Linux Training

Are you a managed service provider or IT company? An IT team within a larger enterprise? A security team or security operations centre? A software or web SME? Or any SME that values technical knowledge of computer systems?

Businesses today are overwhelmingly based around Microsoft Windows, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Office, and a constellation of proprietary SaaS systems. Yet an alternative exists: the open source software ecosystem based around the Linux operating system. Linux is today the primary operating system used in servers and many internet-of-things devices, yet many organisations have limited in-house experience using and administering Linux systems. Additionally, Linux is popularly associated with highly technical communities and many may find it intimidating or believe it to be difficult to use. However, modern graphical Linux environments are just as user-friendly as Windows and MacOS, and modern Linux distributions offer cohesive user experiences out of the box that do not require deep technical knowledge to maintain.

As cybersecurity professionals, we make extensive use of Linux systems in our own work. Linux underpins much of the modern internet, cloud infrastructure, and security tooling ecosystem. We offer practical Linux training to help organisations develop the technical skills needed to operate these systems confidently. Shellhex also offers an additional service, (our Linux Systems Engineering offering) for organisations needing further technical support when adopting Linux.

Tailored Focus Areas

Different organisations have different use-cases for Linux. We can specialise training in the areas most relevant to your organisation. Examples of topics we can cover include:

Desktop Linux installation, initial configuration, and update management
Open-source productivity tools
Command line use
Git, SSH, and key management
Managing user accounts and permissions
Service and process management
Network management, firewalls, and VPNs
Logging, auditing, and system monitoring
Linux server administration
Containerisation and cloud systems
Self-hosted alternatives to third-party SaaS
Hardening of Linux systems and defence against privilege escalation

Why Linux?

What practical benefit does Linux offer? Linux can offer a number of advantages.

Linux desktop environments are currently targeted by commodity malware far less frequently than Windows systems, reducing exposure to many common attack campaigns.
Linux's repository-based software distribution model makes it easier to obtain software from trusted, centrally managed sources rather than downloading installers from numerous third-party websites.
Some Linux distributions emphasise rapid access to updates, offering early access to critical security patches as soon as they become available.
Linux software is overwhelmingly open-source and local-first, meaning data never needs to leave your system or be shared with third parties - highly valuable for data security and compliance.
Linux and most of the surrounding software ecosystem are available free of charge without licensing fees, reducing software costs for organisations.
Linux offers a high degree of flexibility, allowing organisations to tailor systems and workflows to their specific operational requirements in ways that inflexible proprietary software might not enable.

Demystifying Linux Hands-On

Since the most effective way to learn to use a system is through practice, all our training is based around in-person interactive workshops where members of your organisation will gain experience with real Linux systems. We can tailor the systems to the use cases of Linux your organisation is interested in.

Workshops are designed to leave participants with practical skills they can immediately apply within their organisation. After completing a series of workshops, participants should be comfortable navigating Linux systems, managing software, troubleshooting common issues, and performing the day-to-day administrative tasks relevant to their role.

We are happy to offer free consultations to determine a schedule for workshops. Workshops can be at your premises, or for small groups (up to 4 people) at our office. If workshops are at your premises, we will bring computers for the workshop; if workshops are at our office, you are free to bring laptops if you wish, or you may use our systems. Each workshop will last up to 2 hours and is priced at £600 exclusive of VAT.