System services or just daemons, are background processes that run on a system to perform various tasks. They are a key component of any operating system and play a crucial role in keeping the system running smoothly. In this blog, we will be exploring the world of RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) system services daemons and how you can use them to increase productivity and efficiency.
Understanding RHEL System Services Daemons
In RHEL, system services daemons are responsible for managing various system functions such as networking, printing, and file systems. They are usually launched at boot time and run in the background, performing their assigned tasks without requiring user intervention.
To view a list of all the system services daemons that are currently running on your system, you can use the systemctl command as follows:
$ systemctl
UNIT LOAD ACTIVE SUB DESCRIPTION
● alsa-restore.service loaded active exited Save/Restore Sound Card State
● alsa-state.service loaded active exited Manage Sound Card State (restore and store)
● auditd.service loaded active running Security Auditing Service
● avahi-daemon.service loaded active running Avahi mDNS/DNS-SD Stack
● console-getty.service loaded active running Console Getty
● crond.service loaded active running Command Scheduler
● dbus.service loaded active running D-Bus System Message Bus
● irqbalance.service loaded active running IRQ Balance Daemon
● lvm2-lvmetad.service loaded active running LVM2 metadata daemon
● lvm2-monitor.service loaded active running Monitoring of LVM2 mirrors, snapshots etc. using dmeventd or progress polling
● NetworkManager.service loaded active running Network Manager
● rsyslog.service loaded active running System Logging Service
● smartd.service loaded active running Self Monitoring and Reporting Technology (SMART) Daemon
● sshd.service loaded active running OpenSSH server daemon
● systemd-logind.service loaded active running Login Service
● systemd-udevd.service loaded active running udev Kernel Device Manager
● tuned.service loaded active running Dynamic System Tuning Daemon
● xfs.service loaded active running XFS filesystem support
● zfs-mount.service loaded active exited Mount ZFS filesystems
● zfs-share.service loaded active exited Share ZFS filesystems
LOAD = Reflects whether the unit definition was properly loaded.
ACTIVE = The high-level unit activation state, i.e. generalization of SUB.
SUB = The low-level unit activation state, values depend on unit type.
21 loaded units listed. Pass --all to see loaded but inactive units, too.
To show all installed unit files use 'systemctl list-unit-files'.
Most people are unaware that system services daemons can be configured to start or stop at specific times or events using the systemd tool. This allows you to fine-tune the performance of your system and optimize it for your specific needs.
Key Points to Remember
- System services daemons are background processes that run on a system to perform various tasks.
- They are a key component of any operating system and play a crucial role in keeping the system running smoothly.
- In RHEL, you can view and manage system services daemons using the
systemctlcommand. - System services daemons can be configured to start or stop at specific times or events using the
systemdtool.
5 Ways to Apply RHEL System Services Daemons to Increase Productivity
- Schedule maintenance tasks to run during off-peak hours: By using the
systemdtool, you can schedule maintenance tasks such as backups or updates to run during off-peak hours when they will have minimal impact on system performance. - Automate system updates: By setting up a system service daemon to check for and apply updates on a regular basis, you can ensure that your system is always running the latest version without having to manually check and apply updates.
- Monitor system performance: By setting up system service daemons to monitor key performance metrics such as CPU usage, memory usage, and disk space, you can quickly identify and address any issues that may arise.
- Improve security: By setting up system service daemons to monitor and block suspicious activity, you can improve the overall security of your system.
- Enhance networking capabilities: By setting up system service daemons to manage networking tasks such as DHCP and DNS, you can improve the performance and reliability of your network.
Challenge
Now that you have a better understanding of RHEL system services daemons, it’s time to put your skills to the test! Try setting up a system service daemon to perform a specific task on your system. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Set up a system service daemon to check for and apply updates on a regular basis.
- Set up a system service daemon to monitor key performance metrics and send an alert if any issues are detected.
- Set up a system service daemon to automate backups of key data on your system.
Remember, you can use the systemctl command to view and manage system service daemons on your system.
