release and updating of the X Window System. MIT turned over control of the X Window System to the X Consortium; www.linux.org maintains information about Linux; and www.xfree86.org creates a distribution of the X Windows System for the x86 platform. For review, see the “What is the X Window System?” section.
2.B. The X Server controls the hardware; the X Client controls the software; the X Protocol controls communication; and the window manager provides the user interface. For review, see the “The X Window System” section.
3.C. The X Protocol controls communication; the X Client controls the software; the X Server controls the hardware; and the window manager provides the user interface. For review, see the “The X Window System” section.
4.D. The window manager provides the user interface; the X Client controls the software; the X Server controls the hardware; and the X Protocol controls communication. For review, see the “The X Window System” section.
5.A. The X Client controls the software; the window manager provides the user interface; the X Server controls the hardware; and the X Protocol controls communication. For review, see the “The X Window System” section.
6.A and B. The advantages of local and remote computing are actually the same to the user and developer; applications don’t suffer a performance penalty when used locally or remotely. The others are not disadvantages of remote network use of the X Window System; the major disadvantage is a performance impact from using many X Window Systems on a network. For review, see the “X Client and Server communications” section.
7.B. GNOME uses CORBA (or Common Object Request Broker Architecture) to provide open, vendor-independent architecture that applications can use over networks. The others don’t use CORBA. For review, see the “GNOME” section.
Chapter 6 Study Guide 201
8.C. KDE uses the KWin window manager by default. GNOME does not include a specific window manager by default, but is usually installed over Enlightenment, Window Maker, or Sawfish. Enlightenment and Sawfish are window managers. For review, see the “KDE” section.
9.B. The XF86Config program is the command line setup program for the X Window System. The others are GUI or Shell programs for the X Window System configuration. For review, see the “Configuring X Window Systems” section.
10.D. The usual location of the file is /usr/X11R6/bin. For review, see the “Configuring X Window Systems” section.
11.A. The default location for the mouse device is /dev/mouse. For review, see the “Configuring X Window Systems” section.
12.A, C, and D are all custom-created programs for configuring the X Window System on particular Linux distributions. XF86Setup is not distributionspecific; it is included with the XF86 system. For review, see the “Custom X Window System Programs” section.
13.B. The default location of the configuration file for the X Window System is /etc/X11/XF86Config. For review, see the “Manual Configuration of the X Window System” section.
14.B. X is a symbolic link or symlink to the X Server. The others are not linked to X. For review, see the “Configuring X Window Systems” section.
15.B. KDE uses QT; the others don’t. For review, see the “KDE” section.
16.B. AbiWord is the program included with GNOME for word processing. The others may be available, but they are not the defaults. For review, see the “GNOME” section.
17.C. Krayon is included with KDE to provide graphic manipulation. The others may be available but are not the defaults. For review, see the “KDE” section.
18.B. GNOME is part of the GNU project; the others are not. For review, see the “GNOME” section.
19.A and D. Both horizontal sync and vertical refresh rate are information used with monitors. ClockChip and RAMDAC are used with video cards. For review, see the “Configuring X Window Systems” section.
20.B and C. ClockChip and RAMDAC are used with video cards. Both horizontal sync and vertical refresh rate are information used with monitors. For review, see the “Configuring X Window Systems” section.
202 Chapter 6 Study Guide
Scenarios
1.You can configure the X Window System in several ways. First, you can use the custom configuration program that is included with the distribution. Second, you can use the XF86Setup or XF86Config programs included with the X Window System for the x86 system. The third, and probably simplest way, is that you can modify the file manually, and copy the corrected configuration to the other systems. You can also deploy the repaired system by manually configuring each system, but copying the corrected configuration file from the first system to the other identical systems is much more efficient. This way, only one configuration file needs to be backed up, as they are all identical. For review, see the “Manual Configuration of the X Window System” and “Configuring X Window Systems” sections.
2.The following information should be given to the manager:
•Monitor make and model
•Vertical refresh rate of the monitor
•Horizontal sync rate of the monitor
•Resolution capabilities of the monitor
•Color depth capabilities of the monitor
•Video card make and model
•Video card Chipset
•Video card RAMDAC
•Video card available memory
•Video card ClockChip
•XF86 version
•XF86 setup program used
•Resolutions selected
•Color depth selected
•Mouse type selected
•Video card selected
•Monitor selected
For review, see the “Documentation” section.
Configuring
Networking
EXAM OBJECTIVES
3.2 Configure the client’s workstation for remote access (e.g., ppp, ISDN)
3.4 Configure basic network services and settings (e.g., netconfig, linuxconf; settings for TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP)
3.5 Configure basic server services (e.g., X, SMB, NIS, NFS)
3.6 Configure basic Internet services (e.g., HTTP, POP, SMTP, SNMP, FTP)
3.13 Load, remove, and edit list modules (e.g., insmod, rmmod, lsmod, modprobe)
3.14 Document the installation of the operating system, including configuration
3.15 Configure access rights (e.g., rlogin NIS, FTP, TFTP, SSH, Telnet)
7.8 Identify basic networking concepts, including how a network works
C 7H A P T E R
204 Part III Configuration
CHAPTER PRE-TEST
1.What is the TCP/IP protocol?
2.What are DNS, WINS, NIS, and DHCP?
3.What are SMB and NFS?
4.What is the purpose of the PPP protocol?
5.What are HTTP, POP, SMTP, and SNMP?
6.What is FTP and TFTP?
7.What are Telnet, rlogin, and SSH?
8.What is a gateway and what is a netmask?
9.What is the standard protocol of the Internet?
10.What are the standard Internet e-mail client protocols?
Answers to these questions can be found at the end of the chapter.