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Red Hat Linux System Adminstration Handbook
The Scoop In a bookcase-breaking extravaganza last summer, Slashdot reviewed several books intended for new Linux users. While the kernel, Free Software and Open Source applications, and distributions often undergo periods of rapid change and improvement, the basic principles of use and administration remain constant.
On those lines, Red Hat Linux System Adminstration Handbook is a solid book. Though it specifically discusses Red Hat, most of the information can be applied to other distributions. It strikes a unique balance between the needs of an end user and an administrator. Additionally, the authors go out of their way to explore proprietary and libre software for certain needs.
What's to Like The book imparts a good sense of flexibility. In just a few pages, the RPM chapter enumerates several installation options, covers SRPMs in decent detail, and lists helper applications to simplify life. Many of the other chapters are similarly dense. This doesn't detract from the book's readability, and it covers most of the common details. Readers will learn the necessary basics while being made aware of extra information available. This is also evident in the Networking chapter. While focusing on medium-sized networks, there's enough data provided to get a few boxes up and running with little fuss. The backup chapter is excellent, and so is the chapter on Samba.This book covers several details often omitted from other books. For example, the installation chapter discusses dual booting with both FreeBSD and Windows NT. Another section outlines PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules, used to configure finer-grained access). Even the chapters on sendmail and wu-ftpd talk about more secure alternatives, such as qmail, BeroFPT, and ProFTPD.
It's hard to quantify what makes a good system administrator. Part of it is wisdom and experience, part is natural talent. Another component develops with time. Tucked into corners here and there, the authors provide useful nuggets designed to spark intuition in a budding junior administrator's mind. This is very subtle, but there's definitely an underlying theme.
What's to ConsiderThe book covers Red Hat 6.0. Only a few spots have gone out of date with recent releases. For example, the kernel configuration and hardware support information describes the 2.2.x family. As well, packet filtering and masquerading use ipfwadm and ipchains, instead of iptables (available in the 2.4.x family). Most configuration and administration advice still applies.
Some chapters are short. Linux handles printing much differently from Windows, but it receives only 7 pages. The material is good, if skimpy. (Luckily, the Samba chapter fills in some blanks.) Adding more links to sources of additional information would improve this. On the whole, this is a workable reference book, but it won't replace a Nutshell handbook.
Summary and Table of Contents On the whole, the Handbook packs in a lot of data. Administrators already familiar with Windows will get the most from the book. It will require some sense of exploration and adventure, but that's one of the most compelling parts of free software.Bundled with a CD-ROM, this book forms part of a Training course. It includes several demonstration videos and animations accompanied by audio. Each course corresponds to a book chapter (minus the chapters describing available software or the programming languages) along with practice tests. Easily installed, everything runs in a web browser under Linux or Windows. It won't substitute for a live teacher, but corresponds nicely with the text. This could come in handy for a small business or group on a budget.
- Introduction
- Installation
- Linux Boot and Shutdown
- Account Administration
- RPM
- Networking with Linux
- Printing and Print Sharing
- Samba
- Setting up FTP Services
- Applications for Linux
- Linux Database Software
- Programming Languages
- Web Serving
- X Windowing System
- Securing Linux
- Kernel Administration
- System and Network Monitoring
- Backing Up Your Data
- Talking to Your Peripherals
- Connecting to the Internet
- Appendix A (URLs)
- Appendix B (miscellaneous)
You can purchase this book at Fatbrain. Note: Also available with audio/video CD and tests in The Complete Red Hat Linux Training Course , available as ISBN 0-13-088223-2.
True the linux distro need a unified tool..but will you ever make them agree on what type of tool it is,,,
These books are a great source of information for new users to unix in general, or even an experienced unix user new to redhat linux. However they are far too generalized (even though they may go to great lengths in detail).
Redhat itself has new releases fairly often that changes everything around. Although I am familiar with the system itself, theres only a few things that are new that I am not well versed in when it comes out, take for instance xinetd which ships default in RH 7.x
Buying a book on 6.0 would be useless for me, and it would be more cost effective to buy a book(s) that covers more advanced or new topics such as xinetd and iptables (I know these things are new and when I was in the local Borders which has dozens of linux/unix books, I couldn't find a book that covered either).
The only huge 3+ inch thick book I purchased a a few years ago was obsolete 2 months after I bought it, good thing I was able to return it.
