The Practice of System and Network Administration

Amy Rich writes: "If you're are, or want to be, a professional sysadmin, buy this book! I've been doing UNIX system administration for nearly ten years now, and I've never seen another book like this on the market. Limoncelli and Hogan do a fantastic job of describing the 'whys' behind many of the best practices in the systems and network administrator world. I wish this book had been around when I started out; it would have saved so many headaches as I 'learned the hard way.' Read on (below) for the reasons Amy is so enthusiastic about this book, and to see if it might fit your situation. The Practice of System and Network Administration author Thomas A. Limoncelli and Christine Hogan pages 773 publisher Addison Wesley rating 9.5 reviewer Amy Rich ISBN 0-201-70271-1 summary Fantastic high level book about successfully administrating computer systems and networks. Learn the best practices of the pros, developed through years of trial and error.

Though not a nitty gritty technical book, this volume is a must have for every professional sysadmin, regardless of skill level or the technology she uses. The book focuses on the methods used by successful system administrators to build, support, and grow their networks. For the novice admin, it offers a good big-picture look at the most important "whys" of system administration. For the intermediate admin, it has great advice on how to balance fire fighting with project work that will help strengthen the infrastructure and lead to less emergency handling. For the senior admin, there are gems of design wisdom and sections on how to deal with being in a managerial or team leader role. Because it's more high level, this book is even a good buy for people who manage sysadmins but are not themselves technical.

What's Covered

The book is broken down into four major parts, The Principles, The Processes, The Practices, and Management. The chapters in each section are conveniently split into the "basics," the "icing" (things to concentrate on after all of the basics have been accomplished), and some exercises at the end to help the reader apply the covered information to her own situation. The authors back up their sound advice with many case studies and, often tragically humorous, war stories that really drive home the salient points. The BOFHs among us will certainly love some of the follies that the book recounts.

The Principles

This chapter deals with fundamental issues sysadmins encounter and how to define a site-wide infrastructure. The topics range from desktop and server setup, to security, debugging, and ethics. Of particular interest to me were the latter three. I was hoping that the security section would give a bit more detail about a layered security approach as part of the policy. The authors offered good pointers on developing a site security policy without going into specifics, though. The debugging section was spot on, and something that even your help desk people should read. Instead of the hit-or-miss technique that so many inexperienced people use to diagnose problems, this gave a thorough outline of how to methodically determine and fix a problem. In light of the current Enron fiasco, the ethics section was quite timely. How do you do the right thing (or even determine what that is) and then not get stuck as the scapegoat? Though they're not lawyers, Limoncelli and Hogan offer some sound advice and quote from the SAGE Code of Ethics.

The Processes

This section entails how to create the framework for making successful changes to your infrastructure. Topic highlights include change management and revision control, server upgrades, maintenance windows, and service conversions. Change management is one of the most perilously neglected portions of the system administration field today. How should changes be made to the systems so that they are as seamless as possible? Who changed what, when? How do you get back to a known state? My one nit is that I would have liked to see a bit more about automation (rsync, cfengine, et al) discussed in this chapter, especially in dealing with upgrades and service conversions.

The Practices

The authors choose a few important services to discuss in detail here:

• The helpdesk
• Customer care
• Data centers
• Networks
• Email service
• Print service
• Data recovery
• Remote access
• Software depots
• Service monitoring

These topics were well covered, but the one omission from this section was web service (and possibly a section on Usenet, though that's waning in popularity these days). The namesapces chapter from the Principles section would have also flowed better as part of a DNS chapter in this section. One especially amusing story in the monitoring chapter describes an alarm system in a machine room calling the on-duty sysadmin in the wee hours of the morning to tell him, in a sultry female voice, I'm hot. I'm wet. Too bad his wife answers and thinks it's a prank call when it's really a broken HVAC system!

Management

This section covers how to best deal with the human side of system administration and really explores how people can actually like their jobs instead of just slogging through them every day. There's some outstanding advice on how to deal with difficult situations (time management, difficult people, professional development, keeping people motivated and managing them well, etc). This is also the first book that I know of that includes salary negotiating tips for sysadmins. The management section could almost stand alone as a book geared towards the particular problems that many sysadmins experience.

Other bits

Unlike most other books, the introduction and the appendices are also very worthwhile reads. The introduction covers the three fundamental things that ever site should already be doing: using a ticketing system, handling quick requests right, and starting every host in a known state. The first two appendices cover the various hats that sysadmins wear and "what to do when..." situations. The latter is extremely valuable, and is also available from the book's web site.

In all, this book receives an enthusiastic thumbs up!"

