Linux Server Administration - Users, Services, and Storage on Azure

Linux runs the majority of cloud servers, so managing a Linux machine from the command line is a foundational skill for anyone working with cloud infrastructure. Day-to-day server administration covers a small set of recurring jobs: controlling who can log in and what they can reach, keeping software and services running, automating routine tasks, and preparing storage for data.

In this lab, you will connect from the Code-IDE terminal to a pre-provisioned Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS virtual machine on Azure and perform these core tasks with sudo privileges. You will create and manage users and groups, install packages with apt and control systemd services, schedule automated tasks with cron, manage running processes, and partition, format, and mount a data disk. These skills align with the BCIT ACIT 2420 curriculum and are essential for any aspiring systems administrator or cloud engineer.

Objectives

By completing this intermediate lab, you will be able to:

• Create and manage Linux users and groups using useradd, usermod, groupadd, and passwd
• Control and inspect systemd services with systemctl and journalctl
• Install, update, and remove software packages using apt
• Schedule recurring tasks with cron and verify their execution
• Inspect and manage disk storage using df, du, lsblk, fdisk, and mount
• Monitor and manage running processes with ps, top, kill, and nice

Who is this lab for?

This lab is designed for:

• IT students studying Linux system administration, particularly those enrolled in BCIT ACIT 2420 or equivalent courses
• Aspiring system administrators who want hands-on practice with core Linux server management tasks in a cloud environment
• Cloud engineers looking to strengthen their Linux fundamentals for managing Azure-hosted virtual machines