2017-02-22 (last updated at July 2nd, 2018) Michael BoelenSystem Administration, Time Leave a comment

Configure the time zone (TZ) on Linux systems

Having the right time set on a Linux system is important for data synchronization, forensics, and troubleshooting. Next step is to configure the correct time zone. This article will help you: See the current time configuration Learn how to configure the time zone Time zone information We will have a look on how to check and configure the time zone on Linux systems. Show current time zone Most new Linux distributions use systemd now. With the timedatectl command we can quickly see the […]

2016-10-31 (last updated at July 3rd, 2018) Michael BoelenLinux 5 comments

Understanding memory information on Linux systems

Every operating system needs memory to store program code segments and data. This is also true for Linux systems. The problem: there is a lot of information available regarding memory usage and its behavior. Let’s discover how Linux manages its memory and how we can gather memory information. After reading this guide, you will be able to: Show the total amount of memory Display all memory details Understand the details listed in /proc/meminfo Use tools like dmesg, dmidecode, free, and vmstat […]

2016-09-11 (last updated at July 1st, 2018) Michael BoelenSystem Administration, Tools One comment

How to use grep (with examples)

The grep command is one of the oldest tools for Linux and other platforms. Actually, it is older than Linux itself. It was written by Ken Thompson more than 45 years ago! The name grep stands for “globally regular expression print”. This name comes from its predecessor ed and the specific mode in which you would globally search, using a regular expression, and print the output. The related command was “g/re/p”. For more history, have a look at the Wikipedia entry. […]

2016-02-29 (last updated at March 3rd, 2016) Michael BoelenSystem Administration 2 comments

Mosh, the SSH Alternative Option for System Administration

Reasons to use Mosh instead of SSH Mosh, or mobile shell, is the ideal tool for remote system administration. While SSH is great, Mosh beats it in several areas. Let’s dive into the reasons why it makes sense to learn about Mosh. Pros Session Resumption Remember the last time your connection was interrupted? It it frustrating and sometimes even leads to losing some of your work. The stable TCP connection is not always a blessing. Mosh comes to the rescue, especially […]