Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) is a mechanism for authenticating users. Specifically, we’re going to use the pam_time module to control timed access for users to services.

Using the pam_time module, we can set access restrictions to a system and/or specific applications at various times of the day as well as on specific days. Depending on the configuration, you can use this module to deny access to individual users based on their name, the time of day, the day of week, the service they’re applying for, and their terminal from which they’re making the request.

When using pam_time, you must terminate the syntax or rule in the/etc/security/time.conf file with a newline.

Always remeber that pound sign [#] is a comment and the system will ignore that text inline to it.

This is an example configuration file for the pam_time module.
The syntax of the lines is as follows:

services;ttys;users;times

1. The first field — services = list of PAM service names.
2. The second field — tty =logic list of terminal names.
3. The third field — user = is a logic list of users or a netgroup of users.
4. The fourth field — times =indicates the applicable times.

Here’s an example of a typical set of rules:

login ; * ; !root ; !Al0000-2400

http ; * ; !root; !Al0000-2400

ftp ; * ; !root; !Al0000-2400

These rules restrict user ron from logging on between the hours of 0800 and 2000. They also restrict http and ftp access during these hours.

Root would be able to logon at any time and browse the Internet during all times as well.

Like its many uses, Linux has a variety of printed and electronic guides to show you what to do. The specialist guides are highly detailed focusing on narrow areas of excellence. The encyclopedic guides for beginners focus on Linux fundamentals and then only introduce you to more specialized topics. Everyone can start learning this spectacular and versatile Operating System from beginner users to having the confidence of an expert.

Types of Linux:

Distribution PCLinuxOS - (Desktop Linux)
Home Page http://www.pclinuxos.com/
Mailing Lists http://docs.mypclinuxos.com/Mailing-list
Documentation http://docs.pclinuxos.com/

Distribution Ubuntu - (Desktop/Server Linux)
Home Page http://www.ubuntu.com/
Mailing Lists http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/
Documentation https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UserDocumentation

Distribution
openSUSE - (Desktop Linux)
Home Page http://www.opensuse.org/
Mailing Lists http://en.opensuse.org/Communicate/Mailinglists
Documentation http://en.opensuse.org/Documentation

Distribution Fedora Project - (Desktop Linux)
Home Page http://fedoraproject.org/
Mailing Lists http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate
Documentation http://docs.fedoraproject.org/   http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Docs

Distribution Debian GNU/Linux - (Desktop/Server Linux)
Home Page http://www.debian.org/
Mailing Lists http://lists.debian.org/
Documentation http://www.debian.org/doc/

Distribution Mandriva Linux - (Desktop Linux)
Home Page http://www.mandrivalinux.com/
Mailing Lists http://www.mandriva.com/en/mailing_lists
Documentation http://www.mandriva.com/en/community/users/documentation

Distribution CentOS - (Server Linux)

Home Page http://www.centos.org/
Mailing Lists http://www.centos.org/modules/tinycontent/
Documentation http://www.centos.org/docs/

Distribution KNOPPIX - (Desktop Linux)

Home Page http://www.knoppix.com/
Mailing Lists http://lists.debian.org/debian-knoppix/
Documentation http://www.knoppix.net/docs

This guide is for Windows Server 2003 or earlier, it will NOT work in Server 2008. The reason this won’t work in Server 2008 is that Microsoft has removed the ability for Microsoft Clustering Service (MSCS). This will work in all other versions of Windows Server that have MSCS.

Why use MSCS? Well that is an important question, MSCS is the primary clustering technology for all Windows applications, except Web technologies. This means Exchange, SQL Server, etc. While you can use IIS on <=2k3, with the provided vbs scripts in the inetsrv folder in system32, it is not recommended due to the nature of web tech. MSCS is usually configured in a Active/Passive cluster for High Availability.

First of all, install both your operating systems. For MSCS, the operating systems must be Enterprise or Datacenter level installs, MSCS is not enabled in Standard or Web Editions. At this time do NOT install your intended cluster application, you must have MSCS running before that. Shut down both of your virtual machines. Then add a SCSI drive, with independent persistent mode. Then go into advanced drive configuration and change it to an unused SCSI bus. I generally use SCSI1:x. Then edit the .vmx file for the vmware machine with Notepad or something similar. Add these lines, change the X and Y to match your scsi bus and drive number.

SCSIx:y.shared = “TRUE”

SCSIx:y.redo = “”

disk.locking = “FALSE”

Then boot up that virtual machine and initialize/format the drive. Now edit the second .vmx file and add all the files relating to the SCSIx:y drive plus the ones above. Then close the vm, if you have its view open. Double click the VM and it will re-parse the VMX, the second hard drive should show up now.

Now start the MSCS wizard and run through it on the first computer. After that is done, add the second computer to the cluster via the Add a Node wizard. Once you have the basic cluster running, do some testing. Do a move group, bring a computer down, make sure things are working as they should.

Finally, you can install your application. In my case, it is generally SQL Server 2005. You will be able to check the “Create a Failover Cluster” checkbox once MSCS is working. One interesting thing, with SQL Server 05 (not sure about earlier versions), you put the CD in only 1 of the servers in the cluster, select the member servers, and it will install on all of them automatically. Now you have a cluster working on VMWare at a fraction of the cost of doing this on physical boxes.

Epic theme? CHECK

CMS that I can use? CHECK

Stolen Content? In progress….