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ANNOUNCE.sgml
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SGML Document
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1996-08-04
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8KB
<!doctype linuxdoc system>
<article>
<title>Linuxconf 1.6
<author>Introduction
<abstract>
This is the seventh release of <em/Linuxconf/, a new
admin tool for <em/Linux/. After more than two years
of development at Solucorp, we are quite proud of it.
It is available from sunsite.unc.edu as
/pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf-1.6.src.tar.gz
/pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf-1.6.bin-aout.tar.gz
/pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf-1.6.bin-elf.tar.gz
</abstract>
<sect>What is <em/Linuxconf/
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ is a new admin tool for <em/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 <em/Linux/ system without
difficulties.
<em/Linuxconf/ knows how to manage quite a few things in
your system.
<sect>Why is it "hot"
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ is both a configurator and an activator. It is the
one which decide if ...
<itemize>
<item>A daemon must be started.
<item>A configuration command must be executed.
<item>A daemon must be killed/restarted.
<item>A daemon must be signaled (kill -HUP ...).
<item>A network interface must be (re)configured.
<item>A network route must be set/remove.
<item>A volume must be (re)mount.
</itemize>
<em/Linuxconf/ act based on configuration files. It knows about most
<em/Linux/ configuration files and can compare their status
with what is running currently. Based on this query, <em/Linuxconf/
can bring your system "current".
Whether you use <em/Linuxconf/'s user interface or edit the
configuration files by hand is unimportant. The following command
<tscreen><verb>
linuxconf --status
</verb></tscreen>
will give you a report of what has to be done to bring the system
"current".
<tscreen><verb>
linuxconf --update
</verb></tscreen>
will do it for you!
Rebooting is simply not an option anymore. This is really its
main goal. Every time you quit <em/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).
<sect><em/Linuxconf/ takes control very early
<p>
One component of linuxconf is called "askrunlevel".
It takes control very early. A call to /sbin/askrunlevel
must be placed at the end of your /etc/rc.d/rc.S file (or
equivalent such as /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit on redhat systems).
This utility allows you to select a proper runlevel (logical
operation mode) or to completly reconfigured your system even
before the boot sequence is finished.
From this utility, you are allowed to ...
<itemize>
<item>Start <em/Linux/ in graphical mode (xdm) and fully activate
the networking.
<item>Go graphic, without networking.
<item>Run as an X terminal.
<item>Start in text mode, full networking.
<item>Text mode, no network.
<item>Configure the workstation.
</itemize>
<em/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).
<sect>What <em/Linuxconf/ knows so far
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ knows how to configure and managed the
following things.
<itemize>
<item>System time, time zone, CMOS clock.
<item>LILO management.
<item>Basic networking configuration (IP numbers
and net mask) of the four Ethernets adaptors.
<item>Static routing. Default route.
<item>Filesystems (/etc/fstab).
<item>Routed daemon.
<item>NIS client (ypbind).
<item>NFS server.
<item>PPP client configuration and activation.
<item>Users and groups.
<item>The named daemon. Yes <em/Linuxconf/ provides a friendly
interface to configure and maintain a DNS. Check this out!
<item>Sendmail. Check this out!
<item>Fire-walling (Packet filtering).
<item>RARP setup.
<item>IP Alias setup.
<item>UUCP management.
</itemize>
Further, <em/Linuxconf/ provides a friendly interface to configure
theses files and more.
<itemize>
<item>/etc/fstab
<item>/etc/host.conf
<item>/etc/hosts
<item>/etc/networks
<item>/etc/resolv.conf
</itemize>
<sect>Command line mode
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ provide a command line mode allowing better
integration with shell scripts. Here is a sample
<itemize>
<item>netconf --runlevel local | client | server
<item>netconf --status
<item>netconf --update
<item>netconf --connect pppaccount
<item>dnsconf --set host ip-number ...
<item>dnsconf --unset host
</itemize>
The <em/dnsconf/ utility should be easily integrated with
the <em/DHCP/ daemon, allowing full synchronization with the
<em/DNS/.
<sect>Web mode
<p>
You can point your favorite web browser to any linuxconf's managed linux
station and fully configure it. This is a major feature for
remote administration.
<sect>Current state
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ is now usable and already a big time saver.
<em/Linuxconf/ install over any standard Slackware system
includind the latest 3.0 and redhat (3.0.3) systems.
Just UN-tar linuxconf-1.3.bin-aout.tar.gz (or bin-elf)
in the root and execute
/install/doinst.sh. Read carefully what is written.
<em/Linuxconf/ may work with other distribution
(it should in fact).
I have no experience with other than
Slackware (2.x and 3.0) at this point, so I can only recommend
<em/Linuxconf/
to really experienced users (Using something different than
Slackware or redhat).
This is the seventh public release. Many glitches has been cured.
Linuxconf is now fully translatable. All strings has been moved
from the source files and put in a dictionnary.
<sect>Documentation
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ has online help (context) for most screen.
(49 out of 69 help screen are done). This represent a lot
of work. Comments and some help are welcome.
<sect>Technology
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ is written in C++. It currently has a ncurses
interface. It scores at around 38,500 lines of code.
It currently compiled with GCC 2.6.2 and GCC 2.7.2.
For GCC 2.6.2, define the environement variable OLDGCC
<tscreen><verb>
export OLDGCC=on
</verb></tscreen>
<sect>Future
<p>
Many more things are expect to be included in <em/Linuxconf/.
Here are few of them.
<itemize>
<item>Graphical user interface..
<item>Inittab, and getty management.
<item>inetd.conf
<item>Samba management.
<item>sudo management.
<item>bootp, DHCP.
<item>httpd server configuration (Apache in progress).
</itemize>
<sect>Mailing list
<p>
A mailing list has been setup to discuss bugs and features of
<em/Linuxconf/. Join the list by sending a message to
<tscreen><verb>
linuxconf-request@solucorp.qc.ca
</verb></tscreen>
Send a message to the list using the following address.
<tscreen><verb>
linuxconf@solucorp.qc.ca
</verb></tscreen>
<sect>Licensing
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ is distributed under the GNU GPL license.
See the file LICENSE included in the distribution.
Like most other <em/Linux/ components, there are very little
restrictions about usage and redistribution. We would like
to hear from distribution maintainer. <em/Linuxconf/ is
certainly a key candidate to ease <em/Linux/ acceptance.
Comments are welcome!
<sect>Author
<p>
<em/Linuxconf/ was written at <em/Solucorp/ by Jacques Gelinas
(jacques@solucorp.qc.ca). <em/Solucorp/ is installing
<em/Linuxconf/ to customer site for some time now.
<em/Solucorp/ is a consulting company doing work
in the following fields.
<itemize>
<item>Linux!
<item>Networking (Internet services, fire-walling).
<item>Multi-platform software development.
</itemize>
</article>