Linux Automation: Implement Automation Using Shell Scripts

Here are the initial instructions and explanation of the lab environment. Read this while your environment is busy creating itself from nothing. Yes, this violates physics; we know. How fun!

Using shell scripts in bash, or any shell, allow you to gain the ability to automate processes and ensure repeatability of events. Working through this challenge, you will learn the purpose of scripts and elements used in the script.

In this challenge, you will start adding logic to the script to determine if the Ubuntu package cache needs updating.

Now that your script can determine that the apt cache metadata is out of date, you are able to use this as an alternative installer. Using Debian based systems it is necessary to update the metadata prior to installing software; however, this is a scheduled task on Red Hat based systems. As such, your script is most useful on Debian based distributions such as the Ubuntu lab system. You will now make a copy of the script to allow for the package name to be passed to the script for installing. Again, the script will not carry out the update or the install, but will echo what it would do

You can install a single package, but not more. You will now add a loop to the script allowing you to install many packages, plus will ensure the package list is correct.

The script that you have created will install multiple packages, but for each package installed, a separate installation command is done. This takes incurs extra system time and resources. It would be far more efficient if a single installation is done, and you will implement that in this challenge by creating a list of validated packages.

Welcome to the final challenge! This is your last chance to experiment in the environment. Clicking Finish Lab will end this little world that flittered into existence just for you.