Fuck Ajit Pai
Red Hat (or any other distro for that matter) is secure *if* you take the time & effort to do so (for me, that means uninstall any unnecessary services/packages, install the latest updates, and install/configure portsentry). That, plus a little common sense makes for a secure RH install (not 100% mind you, but close enough).
No really, I'm Mark.
:)
This book is almost 2 years old. It's nice to see Slashdot reviewing it, but it is a bit out of date. So please be gentle about how "old" it appears. On the good side, a lot of the concepts are still current.
If you want something more up to date, please check out the Computer Based Training CD that I did. It's only about a year old, but don't worry, that will get updated too
Danny.
I have written over 900 book reviews
But as far as I have seen, version 6.x is still more popular on mission critical servers. 7.0 was too buggy (as all .0 releases are), and in my situation, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" is the motto. Unless there is a very specific need for 7.x, why upgrade?
Mark arranged for me to receive a review copy after I finished the marathon Linux book series last summer. Due to various things, like work for pay and several other books in the queue, the review wasn't ready until recently.
Sometimes, the editorial side slows things down as well. In this case, I thought the book was good enough that it deserved a review. (It compares very favorably to other books in the marathon series.)
You could e-mail Hemos or Timothy with an offer to review a recent book. My list is rather large at the moment. They're good about working with people who follow the guidelines.
--
how to invest, a novice's guide
I know... let's start a new series of books. Let's call it the "clamshell" series. We can have
Red Hat in a Clamshell
Mandrake in a Clamshell
Debian in a Clamshell
Slackware in a Clamshell
Turbolinux in a Clamshell
LinuxPPC in a Clamshell
Ooh, and on the covers we can feature different species of... plants.
bp
My favorite general Unix book is still the Unix System Administration Handbook currently in its third edition (2000) and now including Redhat 6.2 along with FreeBSD. What is particularly nice about this book is that it highlights the differences between these systems so you know what to look out for (the "gotchas") when you are administering multiple 'nixes.
One book that does try to cover system administration for Redhat (6 and 7) and other distributions (such as Debian) is Linux System Administration by Vicki Stanfield and Roderick W. Smith. In fact, this "Craig Hunt Linux Library" series of Linux books from Sybex is surprisingly good.
I don't want a lot, I just want it all!
Flame away, I have a hose!
Only 'flamers' flame!
Ah, but what kind of coffee beans? It makes a difference whether it's Peet's or Folgers.
Caution: Now approaching the (technological) singularity.
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
Unfortunately, if you get a box with Linux preinstalled ( like Dell PowerEdge servers ) you don't have much choise of distros. They support Red Hat and if you install something else they will cancel your support contract. That's it. You can consider yourself lucky if you can get them not to install RH 7.x but to install 6.2.
Everybody Lies. But it doesn't matter since nobody listens.
Well, forgive me for trying to grab some karma (check my posting history, I don't do it often ;p) but if you want to read something free, my Linux Admin Made Easy (LAME) guide is rather uhh, Redhat-centric.
It's a _tad_ out-of-date but still relevant (and I'll be releasing an updated version "any day now").
I personally like this book.
I won't pretend to have an objective opinion as I wrote some of it, but it covers most topics that a linux admin would want to know. Yes, it's red hat based, but the information inside can be applied to almost and distro. The parts I wrote were aimed at any distro mainly. I suggested geting and using the source tarballs. Not relying on RPMs.
When it was written, 6.2 was the latest and greatest, so that's what it's aimed at, but the next edition (I think Tom's working on errata and additions already) should have more up to date info.
"We are not tolerant people. We prefer drastically effective solutions"
People who _Need_ a gui tool to get the job done really should do them self a favor and learn the basics.
AMEN! These people who absolutely must have some frontend to do everything for them annoy the crap out of me. iIf you want to use the frontends, fine. But know what they do.
Hell, if you can't put a machine on the net with ifconfig and route, and add and delete users with vipw, mkdir, chown and rm, then you need to learn how. (If you want to call yourself and admin that is.)
"We are not tolerant people. We prefer drastically effective solutions"
What I've always done in production environments, is install RedHat, then forget about the RPM database all together.
Use the source luke! Grab the tarballs, compile and install. I've been known to build my own RPMs
for installation on several machines, but still, build it yourself. (I say we dust off and nuke the site from orbit) It's the only way to be sure.
