Issue #141 / Aug 2012

The Fabric Python library makes it extremely easy to create repeatable scripts of commands over SSH to any number of servers.

The virtualization breakthrough has not reduced the number and diversity of operating systems that admins must install and manage. Uranos server sets out to give administrators of complex operating system zoos more freedom.

The graphical tool QPS frees admins from Kafkaesque ambiguities about the cause, history, and side effects of running processes. Depending on the view, either clarity or detailed information dominate the scene.

Klaus Knopper is the creator of Knoppix and co-founder of LinuxTag expo. He currently works as a teacher, programmer, and consultant. If you have a configuration problem, or if you just want to learn more about how Linux works, send your questions to: klaus@linux-magazine.com

Granting root access, even temporarily, is rife with danger. Capabilities could help.

Thanks to powerful hardware, in-memory databases run without accessing mass memory devices, which means they handle transactions and evaluations at high speed, introducing a paradigm shift in the database market.

Nesting of hypervisors, known as a nested virtualization, makes it possible to set up a complete virtualization scenario with a data center, storage, and high-availability functions on a laptop. In this article, we show you how, with Linux iSCSI and free VMware trial versions.

Clonezilla makes backing up and restoring your system an easy affair that only involves a few key strokes. A homegrown solution reduces the time and effort to the act of slotting in a CD, on which you previously burned a Perl script.

Wodim works behind the scenes in popular CD/ DVD-burning software, but it’s even more powerful at the command line.

The Byobu session manager extends the shell, adding a range of useful functions, such as splitting the screen, running programs in the background, or organizing programs in tabs. In particular, administrators who rely on SSH will appreciate Byobu.