PREP 2015 System Administration

Checking basic requirements

Checking basic requirements

by sam koski -
Number of replies: 6
I have a choice of two servers to host my site.  I just got into the 2nd one and want to verify that I have the proper software installed and the proper permissions.  I am not always sure of how to check everything.
It seems that I have 
git: v1.7.11.3
perl: v5.10.1
python: 2.6.6
installed.

I am not so sure about which linux I have and if apache is present.  Here is the output for two commands I found on the internet

uname -a
Linux host406.hostmonster.com 3.12.35.1418868052 #1 SMP Wed Dec 17 20:04:02 CST 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

apachectl -V
Server version: Apached/2.2.29 (Unix)

One last thing.
Is there a SAFE way to check for root access?  (Sudo returns nothing)
I don't want to make too many changes until I understand what is happening a little better.



In reply to sam koski

Re: Checking basic requirements

by Jason Aubrey -
Hi Sam,

This all looks fine to me as far as your system software. What version of linux is it? It may not have sudo installed by default in which case you can either install it or use su to gain root access.

Jason
In reply to Jason Aubrey

Re: Checking basic requirements

by sam koski -
cat version
Linux version 3.12.35.1418868052 (root@openvpn) (gcc version 4.4.7 20120313 (Red Hat 4.4.7-11) (GCC) ) #1 SMP Wed Dec 17 20:04:02 CST 2014

I don't know how to check sudo or to install it.  I have been on the internet all day trying to find information.  Most things I have found seem to be off the point.  Is there any simple way to check root access/ sudo?

 I typed in the following at got this result.

sudo mkdir test
sudo: unable to stat /etc/sudoers: No such file or directory
sudo: no valid sudoers sources found, quitting
sudo: unable to initialize policy plugin


springss@springssoft.com [/]# su
-bash: su: command not found

In reply to sam koski

Re: Checking basic requirements

by Michael Gage -
http://www.tecmint.com/su-vs-sudo-and-how-to-configure-sudo-in-linux/

You might be able to  use the command visudo (for vi sudo) to create the sudo file as well as to edit it.

If visudo isn't available try the fix here:
https://erikeldridge.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/tutorial-visudo-command-not-found/

yum -y install sudo

I'm not an expert and I haven't tested it but it seems like it should work.

You might have to become su root first in order to use yum.

/bin/su root 

might work.  I'm not sure where the su command is stored on redhat. 

In reply to Michael Gage

Re: Checking basic requirements

by Jason Aubrey -
Also, in addition to installing sudo as Mike suggested above, I believe on RedHat you can log in directly as root. The username is root and the password is whatever you set the administrator password to be when you did the installation.
In reply to Michael Gage

Re: Checking basic requirements

by sam koski -
I have been studying the info online.
Using that information I was able to create a user AND delete a user using sudo.
I think that that means I have some of the privileges that I need.
Does that sound right?
In reply to sam koski

Re: Checking basic requirements

by sam koski -
I think I am going to install a local copy of linux so that I can see what works.
I don't know if I have root or sudo and that may be what is messing me up.

I have a site on Hostmonster and on Amazon.  In each, I am able to log on, and change directories.  I created and deleted a few test directories.  Other than that, I don't know how to find out what I can do or what I am limited to do.

I assume that I will be able to do the entire install process with linux in a dos box so I can at least go through those steps.   I assume that I can install and test WebWork locally with a localhost? I know how to work with the installed version of WebWork so I don't need to much practice with that.

I have been scanning the information on Amazon and Hostmonster, but haven't been able to convince myself that I have or can get root.

My tech guy is supposedly working on getting me a site through the school but I haven't heard anything definite so I probabily won't have that site until after Monday.