"We are not tolerant people. We prefer drastically effective solutions"
Ok, we're worth our weight in expensive coffee.
:)
$8/lb*200lb=1600/wk or 83200/yr.
I guess I need to gain some weight, or get really expensive coffee.
"We are not tolerant people. We prefer drastically effective solutions"
Every Linux Distro already has the needed tools to get the job done, they're all the same for the most part.
useradd
userdel
usermod
ifconfig
route
vi or emacs to mod conf files
etc.
People who _Need_ a gui tool to get the job done really should do them self a favor and learn the basics.
If you want a REALLY good book to read, I'd suggest taking a look at The Unix Philosiphy by Mike Gancarz. It's a rather consise book on why Unix is the way it is, and (unintententionally) demonstrates why Unix will never be a mainstream entity. People want apps that can do most anything, don't want to mess with low-level detail and just plain want it to do stuff withougt caring how it's done. Unix is almost the complete opposite of those desires.
If someone's going to allow submission of a review for a 2+ year old 'How-to config' book they should review this 9+ year old "Why is it the way it is" book. This one has been a great read so far.
-'fester
true. Redhat was known as roothat for awhile because the (since fixed) lpd/rsh bugs and that worm were a part of the default install on many desktops.
The thing I don't get is why ppl (not you...) think a desktop install doesn't need to be as secure as a server.
mefus
In Open Society, GPL Software frees YOU!
it's kinda good that it covers redhat 6.2. all the desktops here run 7.1 but our servers are still running 6.2.
why? because while 7.1 is fairly nice and it supports alot more required by workstation users it's stability is still questionable in my mind. 6.2 has most of the bugs worked out and i would imagine more people are useing it on servers than 7.1. so your book is still valid for those who want to setup a stable fileserver/nis/firewall/etc using redhat.
use LaTeX? want an online reference manager that
-- john
Running Linux, Linux in a Nutshell, and Linux Network Administrators Guide. With those three you can handle most any distro.
Best Slashdot Co
Is anyone else a bit disillusioned about this whole idea?
I find that the best way by far to learn about Linux or other operating systems is this: set myself a task (eg. to run a DNS), and then research how to do it, and do it, and keep on trying until I get it right. Then move onto another task.
Not only does this make you learn things quickly, it teaches you the methods for solving any future problems you may come across that aren't in the book. Are we going to end up with a generation of Linux users who wouldn't know their fat from a fiddle as soon as something strange happens? We could even give them a title, Muddle Causing SuSE(andotherdistro) Engineers
Unless there is a very specific need for 7.x, why upgrade?
I can give you one good reason. And before I continue, I want to say that I agree it's not good to do this on mission-critical machines. I would not recommend extending the following attitude to those machines:
You have to learn it eventually.
Get a leg up folks, and improve your knowledge, forgoodnessakes.
(but only on machines in the office, at first... Then you'll be prepared to accomplish the same on mission-critical machines).
Don't sweat the petty things. But do pet the sweaty things.
Linux is still just a kernel. There is no unified Linux OS. I remember reading an old "Slackware Unleashed" Book saying how Linux was a Hackers OS. Now it's just a hackers kernel with not much quality anymore. I lost my interest in Linux when I couldn't go from one system to another and have things "just work". Redhat has this, Debian that, and slackware this. Linux has become one big commerical mess IMO, and instead of focusing on making it the best OS of choice, it's become the best hyped up OS. I've moved to the BSD world, and everytime I take a look back at using Linux (by installing the latest greatest distro) I realize linux is more for the hobbyist than the business. I'll stick to using BSD, which isn't just a kernel, but an OS.
-bindir
Let's think a little bit more about security, performance and customization, maybe RH isn't the best option for this. Of course that RH is wonderful for desktop machines, but, for admins...
For admins, check out Netcrafts study of what Linux distribiution more than half of all Linux based web servers are running. Red Hat is AFAIK the only distribution that provides firewalling and tripwire out of the box.
And as someone pointed out before, customization is a moot point. You can still open a shell and hack away. Nobodies taken that away, and nobody will. For those who can't be bothered though, Red Hat provide some great tools.
Performance isn't something that can be discussed without a benchmark. Could you provide one? I'd have thought by releasing current, stable software Red Hat would have a performance gain on distributions that are still shipping noncurrent kernels.
