How to solve the problems encountered when Unix migration to Linux system training

Linux system is similar to Unix system. When there is still a big difference, users who are accustomed to Unix and use Linux system will be somewhat unaccustomed. The following small series will introduce you how to solve Unix migration to Linux system training. When you encounter problems, let's get to know them.

There are a lot of difficulties in migrating Unix to Linux. Is it more difficult to train employees to migrate? Will you encounter more problems? How about backup and high availability? How do you monitor performance and tune your system? How do you ensure that your employees are provided with adequate skills training and certification?

System Management across UNIX and Linux

Don't be persuaded by anyone to think that Unix and Linux are mostly the same. In fact, they still have many differences, in some subtle and not subtle places.

The three popular UNIX systems that dominate the market are AIX, HP-UX, and Solaris, which are different in many ways. These differences include: kernel, performance monitoring, tuning commands, networking, configuration, virtualization, and other processes.

For AIX, it has a dominant GUI or SMIT (short for system management interface tools). Other UNIX-style front ends are similar to the Linux version.

Although you can use the command line to handle most AIX tasks, it's actually some tasks that are performed through SMIT, otherwise they won't be saved after a reboot. Network commands like ifconfig are a good example. On Linux, you can use ifconfig, which will be saved after rebooting.

For AIX, you can use specific commands to change kernel processes such as vmo, ioo, and schedo. For Solaris, you can use /etc/system. For Linux, you can use sysctl.

If you want to see your runlevel, on AIX and Solaris, you can type who –r. For Linux, you can use the runlevel command. When you want to check the swap space, use the lsps command on AIX, and for LINUX, you can use swapon– s or free.

When looking at file system information, use /etc/vfstab on Solaris, fstab on Linux, and /etc/filesystems on AIX.

These are some basic commands. Things can get more complicated when you work on logical volumes and file systems. Remember that you need effective training. Many vendors now offer specific custom classes for LINUX system administrators from UNIX environments. Take a look at the specific classes from your hardware vendor. IBM provides a special class for UNIX professionals called Linux Jumpstart.

Considering a Unix migration to Linux, there are some advantages to staying on the same hardware platform. Let's take a look at IBM's Power system, which can run AIX or Linux versions of Red Hat or Novell SUSE. Because whether you run AIX or Linux on the server, the virtualization engine PowerVM on the IBM Power system is the same, managing virtualization and logical partitioning on these different operating systems is the same. Only understanding a type of virtualization technology across multiple OS platforms is a big plus.

Another benefit is that on a hardware platform, you don't have to worry about endianess, which means that when you move to a different platform, it can cause serious problems. But assuming you have a large enough environment, you don't need to learn the architecture of another platform or retrain your hardware staff.

Backup and High Availability Strategies

How do you back up your system now? In most cases, you can use third-party products such as NetBackup or TSM in large enterprise IT workstations. This type of software can provide Unix and Linux clients.

If you use generic Unix tools to back up some of your system's data, for Linux systems, because Unix-specific tools won't work, you'll need to use equivalent tools instead. When using generic Unix/Linux tools, I have encountered problems such as tar and cpio between different platforms, so be careful.

As for high availability, you might use a similar tool in one place. For example, to achieve high availability, if you use Veritas on Solaris, there is also a Veritas on the same LINUX client. The same thing as IBM's PowerHA, formerly known as HACMP, is also available in the Linux version with the AIX version. The best way is to use the tools you are most familiar with if possible.

Monitoring and Performance Measurement Strategies

Performance monitoring is also different between Unix and Linux. The table below shows some of the differences between Unix and Linux performance tools and their uses. Again, training is the key.

Unix /Linux performance tools matrix

ensure adequate skills or certificate

In recent years, Linux aspects of certification may still have a long way To go, but since 1999, Red Hat has set up a Red Hat Certified Engineer or RHCE. Red Hat now offers RHCT and RHCA. For RHCE certification, you need to pass a full day of experiments, including written tests, server installations, and network tests.

The Linux Professional Institute has LPI certification, which is a neutral version designed according to the Linux standard foundation and other relevant regulations. It is divided into three levels: Level 1 is the junior administrator, Level 2 is the intermediate administrator, and Level 3 is the senior engineer and administrator. Novell has three certifications: the entry-level CLP, the engineer-level CLE, and the latest certification for the Novell Certified Linux Administrator or CLA, which proves that the certificate holder knows how to perform the day-to-day management of installing the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server network.

The above is the solution to the problems encountered when Unix migration to Linux system training. It may be a lot of uncomfortable at the beginning, but this phenomenon will be alleviated through training, and an adaptation is needed. the process of.