The official SUSE Linux guide to mastering Linux administration. Deploy, secure, and manage SLES 16 servers while preparing for the SCA certification

Key Features

• Build real-world SLES 16 sysadmin skills through hands-on tasks and examples
• Secure and optimize enterprise Linux systems using mcphost, cockpit, firewalld, SELinux, and system roles
• Prepare for the SUSE Certified Administrator (SCA) exam with guided exercises

Book Description

Mastering enterprise Linux administration can be overwhelming without guidance, especially for those targeting the SUSE Certified Administrator (SCA) certification or managing critical IT infrastructures. This practical guide offers the complete skillset required to confidently operate, secure, and maintain SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 16.

Written by senior SUSE product experts, this book helps you deploy physical and cloud systems, configure software and networking, secure services using firewalld and SELinux, and manage storage using BTRFS and LVM. With step-by-step instructions, real-world examples, and detailed chapters on automation with system roles and containers with Podman, you’ll build confidence across core Linux administration topics. You’ll also gain hands-on practice with system snapshots, kernel tuning, and AI with mcphost. It also includes a brief introduction to SLES 4 SAP-specific features. You'll learn how to configure services, harden systems, automate infrastructure with tools like Agama, Cockpit, and System Roles.

This is the only official guide for SLE administrators and engineers, providing trusted insight you will not find anywhere else. By the end, you will be well-equipped to manage SLES systems in enterprise environments and approach the SCA certification with confidence.

What you will learn

• Install and configure SLES 16 on physical and cloud platforms
• Manage users, permissions, and network settings
• Secure systems using firewalld and SELinux
• Administer remote access with SSH, Cockpit, and tunnels
• Use Agentic AI with mcphost
• Handle storage with BTRFS, LVM, and NFS
• Tune system performance and kernel parameters
• Use automation tools like Ansible and system roles
• Deploy and manage containers using Podman

Who this book is for

This book is for system administrators, platform engineers, DevOps professionals, developers, and certification aspirants looking to strengthen their Linux expertise, prepare for the SUSE Certified Administrator (SCA) exam, and gain practical skills for managing IT infrastructures. It is especially valuable for those working with SAP environments on Linux, where reliability and performance are critical. Prior Linux knowledge isn’t required, but familiarity with basic IT concepts will be helpful.

Table of Contents

Part 1: System Administration: Software, User, Network, and Service Management

Chapter 1: Getting SLES 16 Up and Running (Physical and Cloud)

Chapter 2: Running Basic Commands and Simple Shell Scripts

Chapter 3: Managing Regular Operations with Tools

Chapter 4: Securing the System with Users, Groups, and Permissions

Chapter 5: Enabling Network Connectivity

Chapter 6: Adding, Patching, and Managing Software

Part 2: Security with SSH, SELinux, Firewall, and System Permissions

Chapter 7: Administering Systems Remotely

Chapter 8: Enabling and Using Cockpit

Chapter 9: Securing Network Connectivity with firewalld

Chapter 10: Keeping the System Hardened with SELinux

Part 3: Implementing Agentic AI with mcphost

Chapter 11: Agentic AI with mcphost

Part 4: Resource Administration: Storage, Boot Process, Tuning, and Containers

Chapter 12: Managing Local Storage and Filesystems

Chapter 13: Flexible Storage Management with LVM

Chapter 14: Configuring and Using System Snapshots with BTRFS and Snapper

Chapter 15: Understanding the Boot Process

Chapter 16: Automating with System Roles

Chapter 17: Managing Containers with Podman

Chapter 18: Introduction to SLES for SAP Applications

Part 5: Practice Exercises

Chapter 19: Practice Exercises – 1

Chapter 20: Practice Exercises – 2

Chapter 21: Unlock Your Exclusive Benefits

About the Author

Sergio Ocón Cárdenas has been working in technology since the turn of the century. He has worked in companies of all sizes, from big telecommunications companies to small start-ups, in almost every role possible for an engineer, from R&D to strategy to cold sales. In the last 15 years, he has been working with open source, specifically around systems management, operating systems, and Kubernetes as a sales engineer and a product manager. He currently works as a product manager at SUSE, making the launch of image-based Linux a reality.