If you want a REALLY good book to read, I'd suggest taking a look at The Unix Philosiphy by Mike Gancarz. It's a rather consise book on why Unix is the way it is, and (unintententionally) demonstrates why Unix will never be a mainstream entity.
I haven't read that book, but I have read `25 Years of Unix', whose explanations of Unix philosophy seems to indicate to me why its feasible Unix will become mainstream. Write something that performas a single function and do it well perfectly descrives the componentized web browser I'm typing this into, Konq. Nothing abouyt Unix philisophy limits it to haivng to be run from the command line, and nothing prohibits the creation of a modern desktop environment. Its just that older users are so used to seeing the trees they forgot about the forest.
Why are 2 year old books getting reviewed? How useful are "beginners" guides, or at least beginners to Linux, when they are out of date. If I were to start using Linux today, I'd go out and get the latest version, and I'd want a book that covered it.
/., and the comment is always, "a little out of date, but still some good information." How about reviewing books that aren't out of date?
By all means, seeing reviews of "classic" books, like O'Reilly's Essential System Administration or something would be valuable, but introductory books that are not current are not so valuable. It's not the first review for an older book that I've seen on
I shouldn't really bitch, however, because I'm not spending my time reading and reviewing the latest releases in the computer section of the bookstore.
Don't forget that Friday is Hawaiian shirt day.
Ok Einstein... the comparison IS with Win2k... I have a linux server at home that has an uptime of over 7 months. My Windows 2k machine has never made it more than 3 weeks, and it mostly just sits in the corner. Now what's so hard about remaining idle? Aparently Windows 2k hasn't figured it out yet!
"The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft agley..." - ROBERT BURNS
My problem with the book is that it only covers RedHat 6.0! First of all, as far as RedHat releases go, the .0 versions are the least stable. 6.0 = the most unstable 6.x version. 7.0 = the most unstable 7.x version (or as 'unstable' as linux can be) Granted, they're all EXTREMELY stable when compared to windows. Also, RedHat has changed since 6. The locations of some of the crucial files needed by sysadmins has changed, and a person using a 6.x book will be thrown-off when trying to find some of the stuff in 7.0 or 7.1.
"The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft agley..." - ROBERT BURNS
Because unlike some other linuxs RedHat has very few similarities to a real unix OS. It hides configuration files in obscure directories not at all like the Sun and BSD standards. Redhat has changed their version of automount at least 3 times in the last 4 releases, which wouldn't be a problem if they all used the same file format. (that kinda makes it tough for enterprise wide installs) You can't simply upgrade, since gnome breaks between releases and requires you to delete your
At current spot prices this guy must weigh a ton!
-- Each tock of the Planck clock is a new world and here we are still life. --
I'm guessing that Chapter 1 covers the basics (ls, cd, passwd) then Chapter 2 tells you how to go out into the world and come across as an infallible Unix guru who knows absolutely everything worth knowing.
How about a link to that $4.5/lb coffee? I've been getting the decent stuff here in Lafayette for about twice that at the grocery store, so I'm really interested.
Nels
See what I've been reading.
I agree with your point about unix being too detail intense for most users to actually use but linux and its gnu and other gpl programs do allow the creation of frontends. I've been reading ESRs book (the collection of essays put out by oreilly) and agree with him when he says that he sees linux and open source development moving towards more USER applications as opposed to the glut of (for lack of a better word) guru applications that we have now. So i think that if unix/linux were to remain static it would never be common on a desktop but the fact that things do change and the fact that there are only so many ways to write a program for a specific task i believe we will begin to see more apps designed as frontends to the multitude of apps that most of us now use on a command line. they will still be complex apps but a USER will never have to know that becuase some guru wrote a program so they don't have to know about it. Linux used to be a terror to install. Now with some of Mandrake's (as an example) advances in easy installs those terrors are going away. other apps will follow this lead towards usability now that many apps have achieved stability. I'm going off on a rant. i can see OSS development moving from one stage (the make it do its thing stage) into the second stage (make it easy for a user to make it do its thing). As this happens i think we will see projects change hands from developers focused on fixing a problem of doing something to those focused on making the solution to a problem easier for users to actually use. I think thats about it. sorry to waste your pixels.
