Maintaining a Computer Lab (LTSP)

There are a lot of suggestions to make when maintaining a Linux Lab. Feel free to use this page as a resource when maintaining your Linux Lab via LTSP.

About Computer Lab Maintainance

I often tell my students, "If you really want to learn about Linux system administration, create a Linux computer lab (via LTSP), and volunteer to provide support for that lab" ...

Linux system administration can be a number of task which may include:

• Checking / maintaining smooth operation of the server / workstations (run benchmarks)
• Replace defective server / workstation hardware
• Perform computer hardware upgrades
• Install applications
• Upgrade Linux OS, Upgrade applications
• Create / Remove / Suspend Linux computer accounts
• Create / Enforce Acceptable Use Policy of Computer Lab
• Maintain security (from within / outside) the computer lab
• Write programs (including shell scripts) to automate routine tasks

As the saying goes "necessity is the mother of invention", and when you set up a system to support, users will ask you questions which will encourage you to automate or fix problems, instead of you having to think of what to automate by yourself. There is simply no better experience (other than working for a company in IT)...

Ubuntu LTSP Documentation (General Reference)

Here is a link to Edubuntu's Documentation of the LTSP server: http://doc.ubuntu.com/edubuntu/edubuntu/handbook/C/server.html

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