Remote BEL Server admin
From BEL
Contents |
Two great ways, one great server
Linux is a very flexible, stable and powerful OS. it has many tools available to keep it running smoothly and easily.
Sitting in front of a computer and working on it is one thing, but what about sitting at another computer, down the hall or across town? You need to make some modifications or check in on something and you can't really get there right now. That's when remote administration tools come to the rescue.
Linux has two very reliable and easy ways to admin your computer, no matter where you are.
One is the web/browser based Webmin app. It allows you to admin and control most everything from your browser, no matter where you are.
The other is a long standing and common tool called ssh. It has been one of unix/Linux's greatest tools for remote admin for a very long time.
When you use a BEL Server, such as BEL Server Basic, you have immediate access to these tools and others, right at your fingertips.
Webmin
You can learn more about Webmin here Webmin intro. It is one of the building blocks used in BEL Servers.
Once on your BEL server ( or any Linux machine running a web server ) you can go to "https://localhost:10000" or if you are on the web, across town, "https://www.myserver.com:10000"
Once there, you will see the Webmin login screen, asking for a username and password. by default, for trial purposes, it is root/root. Once in, you will want to create a webmin user and change root passwords.
After login, there is a handy system info screen and a menu on the left side for you to explore all the things you can do and control with webmin. witch is most everything. You want to be very very careful what you do here, especially if logged in with root privileges. You can break a system fast as pushing the enter button if you aren't alert.
All this control, in a browser using SSL, which provides a secure admin session from anywhere.
SSH
There are numerous books and docs about SSH everywhere. One good place to start learning about SSH is here OpenSSH.
Basically, for those inclined to use the command line, ssh provides you with complete, direct access to the host. You can log in by typing "#ssh user@192.168.1.400" (for example). It will ask you for that users password, after successfully providing that, you are in. Remember, when you start the ssh server, you must be sure that all user you expect to use SSH have access to log in via ssh, or it won't work.
Once in with SSH, you now have a fully capable console ready to do anything you need to do, as if you were right in front of that computer.
A very neat trick available with SSH is the -Y (#SSH -Y user@192.168.1.400, for example), it gives the opportunity to use GUI apps from the host on the remote machine you are working from.
So, even though you are presented with a standard console to work from ( for example):
[root@localhost ~]#
You can enter the name of a GUI app you like to use and it will "pop up" on your remote machine as if you were using the host.
If you are using a BEL Server, which is based on PCLinuxOS, you might want to access the Controll Pael. so at the prompt, enter pcc:
[root@localhost ~]#pcc
Hit enter and almost instantly, the GUI pops up on your screen, but for the host you are working on, wherever it is.
As long as one knows the name of the app they want to use, it can be opened in your remote instance.
The next best thing to being there
Remote administration is not needed for everyone in every situation. If you need a way to control a computer and can't be in front of it, these methods are two of the best and easiest ways to accomplish it.
This little bit of information is only a scratch on the surface and cannot replace reading up on the topics and actual experience. It is a good way to get started using some solid, dependable tools to make your task to admin a remote server or computer a lot easier. Which of course, makes you a more productive person and seeming to be able to be in two places at once.
