ST: Unix Systems Administration Final Exam

Spring 1995

This final exam is a take home final. It is due Monday, May 8, 11:59 PM. Exams submitted after this date will be subject to a 1/168% penalty per hour late. No midterms will be accepted after 11:59 AM Wednesday, May 10 unless special arrangements are made in advance, with the instructor. The answers to this final are expected to conform to my Assignment Submission Guidelines.
5 pts.
What security problems are created when users are granted slip or ppp access to a system? What can be done to eliminate or decrease this problems?
5 pts.
There are various directories on a unix system, such as /tmp and /usr/tmp, where users have permission to create files. Discuss potential problems that these directories present and strategies for dealing with these problems. You should also discuss the "costs" of your solutions.
6 pts.
Discuss at least three benefits of automating systems management tasks.
5 pts.
Using the CRYPT BREAKERS WORKBENCH, installed in /users/sys/bennett/public/cbw, decode the file /users/sys/bennett/public/question4. Discuss the implications of this utility.
4 pts.
What are the effects of the following lines in a sendmail.cf file?
6 pts.
Create a utility which will monitor disk space. This utility should notify a list of users when the free space on a monitored disk partition drops below a given level.
6 pts.
Assume that you use the Towers of Hanoi Dump Sequence, as outlined on page 188 of your book, to do backups. In addition assume you start at the level 0 dump on the first of each month. What are the minimum and maximum number of dump sets that you must use to restore all files on a disk? On which days do these occur? What differences would there be between the restored file system and the original file system?
4 pts.
What is the relationship between the major and minor numbers for a device file (/dev) and the physical device (a scsi drive)?
6 pts.
What are the steps in an ascii terminal based login process? How is this different from an Xterminal login process? What makes it possible for a user to obtain multiple logins, including logins on remote machines, in an Xterminal base login even though they only give their password once?
3 pts.
What are the benefits of standardizing the setup of all machines in a network?

Extra Credit Section

Each of the following is worth one point on this test. Total test scores may exceed 100%. You should provide both an answer and the source for the answer for each question. Incorrect answers will not be charged penalty points.

  • What, other than a mail notification program, is/was biff?
  • What can you do to a file system that you can't do to a fish?
  • What life form is official permitted to carry packets?
  • Where did AWK get it's name?