No Cs Degree No Experience Can I Still Become A Linux Admin

# No CS Degree, No Experience? You Can Still Become a Linux Admin

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on how to become a Linux system administrator without a Computer Science degree or prior experience. This article will provide practical steps for setting up a self-hosted infrastructure using open-source tools, with a focus on the widely-used Linux distribution - Ubuntu Server.

Prerequisites

• Operating System: Ubuntu Desktop 20.04 LTS or newer (64-bit version)
• Minimum Hardware Requirements: 4GB RAM, 25GB of free disk space, and a 64-bit processor
• Software:
  • Ubuntu Server: To create your self-hosted infrastructure
  • VirtualBox or VMware Workstation: For creating and managing virtual machines
  • Vagrant: To automate the infrastructure provisioning process
  • Optional: Docker CE (version 5.0.8) and Kubernetes (version 1.21.3) for container orchestration

Steps to Become a Linux Admin

1. Install Vagrant and Ubuntu Server Guest Additions

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install vagrant
$ vagrant plugin install vagrant-vbguest # for VirtualBox or vagrant-vmware-syncedfolders for VMware
$ vagrant init ubuntu/bionic
$ vagrant up --provision

2. SSH into Your Ubuntu Server

Use the following command to get your server’s IP address:

$ vagrant ssh

3. Configure Basic System Settings

Update and upgrade your system:

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y

Enable automatic updates:

Edit the following file:

$ sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50-auto-upgrades

Add the following lines to enable automatic updates and save the file:

Apt::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
Apt::AutoRemove "true";

4. Install Docker CE (optional)

Add Docker GPG key:

$ curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

Update Docker APT repository:

$ sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable"

Install Docker CE:

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install docker-ce=5.0.8 docker-ce-cli containerd.io

Start and enable Docker service:

$ sudo systemctl start docker && sudo systemctl enable docker

5. Install Kubernetes (optional)

Please follow the official documentation to install Kubernetes on your server.

6. Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues, consult the official Ubuntu Server, Docker CE, and Kubernetes documentation:

• Ubuntu Server Documentation
• Docker CE Documentation
• Kubernetes Documentation

Conclusion

By following this guide, you’ve set up a self-hosted infrastructure and gained practical experience as a Linux system administrator. As you continue to work with your homelab, focus on learning new tools, automating processes, and optimizing performance.

Stay secure by keeping your systems updated, using strong passwords, limiting exposed services, and regularly reviewing logs for any unusual activity. Happy DevOps-ing!