LINUX FOR NETWORK

ENGINEER
LINUX BASICS

21-APRIL-2025

STRUCTURE
LINUX

1 LINUX | By Meraj Hassan – Keep Calm & Automation On!

INTRODUCTION - WHAT IS LINUX?
Linux is the operating system of the internet. From network devices to cloud servers and
automation controllers, Linux powers them all. For network engineers, understanding Linux isn’t
optional — it’s foundational.

WHY LINUX?

• Used in routers (Cisco IOS XR, JunOS), firewalls, load balancers

• Core OS for servers, automation, and DevOps
• Flexible, open-source, scriptable
• Supports powerful networking tools: tcpdump, nmap, wireshark, netstat, etc.

In this guide, we’ll explore everything from distro selection to permissions, from scripting to
automation.

2 LINUX | By Meraj Hassan – Keep Calm & Automation On!

VISUAL GUIDE TO LINUX PERMISSIONS, FILE SYSTEM &
OWNERSHIP
Understanding file permissions and the Linux filesystem hierarchy is critical for both system security
and automation scripts. This visual diagram provides a comprehensive view of how Linux handles:

FILE SYSTEM HIERARCHY

• Root (/) is the starting point of everything.

• Key directories like /bin, /etc, /home, /var, /usr, and /tmp organize the OS and user data.

PERMISSION BITS BREAKDOWN

Linux permissions are expressed using a symbolic and numeric format:

• -rwxr-xr-- = file with user (rwx), group (r-x), others (r--)

• This translates to read, write, and execute rights for different users.

Symbol Meaning Applies To

r Read access User, Group, Others
w Write access User, Group, Others
x Execute access User, Group, Others

Use chmod to change permissions:

chmod 754 file.sh

3 LINUX | By Meraj Hassan – Keep Calm & Automation On!

CHOOSING THE RIGHT LINUX DISTRO

There are hundreds of Linux distributions. Here’s how to choose based on purpose:

Distro Based On Use Case Best For

Ubuntu Debian Labs, cloud, DevOps Beginner-friendly
Debian - Stable routers/firewalls Minimalist systems
CentOS/AlmaLinux RHEL Data center, enterprise use Red Hat environments
Kali Linux Debian Security, pen testing Ethical hacking
OpenWRT Custom Embedded routers IoT, firmware
Arch Linux - Learning Linux deeply Advanced users

Example: Want to use Ansible, Git, Docker? Go for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

Installation tools:

• Rufus (Windows) to create bootable USB

• dd command (Linux/Mac)
• Try inside VirtualBox/VMware for a lab

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TEXT EDITORS

A network engineer often needs to modify configuration files, create scripts, or troubleshoot logs.
That’s where text editors come in.

Popular Text Editors:

1. Nano (Simple & Friendly)

nano /etc/network/interfaces

• Ctrl+O: Save
• Ctrl+X: Exit

2. Vim (Powerful but has learning curve)

vim /etc/hosts

• i: Insert mode
• Esc: Exit insert
• :wq: Save and quit

3. VS Code (Graphical, Modern IDE)

sudo snap install code --classic

Use Vim for remote SSH sessions; use VS Code for local DevOps scripting.

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LINUX FUNDAMENTALS
Understanding Linux begins with mastering its core commands and internal logic. Linux is a
command-line-first OS, meaning its real power is unlocked through the terminal.

1. NAVIGATING THE FILESYSTEM

pwd # Show current directory path
cd /etc # Move to /etc directory
cd ~ # Go to user's home directory
cd .. # Move one directory up
cd - # Jump to previous directory
ls # List files
ls -l # List with permissions, owner, size, date
ls -a # Include hidden files
ls -lh # Human-readable sizes

Tip: Use tree to view folder structure visually.

sudo apt install tree

tree /etc | head -20

2. VIEWING AND EDITING FILES

cat /etc/os-release # Show contents of file
less /var/log/syslog # View long file, scrollable
head -n 10 file.txt # Show first 10 lines
tail -n 20 file.txt # Show last 20 lines
tail -f /var/log/auth.log # Live monitor logs

less allows scroll with spacebar (down) and b (back).

