Help setting up virtual network, (SUSE, vmware Workstation)

strewth123 · November 16, 2012, 2:32pm

Hello and help!

I have a college assignment and could really do with some help as I am a complete novice.

For the assignment, I need to build a virtual linux server running 3 services, in a virtual environment.

So far, I’ve installed vmware workstation 8 and installed a virtual SUSE server and client.

Where do I go to from here? I know I need to configure the virtual machines but I don’t know where to begin.

The first thing I want to be able to do is ping the machines and then I need to configure the services. I am thinking of using web, file and e-mail services.

My tutor has said we need to figure it out on our own. For someone with no IT background, its proving very hard!
I’ve spent hours trawling the internet and youtube but can’t find anything basic enough!!

Any advice on how to learn this stuff and complete the assignment would be greatly appreciated.
(I really do want to learn this stuff but feel swamped!)
thank in advance!

S

user · November 16, 2012, 3:35pm

On 11/16/2012 02:36 PM, strewth123 wrote:
> My tutor has said we need to figure it out on our own.

which, i think, does not include us…its friday, there are lots of
hours until monday…use them wisely…

really, the best way to learn is to do…if we do the do, we learn and
the opportunity for you to do and learn is lost.

but, i will give you a GOLDEN hint: doc.opensuse.org

and more: i will show you how to use google to search ONLY in the
openSUSE docs [by the way, you wrote SUSE–are you using SUSE Enterprise
Linux Server (SLES) or openSUSE? they ARE different) i am assuming you
are smart enough to ask in the correct forum and therefore give openSUSE
hints] so, to search inside the docs:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site:doc.opensuse.org+“file+server”
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Adoc.opensuse.org+apache

good luck!

–
dd http://tinyurl.com/DD-Caveat

malcolmlewis · November 16, 2012, 3:59pm

On Fri 16 Nov 2012 01:36:02 PM CST, strewth123 wrote:

Hello and help!

I have a college assignment and could really do with some help as I am
a complete novice.

For the assignment, I need to build a virtual linux server running 3
services, in a virtual environment.

So far, I’ve installed vmware workstation 8 and installed a virtual
SUSE server and client.

Where do I go to from here? I know I need to configure the virtual
machines but I don’t know where to begin.

The first thing I want to be able to do is ping the machines and then I
need to configure the services. I am thinking of using web, file and
e-mail services.

My tutor has said we need to figure it out on our own. For someone with
no IT background, its proving very hard!
I’ve spent hours trawling the internet and youtube but can’t find
anything basic enough!!

Any advice on how to learn this stuff and complete the assignment would
be greatly appreciated.
(I really do want to learn this stuff but feel swamped!)
thank in advance!

S

Hi
All of those are probably advanced if your a novice, you need something
simple, by default there is an ssh (secure shell) service just needs to
be enabled and a port open in the firewall (a clue look at YaST).

So from your host machine (if your running windows, install winscp) as
your username (on the virtual machine) you can access your home
directory to transfer files.

Another service is using ntp to set the virtual machine to use a remote
server to set the time (another clue, look at YaST).

Then probably samba as the third one… (even another clue, look at
YaST)

From the host machine, install an application called nmap to check the
services running (a port scan).

Finally, did I mention YaST…

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 12.2 (x86_64) Kernel 3.4.11-2.16-desktop
up 4 days 12:41, 4 users, load average: 0.05, 0.08, 0.06
CPU Intel i5 CPU M520@2.40GHz | Intel Arrandale GPU

user · November 16, 2012, 4:08pm

On 11/16/2012 03:59 PM, malcolmlewis wrote:
> Finally, did I mention YaST…

you give better hints than me!!
(i now realize i should’a mentioned YaST a few times also!!!)

–
dd

robin_listas · November 16, 2012, 4:24pm

On 2012-11-16 14:36, strewth123 wrote:

> The first thing I want to be able to do is ping the machines and then I
> need to configure the services. I am thinking of using web, file and
> e-mail services.

Email can be complicated, but the reward is big. Apache can be easy at
it basic setting.

> My tutor has said we need to figure it out on our own. For someone with
> no IT background, its proving very hard!

So, a teacher that doesn’t teach. Cute

> I’ve spent hours trawling the internet and youtube but can’t find
> anything basic enough!!

No wonder.

> Any advice on how to learn this stuff and complete the assignment would
> be greatly appreciated.
> (I really do want to learn this stuff but feel swamped!)
> thank in advance!

I would start with the books at doc.opensuse.org.

Then just a hint: most of the services can be installed with yast, ready
to go.

I can not tell you what exactly to do: it could be a very long write and
would spoil your assignment.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” (Minas Tirith))

swerdna · November 16, 2012, 7:07pm

If you choose to set up a samba server (to share files) there are four things to focus on:

Turn it on: set the daemons nmb and smb to “on” in Yast → system → services/runlevels.
Back up the default config file smb.conf and then change the [global] stanza to make it a Local Master Browser (maybe look at some of the summary recipes I put there, e.g. like this)
Take out all the demo [share] stanzas from smb.conf and put a working stanza in their place that will share a directory. I recommend a read/write share with guest access, perhaps you might look at share #4 on that link.
Open the firewall for a samba server by going to Yast → security & users → firewall → allowed services and set to allow netbios server, samba server and samba client. And set the network interface into the “external zone”.

There is no need to set up samba authentication for secure access if you use the guest-access share that I recommended. But otherwise you might need to consider that.

tsu2 · November 19, 2012, 8:32pm

Hello,

IMO running VMware applications is it’s own animal, and you’re going to find more documentation using VMware related documentation rather than openSUSE docs.

Assume
you have VMware workstation installed and working properly. If you can’t do just that, nothing is possible.

When you have VMware setup, IMO it’s a good idea to <test> whether it’s working properly.

Open and existing VMware virtual machine, and try to run it. If you don’t already have one, go to the VMTN (VMware Technology Network) and download a pre-built machine. You should be able to start up the machine a number of different ways, but I recommend you simply try “Open…” in VMware Workstation and point to the appliance files. Note that if the appliance was built to an earlier VMware version, you’ll be prompted to upgrade the VM. Accept.
Create a new machine.
For this, you need an installation souurce which can be either an actual DVD when you would point your VMware CDROM to your physical DVDROM or an ISO file where you would point the virtual DVDROM to the file.

Accept defaults in the beginning, and click the “Run” button.

Then Explore.

BTW - Installing “services” in openSUSE is easy. As others have described, you only have to use YAST Software Managger, select a pattern and practically everything needed will be setup for you automatically. Going into YAST after the services are installed, you will also often find new applets which will further enable configuration without command line.

If you have more questions, just post back here.

HTH,
TSU