FA-0703DevOps, Cloud & Infrastructure

Ubuntu Administration Foundations

Linux operations, SSH, networking, containers and Nginx

Introduction

Why this course

This four-day beginner course develops practical Ubuntu administration skills in a prepared virtual-machine or server lab. It progresses from terminal operations and packages to users, networking, SSH, shell automation, Docker and Nginx.

Participants complete selected exercises and a bounded web-service project. Monitoring, troubleshooting and recovery are introduced as repeatable operational practices; the course does not claim to turn beginners into fully proficient production administrators.

Learning outcomes

Navigate the filesystem and perform common command-line file operations.
Manage packages, users, groups and selected permissions.
Configure and troubleshoot representative networking, SSH and firewall settings.
Write a small shell script and explain scheduled-task operation.
Run a simple Docker application and evaluate port exposure.
Configure a small Nginx site or reverse proxy and explain TLS prerequisites.
Inspect logs and resource usage and document selected troubleshooting/recovery procedures.

Prerequisites

Basic computer skills; prior CLI and networking exposure are helpful but not required.
Prepared Ubuntu lab access, an SSH-capable terminal and a suitable editor such as VS Code.
Network access to required repositories and lab services, rather than unrestricted Internet access.
Windows users may use a suitable VM or WSL2 for selected exercises; differences from a full server environment are explained.

Training outline

4 modules

01Day 1 — Ubuntu, terminal and packages4 topics

History and Philosophy of Linux
Ubuntu Distribution: Overview and Features
Install in a prepared virtual machine; compare dual-boot and server deployment considerations
Navigating the Ubuntu Desktop and Terminal

Command-line operations

Basic commands: ls, cd, cp, mv, mkdir, rm and nano/vim, with attention to reversible practice and scope
Filesystem Hierarchy and Path Navigation
File and Directory Operations
Selected command-line utilities, help and pipelines

Software management

Understanding Repositories
Use apt interactively and appropriate apt-get commands in automation
Managing Software Dependencies and System Updates
Repository trust, package signing and supported third-party source configuration

02Day 2 — Users, networking and SSH4 topics

Creating and Managing User Accounts
Understanding File Permissions and Ownership
Groups and Access Control Lists (ACLs)
Implementing Best Practices for System Security

Network configuration and firewall

Current network tools: ip, ss, ping and suitable route/DNS diagnostics; recognise legacy ifconfig/netstat
IP and DNS configuration with Netplan and the environment's selected network renderer
Introduction to UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall)
Securing Ubuntu with Firewall Rules

Remote access

SSH Basics: Securely Connecting to Remote Systems
Generating and Managing SSH Keys
SSH Configurations and Troubleshooting
SSH Tunnels and Port Forwarding

03Day 3 — Automation, Docker and Nginx4 topics

Basics of Shell Scripting
Writing Your First Shell Script
Scripting for Automation: Backup Scripts and Cron Jobs
Best Practices in Shell Scripting

Container fundamentals

Introduction to Containers and Docker
Installing Docker on Ubuntu
Managing Docker Images and Containers
Deploying a Simple Application in Docker

Docker-published ports interact with host firewall processing; verify exposure rather than assuming UFW alone controls it.

Web service

Web Server Basics: HTTP Protocol and Web Hosting
Installing and Configuring Nginx on Ubuntu
Setting Up a Simple Website with Nginx
TLS concepts and a Let's Encrypt demonstration where domain validation and lab access permit

04Day 4 — Monitoring, troubleshooting and project4 topics

Monitoring Tools (top, htop, vmstat)
Analyzing System Logs for Troubleshooting
Performance Tuning and Resource Management
Disk usage with df/du; inspect partition information without modifying non-lab disks

Recovery and hardening awareness

Kernel and System Updates
Recovering from Boot and System Failures
Networking Troubleshooting Techniques
Security Best Practices and System Hardening

Guided web-service project

Reviewing and Applying Course Knowledge
Deploying a Web Application using Docker and Nginx
Implementing Security Measures and Optimizations
Documentation and Best Practices for Maintenance

A programme built around your team.

Share your training goals and requirements.