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12.3 A Sample SAM Session 12.4 SAM Log Files

12.5 Restricted Use of SAM by Non--Root Users

The System Administration Manager (SAM) is a tool that simplifies routine HP-UX system administration. It is available both in text and GUI modes. If you are running X-Windows, SAM automatically detects the presence of your GUI terminals and starts in graphical mode. In case you are using a text terminal, SAM starts in text or terminal mode. In the graphical mode, you can use your mouse to click on different icons related to a desired system administration tasks. In the text mode, SAM provides menus that can be used by pressing the ... and arrow keys to activate a particular option.

SAM is a very useful tool for day-to-day system administration jobs. At the same time, it can't do every job for a system administrator. Sometimes you will need to use commands manually for troubleshooting and specialized tasks. In this chapter, you will learn to use SAM in both text and graphical modes. You will learn how to start and stop SAM and how it looks when used in text or graphical mode. You will go through a sample session of creating a new user, where you will learn how to use SAM menus and navigate your system. Everything done in SAM is logged into a log file, and you will see some parts of this file. SAM is also useful to distribute system administration tasks among many people. At the end of the chapter, you will see how you can grant restricted access to non-root users who have a need to use SAM.

This is an introductory chapter about SAM. In the coming chapters, you will learn how different tasks are done with the help of this tool.

12.1 Why Use SAM?

SAM is designed to help system administrators perform routine tasks. With SAM, tasks that require a number of steps can be performed in a single step. It is the responsibility of SAM to execute actual commands for you. Briefly, the advantages of using SAM are as follows.You get menus and icons. They are easy to use and less laborious than typing long commands manually.

SAM provides you with comprehensive details of your system. For example, you can see a list of installed printers and their properties. Similarly, by just clicking an icon, you are able to see all disks attached to your system. Another icon will show you network adapters and network configuration related to each adapter. It is very useful to know the existing system configuration before adding a new piece of hardware.You don't need to remember complex commands used for routine tasks.

It provides a uniform interface on all HP-9000 series servers and workstations.It gives you centralized control for your network, as you can run it remotely on any machine and view the result on your local GUI.

You can assign limited root access to users if you want to distribute system administration tasks. For example, if you want to assign printer management to one person and network management to another, SAM provides you with the facility to define restricted areas for users. A user can only go into that area of SAM assigned to him or her.

At the same time, it must be remembered that true system administration is a complex job—you need to know what is going on behind the scenes. Although SAM can add new users for you, you need to know how to add a user manually. An essential part of system administration is troubleshooting. SAM is not designed for this purpose, as there are no hard and fast rules used for the purpose of troubleshooting. As a system administrator, it is your experience and depth of knowledge about HP-UX that will help you in the troubleshooting process.

12.2 Starting and Stopping SAM

When you start SAM, it checks what type of terminal you are using. If you are using a text-type terminal and the DISPLAY variable is not set, SAM starts in text mode and displays the menu-based text interface. If you are using a graphical terminal or console, SAM starts in graphical mode. You can start SAM on a remote system and view the GUI at your local graphical terminal by correctly setting the DISPLAY variable.

Starting and Stopping SAM in Text Mode

To start SAM, you use the sam command. As already mentioned, if you are using a text-type terminal, SAM will start in text mode. In the first screen, it will show you some instructions on how to use menus and help. The first screen that appears after starting SAM is shown in Figure 12-1.

Figure 12-1. SAM starting page in text mode.

Figure 12-1 shows basic instruction of how to use the , , and arrow keys. You can get more help by pressing whenever this message is displayed. If you press the key, the next screen is displayed that shows actual SAM menus. This is shown in Figure 12-2.

Figure 12-2. SAM menus in text mode.

In the top of the screen is the menu area where you can see the File, View, Options, Actions, and Help menus. You can activate a menu area by pressing the key. When you press the key, the File menu is activated. Then, by pressing the key, you can see the list of actions that can be performed using this menu. You can use arrow keys or the key to move forward in the menus. The key combination is used for movement in the backward direction.

The remainder of the window shows the SAM functional areas and is divided into two columns. The first column is the Source column, which shows whether the area is a standard SAM component or one customized by the system administrator. The second column is a short description of the functionality provided by the component. SAM is organized in a tree structure such that minor functional groups are contained inside major groups. For example, Account for Users and Groups is a major area. Under this area, you can find options for separately managing users and groups. In this figure, a right arrow symbol at the end of a group shows that it contains other functional entities if you go inside it. It means that selecting this item will not perform any action but will lead to other items that may be used to perform an action.

