Linux remote administration on Android and iOS
The Admin Touch

© Lead Image © Buchachon Petthanya, 123RF.com
Smartphones and tablets have lost their gadget status and become part of the system administrator's tool kit. We look at the most important apps for admins.
In the pre-smartphone era, which was not so long ago, it was hard to imagine a practical use for a mobile device in system administration – if you discount laptops with graphical and web interfaces or terminal software designed for high latency.
All that has changed: With ubiquitous broadband and mobile data connections and with hotspots and WLANs widespread in the enterprise, admins are increasingly able to leave their desks and get out of the server room. Smartphones and tablets with sufficiently large screen sizes are mutating into multifunctional tools that can do most of the important tasks while on the road or in an emergency.
Device Zoo
Android devices are not characterized by any kind of version homogeneity, so we decided to test the programs on various devices: a Nexus 4 with the latest Android 4.3, a Nook HD+ with a slightly older version of Android 4, an ancient Motorola Defy with Cyanogen Mod 7 Android 2.3.7, a Sony Experia with Android 2.3 and many backports by the manufacturer, and an HTC Desire Z with Android AOSP 4.2.2. None of the tested programs had compatibility issues on any of the devices.
On the Apple front, we had access to an iPhone with iOS 6 and a first-generation iPad with iOS 5 – again, with no compatibility issues (Figures 1 and 2).


Stores and VPN
If you rummage through the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store, you are likely to find a large number of mostly free apps that help sys admins manage the systems they support in a reasonably convenient way while using a fairly small mobile device. Additionally, a variety of tools sprinkled throughout the web make life easier for IT professionals.
Most systems are not exposed to the Internet without protection but are, instead, well hidden behind a firewall, so access can only be made via a VPN connection in most cases. Setting up this connection is described for Android [1] and iOS [2] elsewhere.
Lord of the Console
If you frequently manage Unix and Linux servers, your primary tool is going to be an SSH client. On Android devices, ConnectBot [3] by Kenny Root and Jeffrey Sharkey is probably the best choice at this time (Figure 3). It supports logins using SSH key pairs and can also tunnel ports, which proves especially useful if you want SSH access to replace a full-fledged VPN.
ConnectBot establishes several simultaneous sessions and enables copy and paste to other applications – for example, to inform colleagues of the current system status by mail or to use a cheat sheet with frequently used commands. Even those who use a password manager like KeePassDroid [4] on the road will soon appreciate this function. A nice detail is that ConnectBot can issue commands automatically for the user after login. This post-login automation then takes care of standard tasks such as checking active logins or resources.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.