Re: [PLUG] favorite admin tools

[jeff <jeffv@op.net>]

Ron Kaye Jr wrote:
> hello all sys admin types
> do you have a set of favorite linux admin tools that you would recommend?
> like nagios, etc

run while you still can!

That aside, my little domain is primarily the Evil OS, but I use linux 
where I can.

ntop - has its own ethernet card, which goes to a switch port that 
mirrors the firewallgtb7;y89i0.op'=[

in case you're wondering, the slightly advanced spelling of firewall 
above was caused by my dog.  He doesn't realize that laptop means 
computer, not Dog Help Surf.  Lap isn't big enough.  Plus I didn't 
purchase Dell's Cocker Coverage, which would have covered the keys he 
just ripped right out of the keyboard in an effort to get up on my lap.
He got the k key so badly messed up I can't get it back on.  No doubt he 
thinks K is for Kat (and he wants to be an only child).

vmplayer - perfect for all those prebuilt appliances I couldn't 
otherwise configure if my life depended on it.  Also great for trying 
out other versions of linux (or Windows, if you must).

since I'm home, I can't remember the name of the program I use every 
single day as a simple network access control variant.  It pings, it 
discovers, it does almost everything.  As soon as someone plugs their 
laptop into the network, I get a pop-up.  Even the Windows guys are 
impressed.  Autoscan ... that's it.  It's a hair quirky, not to mention 
French, but I love it.

The Dude - I'm not kidding, that's what it's called.  Technically it's 
for Win but runs under linux just fine.  This free network monitoring 
program does more than five figure software I have evaluated.  Out of 
the box, it will discover and map your network, including svcs on 
servers.  You can even get it to monitor disk space.  It watches my 
network and calls me if anything goes wrong.  Impresses the hell out of 
bosses due to colorful display.

nessus and some of the others are good, but I don't get much more value 
than Dude.

syslog, logwatch, (still looking for something more graphical)
vinagre
filezilla - ftp+sftp
nmap - just in case (don't forget various GUI front ends)
wireshark
etherape - this never fails to impress people, even if you don't use it
snort - I ran it via VM.  Very cool.

Good luck!



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