CompTIA Linux+ prep
You work through the Linux+ exam domains on a real Linux server: hardware, storage, security, scripting and troubleshooting tasks.
Level 201 · 23 lessons · 21 practice labs
Lessons
System management
- System management: You will review the main exam topics of Linux system management, such as the boot process, kernel modules, and package and service management.
- Files and directories: You will consolidate the Linux file system layout, file and directory operations and ways of finding files, as the exam needs.
- Identifying hardware with lspci, lsusb and lscpu: You will list the hardware installed in a server with lspci, lsusb, lscpu and dmidecode.
- Device management with udev and /dev: You will see how a plugged-in device appears under /dev and how a udev rule gives it a stable name.
- RAID levels and flexible storage with LVM: You will explain the difference between RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10 and when to use LVM or mdadm.
- Kernel parameters and sysctl: You will read and change the running kernel’s settings with sysctl and make them permanent.
- Time zone, clock and localisation settings: You will change and verify the time zone, language and keyboard settings with timedatectl and localectl.
- Short task: detect a new disk, give it a persistent name and pin a kernel setting
Security
- Permissions and security: You will be able to explain file permissions, user privileges and server hardening basics, and choose the right setting.
- Password policy and sudo settings with PAM: You will set password length and attempt-limit rules with PAM modules and review sudo logs.
- firewalld, ufw and iptables: which tool and when: You will compare the three firewall tools and write the same rule in each, for example blocking ICMP.
- Mandatory access control: SELinux and AppArmor: You will compare SELinux contexts with AppArmor profiles and see how each protects a web server.
- Encryption at rest and in transit: LUKS, GPG, SSH: You will tell how data is protected on disk and on the network using LUKS, GPG and SSH examples.
- Short task: set a password policy and a firewall on a shared server
Services, automation and troubleshooting
- Services and networking: You will revisit managing services on Linux and configuring and checking network settings, along with the exam topics.
- Scripting and automation: You will learn to automate repetitive jobs with simple shell scripts and explain the automation concepts the exam asks about.
- Containers and virtualisation: You will be able to explain the difference between containers and virtual machines and basic container operations at exam level.
- The idea of configuration management: Ansible and Puppet: You will see why a tool, not hand edits, should apply one setting to hundreds of servers, and how Ansible and Puppet differ.
- Backup strategy: tar, rsync and restore testing: You will know full, incremental and differential backups and test them with tar and rsync restores.
- Troubleshooting: You will practise finding and fixing Linux boot, network, disk and permission problems with a systematic approach, using exam scenarios.
- Short task: schedule a script that takes a backup and tests the restore
Exam preparation
- Exam strategy and practice questions: You will recognise exam question patterns, learn to manage your time and use practice questions to see which areas need work.
- Capstone: make a server you inherited secure and documented
Practice labs
- Take a hardware inventory of an inherited server: From lscpu, lspci and lsusb output you record the processor, network card and attached USB devices in an inventory file.
- Find the driver for an unrecognised network card: On a Kırlangıç Matbaa server you identify a network card with no interface using lspci, load the right kernel module and bring the interface up.
- Give a barcode scanner group access with udev: You write a udev rule keyed on vendor ID so that a serial device on a warehouse terminal is usable only by the warehouse group and test it by re-plugging.
- Read the state of a RAID array running a disk short: From /proc/mdstat and mdadm output you find which disk dropped out and what level the array runs at and report it.
- Build LVM on top of a mirror: On Yakamoz Su Ürünleri's stock server you build RAID 1 from two loop devices, create a volume group and logical volume on it, then format and mount it.
- Swap a failed RAID member and grow the space: On a running system you replace a failed RAID member, and once the resync ends you grow the logical volume and file system without downtime.
- Fix the wrong time zone and locale: You fix the time zone and locale of a server that writes its logs three hours behind and verify it with the date output.
- Turn on IP forwarding persistently: On a server that will act as a gateway you make ip_forward persistent under sysctl.d and show it survives a reboot.
- Resolve sysctl files overriding each other: You find from the load order which file overrides a kernel setting that reverts on reboot and reduce it to one correct source.
- Give an operator sudo for the backup script only: You write a sudoers.d file letting the night operator run only the backup script without a password and check it with visudo.
- Set password length and history with PAM: On a shared server you set a policy of at least 12 characters, character classes and no reuse of the last five passwords and show a weak password is refused.
- Weed out over-broad sudo rules: In sudoers files accumulated over years you find rules granting ALL or a shell escape and cut them down to least privilege.
- Open only web and SSH with ufw: On a Debian-based server you enable ufw in default-deny mode and test that every port except 22 and 443 is closed.
- Create a zone for the office network in firewalld: On an RPM-based server you define a permanent zone that accepts the database port only from the office subnet and test it from two sources.
- Untangle two firewalls running at once: On a server cutting traffic unexpectedly because hand-written iptables rules and firewalld are both active you find the clash and settle on one tool.
- Move an AppArmor profile from complain to enforce: You read a service's profile state with aa-status, switch it to enforce mode and verify the service keeps running.
- Open an encrypted volume for customer data: You encrypt a loop device with LUKS, format and mount it and show the content is unreadable once it is closed.
- Get a service blocked by mandatory access control running: You find in the audit log the denial stopping a service after its data moved to a new directory and fix the profile or context without disabling protection.
- Archive /etc with a date stamp: You archive /etc with its permissions into a compressed, dated file and extract a single file back out of it.
- Take incremental daily backups with rsync: You copy Sarmaşık Yayınevi's typesetting folder as hard-linked incremental backups for three days and show only the changes take up space.
- Bring a deleted folder back from backup and prove it: You restore an accidentally deleted project folder from the last good backup, compare hashes and record the recovery time.
About this course
You work through the Linux+ exam domains on a real Linux server: hardware, storage, security, scripting and troubleshooting tasks.
What you will learn
- System management
- Security
- Services, automation and troubleshooting
- Exam preparation
Prerequisites
Finishing the level 101 courses of the same path, or knowing those topics, is enough.
Lab environment
Lessons run in your own Kali Linux terminal in the browser, connected to a private lab network. Nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this course right for my level?
- The course is at level 201; it assumes you know the topics of the lower-level courses.
- Is there anything to install?
- No. Every lesson runs in your own lab environment that opens in the browser.
- How do lessons work?
- Each lesson has 8 to 10 steps and a short quiz. Early steps show the command to type, later steps give less help; if two attempts fail, the solution opens.
- Can I try it for free?
- Yes. The first three lessons of every course are free.