Part 3 - How to configure Linux CentOS 5.3 for VMware Server 2.0.1

Use PuTTY:

From here use PuTTY to connect on the new server. This way we will be able to copy/paste commands directly.

Connect as "root".

putty servername (or IP)

Add a or more users:

(In the next lines, change the user name for an appropriate one)

groupadd -g 55555 bureau useradd -c "Firstname Lastname" -g 55555 -G wheel -u 5000 -s /bin/bash username1; passwd username1 useradd -c "Prénom Nom" -g 55555 -G wheel -u 5001 -s /bin/bash username2; passwd username2 useradd -c "Virtual Machines Admin" -g 55555 -G wheel -u 5002 -s /bin/bash vmadmin; passwd vmadmin

Enable "wheel":

visudo

Find: #%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL

Remove comment: (remove the #) %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL

Disable root access for SSH connections:

vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config

At line 38, find: #PermitRootLogin yes

Change it for: PermitRootLogin no

Restart the SSH service: /etc/init.d/sshd restart

Login as "username". Next, type in:

su - root

NTP (Network Time Protocol) installation and setup:

yum -y install ntp

Edit NTP config file: vi /etc/ntp.conf

At line 18, find "server 2.centos.pool.ntp.org" and add: server time.nrc.ca server time.chu.nrc.ca server tock.utoronto.ca server tick.utoronto.ca

Edit the other NTP config file: vi /etc/sysconfig/ntpd

At the second line of that file: OPTIONS="-u ntp:ntp -p /var/run/ntpd.pid"

Change the line to add the -x option to force a NTPD time sync at boot: OPTIONS="-x -u ntp:ntp -p /var/run/ntpd.pid"

Restart the NTPD service: service ntpd start

Ajust the system to automaticaly start this service at boot: chkconfig ntpd on

Disable non-essentials services:

chkconfig bluetooth off; service bluetooth stop chkconfig hidd off; service hidd stop chkconfig pcscd off; service pcscd stop chkconfig autofs off; service autofs stop chkconfig gpm off; service gpm stop chkconfig isdn off; service isdn stop chkconfig messagebus off; service messagebus stop chkconfig haldaemon off; service haldaemon stop chkconfig rpcgssd off; service rpcgssd stop chkconfig rpcidmapd off; service rpcidmapd stop chkconfig portmap off; service portmap stop chkconfig cups off; service cups stop chkconfig nfslock off; service nfslock stop chkconfig atd off; service atd stop chkconfig netfs off chkconfig kudzu off chkconfig nfs off

Ajust the total number of available (consoles) sessions:

vi /etc/inittab

At line 43, place a # before number 2 to 6: # Run gettys in standard runlevels 1:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty1 # 2:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty2 # 3:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty3 # 4:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty4 # 5:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty5 # 6:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty6

To apply changes: kill -HUP 1