Linux and
Coldfusion MX
Mid-Michigan Coldfusion
User’s Group, Nov. 2002
What is Linux?
Linux is a UNIX style operating system
 Best Suited as a Server platform
 Very good multi-threading capabilities
 Many good ‘free’ servers and components
available.
 Many different distributions available, such
as S.u.S.E., Red Hat, Gentoo, Slackware.

What Linux is not
Linux is not a traditional workstation
platform.
 Linux does not have a common support
base.
 Linux is no more secure than Windows
based machines

Arguments

Linux has as lesser TCO than Windows
based machines.
 This
can be true or false, depending on the
knowledge base of your IT Staff

All server related activities are better done
under Linux.
 Like
Coldfusion, Linux is not the single
solution for every problem. Windows is best
as a Desktop server.
Arguments
Linux can be quicker under many different
circumstances.
 Linux typically handles high load better
than Windows.
 Linux is cheaper, if not free.
 Better security
 Better customizability.
 Better compatibility.

Linux Basics
The Linux theory
System Hardware
Command Shell
Linux Kernel
Services
X-Windows
User
Window
Manager
Unlike Microsoft Windows, any of these
components can be easily replaced.
By simply replacing your Window Manager,
you can change the look of your Linux Install
X-Windows
The major “GUI” for most UNIX based
systems.
 Very confusing to install, but one of the
most useful tools.

 Many
Distributions automatically set it up for
you.

Makes running Linux much easier for nonUNIX gurus.
Window Managers
Window Managers interface between the
“X-Windows” system, and you.
 Very many available, but KDE, GNOME,
Afterstep, FVM/FVM95 are the most
popular.
 Makes Linux look pretty for you.

File System Basics
Somewhat similar to Windows, with a few
exceptions
 There are no “drives”. Everything is based
from the “Root” of your file system.
 UNIX and Linux is CASE SENSITIVE.
“Cat”, “cat” and “CAT” are different files.
 Spaces, and other non-alpha-numeric
characters can be used, but are VERY
hard to work with.

File System Basics

/ (root)
/etc

/home
/opt
/opt/coldfusion

/usr
/usr/local

/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/
/etc/ = Configuration
files
/home/ = Home
directories for most
users
/opt/ = where large
commercial
applications are
installed (Coldfusion)
/usr/ = where smaller
applications are
installed
File System Basics

/ (root)
/etc
/home

All files are referred from the
root :
/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/index.cfm
/opt
/opt/coldfusion
/usr
Files do not necessarily have to
have a three letter extension.
/usr/local
/home/quetwo/myfile_one
/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/
/home/quetwo/myfile_two.tar.gz
/home/quetwo/myfile.stable.out
Users
Under Linux, there is only ONE
administrator. All others have minimal
access.
 User : root (a.k.a. su, super user)
 By default, root can only login using the
console (sitting at the physical computer).
FTP, Telnet, SSH, etc. are usually disabled
for this user.

Users
When you install Linux, create a
secondary user.
 Don’t always login as root. BIG security
risk. Only login as root to install
applications, change settings, or to create
additional users.
 Root has access to blow away your entire
system, including other partitions, all in
one command!

Permissions
Unlike Windows, users have almost no
permissions to the system.
 Users, by default have full access to their
home directory (/home/username), read
access to the binary (application)
directories, and no access to other user’s
directories
 root is the only user to have access to the
full file system.

Running Linux

Free, but I would suggest buying a boxed
set
 Manuals,

and everything already on CDROM
You will probably want a secondary
machine to play around with.
 Any
Pentium based machine will suffice
 2GB of HD Space, 64MB RAM
 CDROM
Running Linux

VMware Workstation
 Run
Linux within Windows NT, 2000, XP
 Virtual Machine – Let Linux play within it’s
own sandbox
 Costly, but good to stage deployment of
software or applications – cheaper than a new
computer