UNIX Administration - Lecture 2: Installation and Shell

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on UNIX administration, focusing on installation and shell usage.

UNIX

An operating system known for its multitasking and multiuser capabilities.

Shell

The user interface that allows interaction with the operating system.

BASH

Bourne Again Shell; a widely used shell in Linux systems.

Terminal

A channel for user input and output in a command-line interface.

Kernel

The core component of an operating system that manages hardware and system resources.

Syscalls

System calls; interfaces through which a program requests services from the kernel.

CPU

Central Processing Unit; the primary component that executes instructions.

RAM

Random Access Memory; volatile memory used to store data temporarily.

Filesystem

An arrangement that organizes how data is stored and retrieved.

Partitions

Sections of a hard drive that are treated as separate units.

LVM

Logical Volume Manager; a system for managing disk space allocation.

PATA

Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment; an older interface for connecting hard drives.

SATA

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment; a newer interface for connecting hard drives.

NVMe

Non-Volatile Memory Express; a protocol for accessing high-speed storage.

GPT

GUID Partition Table; a standard for partitioning disks that supports larger drives.

MBR

Master Boot Record; older partitioning scheme with limit of 2TB.

Mount point

A directory in a filesystem where a disk partition is attached.

User Space

The memory space where applications run, separate from the kernel.

/bin

Directory containing executable files required for basic operations.

/etc

Directory containing configuration files.

/dev

Directory containing device files.

/home

Directory containing user directories.

/var

Directory for variable files, such as logs and spools.

Shell scripting

The writing of scripts to automate tasks in a shell.

Login shell

Shell that is initiated when a user logs into the system.

Interactive shell

Non-login shell used for interactive command input.

Non-interactive shell

A shell that runs from a script without user interaction.

sudo

Command that allows a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser.

root

The superuser account with complete system access.

Man pages

Manual pages containing documentation for Linux commands.

Redirection

Sending standard input/output streams to different destinations.

Pipes

A method to pass output from one command to another using the ‘|’ character.

Shutdown

Command to turn off or reboot the system.

Filesystems

Structures that manage how data is stored and accessed.

System Calls

Calls that allow programs to interact with the kernel.

Graphics Processing Unit

Specialized processor for rendering images and graphics.

Command line

Text-based interface for entering commands.

Ctrl+Alt+F2

Key combination used to switch terminals in Linux.

Metacharacters

Characters that have a special significance in shell commands.

Environment variables

Dynamic values that influence the behavior of processes on a computer.

User IDs (UIDs)

Unique identifiers for user accounts.

Group IDs (GIDs)

Identifiers for groups of users.

tmux

A terminal multiplexer that allows multiple terminal sessions within a single window.

Reset command

Restores terminal settings to default.

whoami command

Displays the username of the current user.

uname command

Displays information about the operating system.

Manual page sections

Divisions within the man pages categorizing commands and information.

shutdown command

Command to power down or reboot the system.

Userspace

The memory area where user processes run, isolated from the kernel.

Superuser commands

Commands that require root privileges to execute. (root)
These commands allow for system-wide changes and administrative tasks that regular users cannot perform.

Installation types

Different methods of installing UNIX systems including network and DVD.

Free disk space requirement

Minimum storage space needed for operating system installation.

Configuration files

Files that store system settings and preferences.