Common sysadmin tasks across multi-OS environments.

Updated   Read time 2 min(s) 54 sec(s)   (2467 views).  Solaris  

This article provides a simple overview in system configuration, management and security differences between some of the most common versions of UNIX (Solaris, HP-UX, AIX and Red Hat Linux).

Software Installation

Table 1 — Software Installation
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Install pkgadd -d pkgfile installp -a FileSet swinstall -s depot software rpm -i file
Update pkgadd -d pkgfile installp -a FileSet swinstall -s depot software rpm -U file
List pkginfo lslpp-L all swlist -l product rpm -q
Remove pkgrm package installp -u FileSet swremove software rpm -epackage

Patch Management

Table 2 —Patch Management
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Add patchadd installp swinstall rpm -u
List Patches showrev -p lslpp -L all swlist -l product rpm -q -a
Patch Check patchdiag
PatchPro		 compare_report security_patch_check up2date
yum

Services

Table 3 — Services
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Init default 3 2 3 or 4 3 or 5
Startup file /etc/inittab
Startup scripts /etc/rc#.d /etc/rc.d/rc#.d
/etc/rc.*		 /sbin/rc#.d /etc/rc.d/rc#.d
[/init.d]
inetd inetd xinetd

System Logging

Table 4 — System Logging
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Default syslog output /var/adm/messages
/var/log/syslog		 /tmp or none! /var/adm/syslog/mail.log
/var/adm/syslog.log		 /var/log/messages
/var/log/secure
/var/log/boot.log
System Accounting (login & process) /var/adm/utmpx
/var/adm/wtmpx
/var/adm/pacct		 /etc/utmp
/var/adm/wtmp
/var/adm/pacct		 /var/adm/utmp
/var/adm/utmp
/var/adm/pacct		 /var/run/utmp
/var/log/wtmpx
/var/account/pacct
Login errors /var/adm/loginlog
/var/adm/sulog		 /etc/security/failedlogin
/var/adm/sulog		 /var/adm/lastb
/var/adm/sulog		 /var/log/btmp
/var/log/messages

Login Access Control

Table 5 — Login Access Control
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Management App SMC
admintool		 SMITG
WebSM		 SAM
SCM		 UserManager
Nautilus
Shadow /etc/shadow /etc/security/passwd /tcb/files/auth/* /etc/shadow
PAM /etc/pam.conf /etc/pam.conf (add-on)
/etc/security/user (LDAP)		 /etc/pam.conf /etc/pam.d/syste-auth
TCB - yes yes -
Admin Roles SMC yes SCM selinux

System Configuration & Storage

Table 6 — System Configration & Storage
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Mount table /etc/vfstab /etc/filesystems /etc/fstab /etc/fstab
OS Apps /usr
/opt		 /usr
/usr/lpp		 /usr
/opt		 /usr
/opt
Vendor Apps /opt /opt /opt /opt
/usr/local
/opt
Kernel config /etc/system SMIT
lsattr
vmtune
chdev		 SAM
/usr/conf/master.d/*
 /etc/sysctl.conf
Filesystems ufs
zfs		 jfs
jfs2		 hfs
vxfs
jfs		 ext2
ext3
reiserfs
xfs
LVM DiskSuite
SMC		 SMIT
mklv/crfs		 SAM
lvm/vg commands		 LVM commands
Auto mount automount
vold		 automount automount automount

Backup & Restore

Table 7 — Backup & Restore
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
Backup ufsdump backup dump
vxdump
fbackup		 dump
Restore ufsrestore restore restore
vxrestore
frecover		 restore
Other Live upgrade mksysb
mkcd		 ignite-ux -

File Security

Table 8 — File Security
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
ACL yes yes yes (HFS only) yes
ACL commands getfacl/setfacl aclget/aclput lsacl/chacl
getaccess
chmod		 getfacl/setfacl
ACL syscalls acl/facl
aclcheck/aclsort		 [f]chacl/[f]statacl
acl_[f]put
acl_[f]get
acl_[f]set
acl_[f]chg		 [f]getaclentry
[f]setaclentry
[f]cpacl
chownacl
 -

System Auditing

Table 9 — System Auditing
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
System Calls yes yes yes yes
Events yes yes yes yes
Users yes yes yes yes

System & Network Security

Table 10 — System & Network Security
Solaris AIX HP-UX RH-Linux
at/cron.allow yes yes yes yes
Sendmail 8.11.6
8.12.2		 8.11.0 8.9.3
8.11.0		 8.11.6
TCP wrappers yes yes yes yes
SSH OpenSSH OpenSSH Secure Shell OpenSSH
IPsec IPsec IPsec IPsec FreeS/WAN
Firewall SunScreen
ipfilter		 ipfilter
iptables		 IPFilter
AAA/RADIUS		 iptables
GNOME_Lokkit
IDS snort snort snort
IDS9000		 snort
OS Hardening Titan
JASS		 - Bastille Titan
Bastille