3. CREATING FILES & DIRECTORIES

touch myfile.txt # Create new empty file
mkdir backups # Create directory
mkdir -p configs/interfaces # Nested directory creation

-p ensures parent directories are created if missing.

4. FILE TYPE AND CONTENT INSPECTION

file /bin/bash # See file type (binary, text, etc.)
wc -l filename.txt # Count lines
wc -w filename.txt # Count words
stat filename.txt # Detailed file info (modification time, etc.)

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 5. SEARCHING FOR FILES AND CONTENT
FIND FILES:
find /etc -name "hosts" # Exact match
find . -type f -name "*.conf" # All .conf files in current dir

SEARCH INSIDE FILES:

grep "interface" /etc/network/interfaces
grep -rn "hostname" /etc # Recursive + show line number

📌 Use egrep or grep -E for extended regex:

grep -E "eth[0-9]+" interfaces.txt

6. UNDERSTANDING COMMAND STRUCTURE

Most commands follow this format:

command [options] [arguments]

EXAMPLE:
ls -al /etc
# command = ls
# option = -a (all files), -l (long format)
# argument = /etc (directory)

7. WILDCARDS & EXPANSION

Wildcards help target multiple files:

ls *.conf # All .conf files

ls a* # Files starting with 'a'

Brace expansion:

mkdir folder_{1..5} # Creates folder_1 to folder_5

8. KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS (COMMAND LINE EFFICIENCY)

Shortcut Action
Tab Auto-complete
Ctrl + C Kill current process
Ctrl + D Log out / end input
Ctrl + U Delete whole line

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 Ctrl + A Move to beginning of line
Ctrl + E Move to end of line
!! Run last command again
!ssh Run last command starting with ssh

9. ALIASES (CUSTOMIZE YOUR SHELL)

Aliases save time:

alias ll='ls -alF'

alias gs='git status'
alias pingg='ping google.com'

To make them permanent, add to ~/.bashrc:

echo "alias cls='clear'" >> ~/.bashrc

source ~/.bashrc

10. SHELL ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

echo $HOME
echo $USER
echo $PATH
export MYVAR="NetworkEngineer"

To persist across sessions, add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.profile.

11. GETTING HELP

man ls # Manual page

ls --help # Brief help
whatis grep # One-line description
which tcpdump # Path to binary

Use man -k <keyword> to search man pages:

man -k network

PRO TIPS FOR NETWORK ENGINEERS:

• Always use less or grep when analyzing log files.

• Use alias for long commands you run daily (e.g., BGP traceroutes).
• Combine tools in pipelines:

netstat -tunap | grep :22 | less

8 LINUX | By Meraj Hassan – Keep Calm & Automation On!

UNDERSTANDING THE LINUX FILE SYSTEM

/
├── bin/ → Essential binaries (e.g., ls, cp)
├── etc/ → System configs (e.g., networking)
├── home/ → User home directories
├── root/ → Root user’s home
├── usr/ → User applications
├── var/ → Logs, spools
├── tmp/ → Temporary files
├── dev/ → Devices (e.g., /dev/sda)

Commands:

df -h # Disk usage
du -sh * # Size of current dir
mount # Mounted filesystems

/etc/ is critical for sysadmins and neteng — store configs like DNS, network, sshd.

FILE TOOLS, OWNERSHIP, PERMISSIONS

Use ls -l to view permissions:

-rwxr-xr-- 1 root root 1234 Apr 20 file.sh

Meaning:

• - : Regular file
• rwx : Owner can read/write/execute
• r-x : Group can read/execute
• r-- : Others can only read

Ownership Commands:

chown netadmin:neteng file.txt # Change owner

chmod 755 file.txt # rwx for owner, rx for others

Use umask to define default permissions.

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COPY, MOVE, DELETE FILES
Copy files

cp file.txt /backup/
cp -r configs/ /etc/ # Recursive copy

Move files

mv file.txt /var/tmp/
mv *.log /var/logs/

Delete files

rm file.txt
rm -rf /tmp/old_logs/

Deletion is permanent — no Recycle Bin. Use trash-cli if needed:

sudo apt install trash-cli

trash-put file.txt

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USERS, GROUPS & PASSWORDS
Linux is a multi-user OS.

Create users:

sudo adduser netadmin

sudo passwd netadmin

Groups:

sudo groupadd neteng

sudo usermod -aG neteng netadmin

File to know:

• /etc/passwd – user accounts

• /etc/shadow – encrypted passwords
• /etc/group – group memberships

View info:

id netadmin
groups netadmin

PERMISSIONS DEEP DIVE

OCTAL VALUES
Symbol Meaning Value
r Read 4
w Write 2
x Execute 1

chmod 755 file.sh # Owner rwx, Group rx, Others rx

chmod 600 config.cfg # Only owner can read/write

SYMBOLIC MODE:
chmod u+x script.sh # Add execute to user
chmod go-rwx file.txt # Remove all access from group and others

Use stat filename to see detailed permission + ACLs.

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PROCESSES
Linux manages processes with IDs (PIDs).

View Processes:

ps aux | grep ssh

top # Live usage
htop # Better UI

Kill Processes:

kill 1234 # Send SIGTERM

kill -9 1234 # Force kill (SIGKILL)

Background Jobs:

./long_job.sh &
jobs
fg %1 # Resume job

nohup and screen let you run persistent processes over SSH.

INSTALLING PACKAGES
APT (Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt update

sudo apt install net-tools curl
sudo apt remove apache2

YUM/DNF (Red Hat)

sudo yum install tcpdump

sudo dnf remove nginx

Search for packages:

apt-cache search nmap

Use snap and flatpak for containerized applications.

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BUILD A NETWORK TOOLBOX
sudo apt install rsyslog
sudo nano /etc/rsyslog.conf

Enable UDP logging:

module(load="imudp")
input(type="imudp" port="514")

Restart:

sudo systemctl restart rsyslog

Check logs:

tail -f /var/log/syslog

Configure routers to send syslog to this server.

BASH SCRIPTING FOR NETWORKING

Script: IP Interface Reporter

#!/bin/bash
echo "Checking all interfaces..."
ip -brief addr show | grep -v lo | while read line; do
echo $line
done

Save it as interfaces.sh:

chmod +x interfaces.sh
./interfaces.sh

Automate:

crontab -e
# Add:
0 7 * * * /home/user/scripts/interfaces.sh >> /home/user/logs/report.log

13 LINUX | By Meraj Hassan – Keep Calm & Automation On!

CONCLUSION: YOUR LINUX JOURNEY BEGINS HERE
You’ve just explored a deep dive into the Linux universe — not as a generic user, but as a network
engineer with a mission: automation, DevOps, visibility, and control over infrastructure.

WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED

• Mastered Linux distributions and picked the right one for network and automation labs
• Gained fluency in navigation, file systems, and file permissions — the backbone of Linux
• Learned how to create, move, edit, and search through files like a sysadmin
• Understood how users, groups, and permissions work — critical for securing multi-user
environments
• Used real-world networking tools: tcpdump, nmap, iperf, rsyslog, and even wrote your first
bash script
• Practiced package management, process handling, and text editing with confidence

WHY THIS MATTERS

In today's world, networking is not just cables and routing protocols — it’s automation,
configuration management, cloud provisioning, container orchestration, and observability. And behind
all of that? Linux.

Whether you're:

• Troubleshooting packet drops with tcpdump

• Writing Ansible playbooks to configure routers
• Running Docker containers for NetBox or Grafana
• Monitoring logs from routers via a Linux syslog server

Linux is the core toolset that connects everything.

14 LINUX | By Meraj Hassan – Keep Calm & Automation On!