Linux New User Guide: 10 Things I Wish I Knew

Working with Linux servers is a fun and rewarding career. But for those getting started, the learning process can be a bit of a challenge to navigate. In this video, Jay goes over ten things he wish he knew about Linux when he first started. There's definitely potential for more, if you're interested...

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*⏰ TIME CODES*:
00:00 - Intro
00:47 - Number 1: Unused RAM is Wasted RAM
03:03 - Number 2: High CPU usage is often a good thing
04:22 - Number 3: inodes (and how that impacts available storage space)
06:51 - Number 4: The large number of Linux distributions is a GOOD thing
09:05 - Number 5: Set up LVM on every server
11:08 - Number 6: Nobody memorizes all the commands and options
14:52 - Number 7: Always have a backup distribution
17:31 - Number 8: Version control (Git, etc) isn't only useful for software engineers
19:08 - Number 9: LVM snapshots exist
20:20 - Number 10: Ensure backup jobs reference ALL disks, even those that were newly added

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[FlamingCockatiel]

1. Unused RAM is wasted RAM.
2. Sometimes high CPU usage is a good thing.
3. Inodes need to be tracked, as well as available space. df -i command is importatnt.
4. Large number of distros is good thing, a superpower. It allows you to change up the user interface.
5. Use LVM (logical volume manager) to get more control over your storage, treating multiple things as one. You can resize file systems online.
6. You don't have to memorize Linux commands. Memorize everyday ones; it's okay to look up lesser-used ones.
7. Always have a backup distro.
8. GIT version control is not just for software developers but also for system administration.
9. LVM has a snapshot feature, useful for trying new things.
10. Especially for cloud servers, take all individual volumes when backing up data.

[kjakobsen]

For years i was obsessing about have "free memory". And getting mad, that my operating system, "ate" all my memory. Untill someone, asked me why i wanted a slow inefficient computer.

[jpwillm]

Around 2002, when I was fed up with the repeated crashes of my system, I went to ask three questions on the usenet forum:
- "As a non-IT person, do you think I can install and configure a GNU/Linux system?
- Am I obliged to know by heart a myriad of magic formulas?
- Will these orders still be valid in a few years?
The old wolves reassured me, and told me that if I got into the habit of reading the manuals and getting information before doing any manipulations, things would fall into place quite naturally.
Moreover, the commands that I will have to use will be the same in ten years.
They were right, and I just jotted down some "cooking recipes". 8-)

[shawnlewis]

Thanks for being transparent about not having to memorize commands. You just lifted a huge load off of me brother. I have definitely built my own cheat sheet. Which is very helpful. As always, I love your content. Keep up the good work.

[theeddorian]

The biggest handicap I experienced with Linux, which is what I have used for years as my primary OS, was a an absence of well documented applications. That has greatly eased over the last 20 years or so, and generally anything you can do using a Windows (or Mac?) system can be done on a Linux system.

[Chalisque]

To explain the multitude of distros, I like to use a car analogy. There is one brand of engine, Linux, and a bunch of related models (aka versions). Then there are a couple of popular brands of chassis (Debian and Redhat) and a few other less common ones (Arch, Suse). On these chassis, companies then add the controls (gear stick, steering wheel, pedals) and interface, generally using off-the-shelf families of controls (KDE, Gnome, XFCE), and then add the body and styling and such. So all the cars have the same engine, and there is a small number of choices of chassis, and then each distro adds its own customisations on top of that engine and chassis. Ultimately, like driving a car, once you are comfortable with changing gear and steering, you can easily move from one car to another and only have to re-learn stuff like how to use the radio. Some cars will go fast; some will let you carry more cargo; there are vans and go-carts, and such. By comparison, Apple is like a Rolls Royce that makes three brands of cars, using entirely in-house engines, chassis, and so on, and with a policy that if the electric windows stop working, the solution is to buy a whole new car.

[lawrencedoliveiro]

1:47 The key thing to identify this situation (in the “top” display, or output from the “free” command) is to look at “available” RAM, not “free” RAM. The former includes cache usage, the latter doesn’t. So don’t worry if the latter is small, so long as the former still shows some useful amount.

[rickcontreras]

Jay, I think you’re a great teacher and I learned so much from you. Thank you for being on the channel.

[AniaKovas]

Yeah, gonna be directing my students to you. Your calm explanations are sound. Heck, I learn things and I've been around the block a few times. Thanks for putting these out.

[bobanderson]

Great video, Jay. I'm always learning things from you. It seems that you have an endless supply of Linux knowledge to share. That's OK, though; 'cause I have a pretty healthy appetite for learning those kinds of things.

Thanks for all of your videos and books. They've been a great help to me. From the Linux Mint Essentials book that got me started with Linux (back in the day); to the Mastering Ubuntu Server books of recent times...

What a long "road" we've traveled since the CP/M days.
...and you've helped to make the trip a great experience for me.

Thanks bunches, Jay.

[PoeLemic]

Hell yes. This was a great video. I wish you'd cover a lot of things you didn't know at the first. Maybe, organize them according to complexity (or career-period) versus just random topics.

[msmodaafrique]

Awesome content! Thanks so much for always delivering!

[geoptus]

Thanks very much Jay, this was very useful advice. I'm particularly interested in the LVM implementation - will definitely be checking out your content for that. 👍

[eh]

This video made me feel much better in regard to memorizing all the commands. I took the Red Hat course through my school and was overwhelmed with all the commands. Thanks.

[gregorymccoy]

Far more informative than I thought this would be. Great tips.

[LuisGalindo]

I would love a series of videos like these. Tips for current Sys Admins that are still learning.

[jfitzpatrick]

Great talk!
Glad I listened.
Thank you for sharing
your learning curve.

[effdpaul]

I use flash cards for Linux Commands & specialty terminology. I wanted to remember ... to memorize certain things because they were new to me when I first learned them, and I planned on using that info regularly. For me, repetition was the most effective memory tool for Linux.

[keltyll]

Thank you, learning so much, can't wait for part 2.

[ozmosyd]

Thank you. I have picked up some more sys admin tips and for me today was the 'tippet' on disk space. I appreciate your work muchly.