Go from Linux fundamentals to administering Ubuntu Server 26.04 across on-premises and AWS environments, covering networking, security, virtualization, Docker, MicroK8s, Ansible, Terraform, local AI with Lemonade, and Landscape
Key Features
- Get up to speed with the latest features and capabilities of Ubuntu Server 26.04
- Master installing, managing, securing, and troubleshooting Ubuntu Server
- Automate with Ansible and Terraform, deploy MicroK8s, and run local AI with Lemonade
Book Description
Ubuntu Server is a stable, flexible, and powerful Linux distribution used in environments ranging from individual servers to large-scale infrastructure. Mastering Ubuntu Server, Fifth Edition gives you the practical knowledge needed to administer Ubuntu Server 26.04 deployments confidently.
Starting with installation, essential commands, users, permissions, packages, processes, storage, and networking, the book builds a strong foundation in everyday server administration. You will then configure DHCP, DNS, internet gateways, Samba, NFS, MariaDB, Apache, NGINX, and Nextcloud, before working with QEMU/KVM, LXD, Docker, and MicroK8s. This updated edition expands into modern infrastructure practices, showing you how to automate configuration with Ansible, deploy and scale Ubuntu on AWS EC2, and provision AWS resources with Terraform. You will also serve local AI models with Lemonade, isolate agent workloads with AI Lab, manage Ubuntu fleets at scale with Landscape, and explore Canonical Academy's SysAdmin qualification. Finally, you will apply practical security, vulnerability management, troubleshooting, backup, and disaster recovery techniques.
By the end of this book, you will be able to administer, secure, automate, troubleshoot, and scale Ubuntu Server across on-premises, virtualized, containerized, and AWS environments.
What you will learn
- Install and configure Ubuntu Server 26.04 on multiple platforms
- Manage users, permissions, packages, processes, and storage
- Configure Netplan, SSH, DNS, DHCP, gateways, Samba, and NFS
- Deploy databases, web servers, virtual machines, and containers
- Automate server and AWS deployments with Ansible and Terraform
- Run local LLMs with Lemonade and isolate AI agents with AI Lab
- Deploy Kubernetes workloads with MicroK8s and Ubuntu on AWS
- Secure, troubleshoot, back up, and recover Ubuntu servers
Who this book is for
This book is for Linux system administrators, DevOps and cloud engineers, site reliability engineers, infrastructure professionals, homelab users, and IT enthusiasts who want to build practical Ubuntu Server skills. It is also suitable for readers pursuing Canonical Academy's SysAdmin qualification or moving into Linux administration. No previous Ubuntu Server experience is required, although familiarity with basic computing concepts is helpful. Prior Linux, IT administration, or shell experience will help readers progress through the advanced topics more quickly.
