how to configure startup services in debian lenny

Debian is a very good Linux distribution which offers very rich feature list including security and many more. For example, you may need to provide a web server (Apache service) to serve web pages. However, if you do not need use a service, you should always turn off all unused services to avoid exploits for this purpose you can use under given few very easy to use tool to manage your startup entries. Debian provided various tools to manage services. There are various methods for managing access to system services:
1) /etc/init.d/service
2) rcconf
3) update-rc.d etc

sysvconfig – Services Startup Configuration Tool

Debian and Ubuntu Linux also offers service command. It can be used to execute System V style init script stored at /etc/init.d/service-name { start|stop|restart|action }.

sysvconfig package

First, install sysvconfig package:
$ sudo apt-get install sysvconfig

To start / restart / stop service, use the following syntax:
$ sudo service {service-name} restart <-- Restart service
$ sudo service {service-name} stop <-- Stop service
$ sudo service {service-name} start <-- Start service

For example to stop apache service, enter:
$ sudo service apache stop

sysvconfig command

This is a text-based application that allows you to configure which services are started at boot time for each run level. It is simple interface for configuring run levels. sysvconfig is just like ntsysv under Red hat Linux. It has dialog based interactive, menus to help automate setting up Sys V style init script links:

  • Enable or disable services.
  • Edit individual links.
  • Restore from backup file if you make a mistake.
  • Menu or command line interface.
  • View all services, each with its status and a brief description.

To start Sys V editor, enter:
$ sudo sysvconfig &
sysvconfig - configure Sys V style init script links under Debian /
 Ubuntu Linux
(startup screen with menus)

You can enable or disable any system services:
sysvconfig - enable or disable any system services under Debian / 
Ubuntu Linux
(Enable or Disable system services)

If you are not able to find sysvconfig package you can install the under given package and that will automatically install sysvconfig;

apt-get install dialog

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