-
You forgot kopi lewak.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010525.html
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 2, Act 4, Scene 2
Nothin beats good ol experience.
TWW
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
Now that our education system has degenerated to the point where no one can handle simple fractions and two people on Big Brother can be confused by the word "monogamy" while a third is unsure what a dove is (for fuck's sake!), there's little reason to believe that a return to the old system would work.
TWW
"Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
I know, let's turn every story that mentions a specific linux distribution into a distro flame war by mentioning which distro we like more for which task! Your comment is, of course, completely bizarre, since RH, like many other distros is perfectly configurable at the /etc/* level and man pages, HOW-TOs, and ESP will all help just as much on RH as any other distro.
Frankly, I think the variety of software available for any given distro and the variety of tasks to which any given linux is suited makes writing a comprehensive book about any linux a difficult task. Couple that with the tremendous rate of change, and by the time a book is in print it is likely to have large sections that are competely stale.
I do not have a signature
who the tell talked about a gui ?
I meant something uniform across Linux version, like dselect or dpkg for example (-1-when it comes to packages -2-yep, I'm a biaised Debianist but which other distro do you still see there in 10 years ? This is the only one which doesn't belong to a financially unstable company) and the others tools (backup, fdisk, etc.) may also be made "similar" in terms of interaction.
and, you're right, it rather has to be in text mode so tha twe can script it...
--
Trolling using another account since 2005.
Even though this book might be useful in this direction I can't help but feeling the need for a unified administration tool for Linux as this is becoming somehow discouraging to see so much differences between SuSe, Debian, RedHat, etc.
Maybe a unique book covering all these topics at once like this one but only aimed at Linux distros?
--
Trolling using another account since 2005.
Is Linux Administration Black Book ISBN: 1576104192
The main resons are that it offers both forms of administration means, via the gui and via the cli. It also covers everything.
Systems administrators -- good system administrators -- are worth their weight in coffee beans weekly, probably more if you count overtime...
I don't where Timothy buys his coffee, but most decent coffee can be be bought on-line for around $4.50/lb USD. If you take an arbitrary weight of 180 pounds for an admin, thats $810 USD per week, or $42,120 USD per year for a good sys admin.
I don't know about you guys, but before I take a Linux Sys Admin job, I'm going to balloon up to 350 - 400 lbs first.
As an aside, for those who are Metricly challanged, 2.2 pounds is approximately 1 kilogram.
"Today, chromatic reviews a book that can give a boost to Windows administrators learning to step up."
This is a troll. God forbid that anyone suggests that Linux users don't already know everything about the OS already. Political correctness aside, the major consumers of this book will be Linux and Unix users.
Good example of this was recently when our company was installing some remote control software, we chose VNC because of its small footprint and cross-platform nature. One of the NT admins whined about how it couldn't do file transfers like pcAnyWhere. We tried to explain to him how in the UNIX world, a tool generally does one thing, and does it very well. But he was distracted as MS Word asked him if he was writing a letter...
Sounds neat, too bad it isn't released under GNU FDL
God became man to enable men to become sons of God. -C.S. Lewis
ARGH! I can't even finish this post before a new version is out!
Most computer books are started months before the product even ships. It's not unreasonable to have at least 6 months from starting to write until the book is on the shelf. At least. If you start writing today, Red Hat will be on version 9.52 before your book sees the inside of a Borders.
Tough enough keeping up with the Microsoft products that are always late and widely spaced. Linux is powerful, timely information on it is going to be Net-based by necessity. Good reference books still have a place, though.
-Coach-
Perhaps the world's greatest tragedy is that ignorance is not impotence.
I missed your point! Could you please explain this better?
-=-=-=-=
I know life isn't fair, but why can't it ever be un-fair in MY favor!?
This provides good information for how to manipulate Linux; it hasn't changed so much that it would be useless. As you said, a lot of the concepts are still current.
I also think that it's important for people to understand how procedures evolve. A better understanding results in a better application results in better sys-admins. :o)
Screw 3...
Is the book under the GNU Free Documentation License?
Looking for any old 8-bit Heathkit/Zenith software/hardware - http://heathkit.garlanger.com
Um, with the dot-com crash, aren't Unix admins about a dime a dozen now? I've been working in the field for 4 years in the NYC area now, and can't seem to make anything over $70,000/year. :(