Server Status

hughstolmer · n00b Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 0

Hello and thanks for the forum,
Last week, I was asked to take over several servers to maintain and the past administrator is unavaliable. I have the passwords, but no real roadmap of what server does what, which programs are running on each, how I can connect for remote management (I assume SSH?). From what I understand, one is a web hosting, one is mail, one is domain controller.
My experience is mostly Linux desktop environments, not servers, so I am a newbie.
What is the best approach to determining what programs (and versions) are running, and how I can get remote access to the CLI.
Then I can read up on each program and start figuring out how to fix and add things I need.
Thanks a bunch in advance,
Hugh

John R. Graham · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:22 pm Post subject:

Hugh,

Can you let me know if these servers are running Gentoo? If not, what OS are they running?

- John
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hughstolmer · n00b Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 0

Hi John,
Yes, it looks like they are all running Gentoo, all about ver 2.6.xx.
Thanks,
Hugh

disi · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject:

A quick scan with nmap should tell you what ports they are listening on. Then figure out which port is what service.
Sounds all a little dodgy, though.

I also assume you could gain physical access to the servers and they should have a console attached to them?
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Gentoo on Uptime Project - Larry is a cow

nomilieu · n00b Joined: 22 Nov 2011 Posts: 24

Yeah, I'd hit them with nmap -A. That should, generally, tell you what services are running (including whether or not ssh is open for you to login remotely) and possibly what programs/versions are running said services.

A warning, if the guy who set them up is doing anything weird (like forwarding a port*), the nmap scan could be misleading in places.
In any case, be thankful that you were left with Gentoo machines instead of something crappier.

*I do this occasionally.

John R. Graham · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 6:22 pm Post subject:

Hugh,

Just to see how out of date these servers are, log onto one and report the output of the following commands:

hughstolmer · n00b Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 0

Thanks for the input,
It is sort of a strange situation, but I do have physical access to the servers and can run console commands.
John, I ran the commands you suggested and the last portage metadata timestamp was Tue, 24 Apr
The Emerge says already current.
From the console, I created a user, edited the passwd file and sshd file and was able to access one server remotely with SSH through Putty.
So I'm getting there.
I will try and run nmap when I get a chance. I'm only working here 2, 1/2 days a week so the remote access is helpful. What I want to do is to make a list of all programs on each server and how to access each, then the common commands and care needed.
They want me to figure out how to change all the passwords since the last guy knows them.
Can't people just get along?
Anyway, thanks for the help. I have a friend that is better than I at Linux servers, so if I drop off this thread, it might be because I got some help from him.
But any suggestions I would appreciate anytime!
Thanks,
Hugh

danomac · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:39 pm Post subject:

Yikes, in the case of resetting passwords...

You need to get a list of users first: