open source tool Tag Index
Linux admins looking for an easy way to set hard and soft limits for users will find much to like about the pam_limits module. With pam_limits, you can set parameters on system resources on a per-user (or per-group) basis for all variables--from the maximum number of files a user can have open to the amount of CPU time.
Tags: open source tool, tip of the trade, Linux Server Management
For admins who work with Debian-based systems, the basics dpkg and APT's tools are old hat. For a richer user experiences, like knowing which packages have release-critical bugs, hog the most disk space and so on, Debian Goodies is a set of utilities that's good to know.
Tags: Linux, Debian, open source tool, OS, tip of the trade
Initially developed to limit resource usage in the Linux kernel, cgroups can do much more than that. Unfortunately, as handy as they are, cgroups are neither straightforward nor user friendly. Scaling the learning curve to set up and manage them is well worth it, however. These basic tips will get you started.
Tags: Linux, open source software, open source tool, tip of the trade, server os
Yum is one of the most widely used package management tools, but many users don't know that Yum has a plugin system to extend its capabilities. Learn how to add some very useful features by extending this open source tool.
Tags: Linux, open source software, open source tool, Fedora, tip of the trade
GNU Screen is incredibly helpful, but like any tool, it must be running to be of use. Rather than starting a job and thinking, 'I wish I'd started Screen first,' why not configure Screen so it starts by default when you log in to your server? Here's how.
Tags: open source, open source tool, tip of the trade, screen, GNU