You can purchase The Practice of System and Network Administration from bn.com. Want to see your own review here? Just read the book review guidelines, then use Slashdot's handy submission form.

Comments

Not a bad idea

[Wingchild]

Books like this need to be written, disseminated, and then force-fed to anyone who wants to touch Systems Administration for a profession - or even work with sysadmins tangentally. I've spent too much time justifying my practices and beliefs about administration to people who had precisely zero working knowledge of the art; would that we lived in a world where this was no longer necessary!

*sighs*. I can keep dreaming. :)

Re:Not a bad idea

[Vinson Massif]

Interesting you refer to it as an art. My view of SA is that of a craft or trade. While post-secondary education (of some sort, not necessarily CS or CE) is important, the job demands an apprenticeship period with a a mentor that has been there a while. The unfortunate reality is that may SA's get started by being dropped in without any support around them.

Re:Not a bad idea

[daniel_isaacs]

Interesting you refer to it as an art. My view of SA is that of a craft or trade.

In any trade or craft, when it is done well it is indistiguishable from art.

There is a reason the Jedi appeal to us generally. We've been down the path of the Master and the apprentice. We appreciate wisdom. And we practise a largely misunderstood, but vital craft. The sympathies are numerous.

Re:Not a bad idea

[rhaig]

I'd call it more of an art... Black art.

Yes, you have to have some sort of apprenticeship, and all the book-learning in the world won't be enough when you get neck deep in the workings, but I don't know if it's a skill.

Let's face it, most good sysadmins are lazy. The do something once the best way they can, and hopefully dont have to touch it for a long time. There's definately some art in laziness.

Re:Online Collection of Tips

[reaper20]

Sysadmin Talk is a forum for sysadmins.

Still a small community since its relatively new, but it has potential.

Changing jobs/roles

[Chocky2]

Personally I'd reccommend this for novice to average people who's role is changing or who are changing job to sysadmin in a different company or environment.

A lot of the skills and behaviours people pick up will be heavily flavoured by the environment in which they picked them up; this book will help people to understand the common practices in sysadmining - what changes and what stays the same in different environments. Sysadmining in a university is very different to in an ISP or in a tech-corporation or in a non-tech-corporation.

Not just for Unix either

[rob_from_ca]

In fact, probably _especially_ for NT admins. NT admins often seem to lack the exact background, sensitivity, and discipline that this book is talking about. Even though some of things are hard to implment (revision control for configurations, etc), the principles apply to _all_ production systems.

This is the best sysadmin book I've ever read. This plus a practical how-to book like USAH and O'Reilly's Unix Backup and Recovery are the three cornerstones that everyone should start with as a starting sysadmin. This book in particular will save you 2-3 years of frustration unless you work in a very disciplined shop.

Re:Not just for Unix either

[dillon_rinker]

Of course, Microsoft only made matters worse by then certifying any joker that could pick up a book.

HEY! I resemble that remark!

(I passed three NT4 certs without ever having SEEN any variety of NT - only having read three books =)

See Also: The Unix System Administration Handbook

[Anonymous Coward]

The Unix System Administration Handbook has been around a long time and also an excellent book for any System Administrator.

Nemeth, Evi and Garth Snyder, Scott Seebass, Trent R. Hein. UNIX System Administration Handbook, Third Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2001. ISBN 0-13-020601-6.

Definitely worth picking up a copy.

Re:prices BOOKPOOL RULES

[cpfeifer]

Amazon charges full price ($49.95), bookpool has it for 20% off ($39.95).

Sysadminning - the Art

[Wingchild]

I got started by being dropped into the middle of the mix, myself. I was doing web coding for the University of Florida's Office of the University Registrar, when, in short order, two previous admins bailed out (after being passed up for promotions and raises - ah, politics). As the only guy left who knew the systems, I had to take up the banner and carry us forth as best I could.

I just really took to systems administration. Few things please me more than to see my machines running quietly, humming along and making other people productive. I approach it like an art, treat it like an art, a chance for me to develop skills and express them while doing some good for the community I'm serving at any given time.

I guess it's really a matter of one's perception. At least my job satisfaction is usually pretty high. :)

Best *New* Price

[duplicate-nickname]

Get it at Bookpool for $39.95....seems to be the best price out there.

http://www.bookpool.com/.x/k9wrskqsu1/ss/1?qs=0201 702711

A quote from the SAGE ethics page

[El_Smack]

"System administrators will not exercise their special powers to access any private information..."

I guess I'll have to stop using telekinesis to see which of the secretaries aren't wearing panties today.