SAM functional areas show the tasks that can be performed with the help of SAM. The built-in SAM areas are listed below.

• Auditing and Security

• Kernel and Device Configuration • Networks and Communications • Peripheral Device Management • Printer and Plotter Management • Process Management

• Remote System Administration • Routine Tasks

• User and Group Account Management • Backup and Recovery

• Disk and File System Management • Display Management

• Performance Monitoring • Software Management • Time Server Management

In addition, you can build your own functional areas by customizing SAM. SAM also provides context- sensitive help that can be utilized at any time by pressing the

graphics/ctrlk.gif

key combination. More help can be obtained using the Help menu. To stop SAM, you go to the File menu and use the Exit option.

Starting and Stopping SAM in GUI

If you are using a monitor capable of using the X-Window system and the DISPLAY variable is correctly set, SAM will start in graphical mode. Figure 12-3 shows part of a typical GUI window that is displayed just after starting SAM.

Figure 12-3. SAM in GUI mode.

You have the same menus in GUI as you have in the text mode. The functional area now contains icons. You can use your mouse to activate any menu by clicking the left mouse button on it. If you double-click on an icon in the functional area that represents an action, the action corresponding to that icon starts. If you double-click on an icon that represents a functional group, it will open the subgroups and action icons contained in that functional group.

12.2 Starting and Stopping SAM

When you start SAM, it checks what type of terminal you are using. If you are using a text-type terminal and the DISPLAY variable is not set, SAM starts in text mode and displays the menu-based text interface. If you are using a graphical terminal or console, SAM starts in graphical mode. You can start SAM on a remote system and view the GUI at your local graphical terminal by correctly setting the DISPLAY variable.

Starting and Stopping SAM in Text Mode

To start SAM, you use the sam command. As already mentioned, if you are using a text-type terminal, SAM will start in text mode. In the first screen, it will show you some instructions on how to use menus and help. The first screen that appears after starting SAM is shown in Figure 12-1.

Figure 12-1. SAM starting page in text mode.

Figure 12-1 shows basic instruction of how to use the , , and arrow keys. You can get more help by pressing

graphics/ctrlk.gif

whenever this message is displayed. If you press the key, the next screen is displayed that shows actual SAM menus. This is shown in Figure 12-2.

Figure 12-2. SAM menus in text mode.

In the top of the screen is the menu area where you can see the File, View, Options, Actions, and Help menus. You can activate a menu area by pressing the key. When you press the key, the File menu is activated. Then, by pressing the key, you can see the list of actions that can be performed using this menu. You can use arrow keys or the key to move forward in the menus. The key combination is used for movement in the backward direction.

The remainder of the window shows the SAM functional areas and is divided into two columns. The first column is the Source column, which shows whether the area is a standard SAM component or one customized by the system administrator. The second column is a short description of the functionality provided by the component. SAM is organized in a tree structure such that minor functional groups are contained inside major groups. For example, Account for Users and Groups is a major area. Under this area, you can find options for separately managing users and groups. In this figure, a right arrow symbol at the end of a group shows that it contains other functional entities if you go inside it. It means that selecting this item will not perform any action but will lead to other items that may be used to perform an action.

SAM functional areas show the tasks that can be performed with the help of SAM. The built-in SAM areas are listed below.

• Auditing and Security

• Kernel and Device Configuration • Networks and Communications • Peripheral Device Management • Printer and Plotter Management • Process Management

• Remote System Administration • Routine Tasks

• User and Group Account Management • Backup and Recovery

• Disk and File System Management • Display Management

• Performance Monitoring • Software Management • Time Server Management

In addition, you can build your own functional areas by customizing SAM. SAM also provides context- sensitive help that can be utilized at any time by pressing the

graphics/ctrlk.gif

key combination. More help can be obtained using the Help menu. To stop SAM, you go to the File menu and use the Exit option. Starting and Stopping SAM in GUI

If you are using a monitor capable of using the X-Window system and the DISPLAY variable is correctly set, SAM will start in graphical mode. Figure 12-3 shows part of a typical GUI window that is displayed just after starting SAM.

Figure 12-3. SAM in GUI mode.

You have the same menus in GUI as you have in the text mode. The functional area now contains icons. You can use your mouse to activate any menu by clicking the left mouse button on it. If you double-click on an icon in the functional area that represents an action, the action corresponding to that icon starts. If you double-click on an icon that represents a functional group, it will open the subgroups and action icons contained in that functional group.