Using SSH, Redirection, and Permissions in Linux

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Using SSH, Redirection, and Permissions in Linux

In this lab, we'll go over I/O redirection, file permissions, and using the `ssh` tool. These are skills that will serve you well in your career as a Linux sysadmin. Once complete, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to use these tools. *This course is not approved or sponsored by Red Hat.*

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Lab Info

Level

Intermediate

Last updated

Sep 23, 2025

Duration

30m

Challenge

Enable SSH to Connect Without a Password from the `dev` User on `server1` to the `dev` User on `server2`
NOTE: Please wait an **extra 5 minutes **before logging into the instances to make sure they are finished being set up.

We need to use SSH keys to satisfy this requirement, so generate them with this:
```
[dev@server1]$ ssh-keygen
```
Then run:
```
[dev@server1]$ ssh-copy-id <server2 IP>
```
Challenge

Copy All tar Files from `/home/dev/` on `server1` to `/home/dev/` on `server2`, Extract Them, and Redirect Output to `/home/dev/tar-output.log`
We need to use a method of copying files over a network. scp is the best tool, like this:
```
[dev@server1]$ scp *.gz <server2 IP>:~/
```
Then connect to server2 using ssh:
```
[dev@server1]$ ssh <server2_IP>
```
Then we can extract the files:
```
[dev@server2]$ tar -xvf deploy_content.tar.gz >> tar-output.log
```
```
[dev@server2]$ tar -xvf deploy_script.tar.gz >> tar-output.log
```
Make sure to use >>, so that the output is appended rather than overwritten.
Challenge

Set the Umask So That New Files Are Only Readable and Writeable by the Owner
The task is asking to make new files with the following permission: 0600.

So we can do subtraction to figure out what our umask should be.

0666 <-- Default

0600 <-- Desired

----

0066 <-- What we need to set

So we run:
```
[dev@server2]$ umask 0066
```
Challenge

Verify the `/home/dev/deploy.sh` Script Is Executable and Run It
First, we check permissions on deploy.sh:
```
[dev@server2]$ ls -l deploy.sh
```
There's no execute bit. Let's add one:
```
[dev@server2]$ chmod +x deploy.sh
```
And then run it:
```
[dev@server2]$ ./deploy.sh
```

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