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UNIX System Administration Handbook
Librarian's Note: this is an alternate cover edition - ISBN 10: 0139334416 - ISBN 13: 9780139334412
THE UNIX® SYSTEM ADMINISTRATlON HANDBOOK is an attempt to condense everything that a system administrator should know about UNIX® into a single, easy-to-use volume. Topics are organized in the sequence that they are likely to be employed. It can be used as a tutorial and as a reference book.
The authors emphasize the rationale behind the UNIX® system and present a hands-on approach. The authors encourage all tasks to be done right the first time. They also provide a detailed understanding of why each system administration task is important.
From the Foreword:
"The administration of UNIX® systems has always been a somewhat neglected subject, l think this happened for several reasons, all connected to various aspects of its unusual history. First, the creation and early spread of the system took place among devotees, people who soon became knowledgeable of its nooks and crannies. . . . Second, a typical UNIX® system inhabits a computing niche unusual until recently. Most commonly, such systems are either medium-sized machines serving a single department in a company or university, or werkstations used by a single person, but connected by a nerwork to many other systems. . . . The purchasers of a mid-range machine may find themselves suddenly nominated to be the staff; this can make them feel nearly as much on their own as if they had bought a personal computer, but they must face the complexities of keeping an eye on multiple users, dealing with one or more networks, and handling the other daunting conundrums that turn up. . . . Finally, UNIX® systems come from a variety of sources.
"Despite the problems, many of the purveyors of UNIX® systems do a good job of telling their customers how to run them. Nevertheless, a comprehensive book discussing administration is clearly called for. The manufacturer's theory of what you want to do is not necessarily your own, and the documentation may be scattered; your supplier may be more talented at building hardware than at generating useful manuals; or you may be using popular software that didn't come in the box.
"Therefore, this book is most welcome."
Dennis M. Ritchie AT&T Bell Laboratories
THE UNIX® SYSTEM ADMINISTRATlON HANDBOOK is an attempt to condense everything that a system administrator should know about UNIX® into a single, easy-to-use volume. Topics are organized in the sequence that they are likely to be employed. It can be used as a tutorial and as a reference book.
The authors emphasize the rationale behind the UNIX® system and present a hands-on approach. The authors encourage all tasks to be done right the first time. They also provide a detailed understanding of why each system administration task is important.
From the Foreword:
"The administration of UNIX® systems has always been a somewhat neglected subject, l think this happened for several reasons, all connected to various aspects of its unusual history. First, the creation and early spread of the system took place among devotees, people who soon became knowledgeable of its nooks and crannies. . . . Second, a typical UNIX® system inhabits a computing niche unusual until recently. Most commonly, such systems are either medium-sized machines serving a single department in a company or university, or werkstations used by a single person, but connected by a nerwork to many other systems. . . . The purchasers of a mid-range machine may find themselves suddenly nominated to be the staff; this can make them feel nearly as much on their own as if they had bought a personal computer, but they must face the complexities of keeping an eye on multiple users, dealing with one or more networks, and handling the other daunting conundrums that turn up. . . . Finally, UNIX® systems come from a variety of sources.
"Despite the problems, many of the purveyors of UNIX® systems do a good job of telling their customers how to run them. Nevertheless, a comprehensive book discussing administration is clearly called for. The manufacturer's theory of what you want to do is not necessarily your own, and the documentation may be scattered; your supplier may be more talented at building hardware than at generating useful manuals; or you may be using popular software that didn't come in the box.
"Therefore, this book is most welcome."
Dennis M. Ritchie AT&T Bell Laboratories
593 pages
First published January 1, 1989
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188 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 4, 2018
This was one of the first Unix Admin books out there. It was a great resource at a time when only the Usenet and white books where the only source of learning and verifying knowledge.
It is written in such a fun way, I sat down a read it one weekend while skiing. Well, after my legs gave out for the day.
It is written in such a fun way, I sat down a read it one weekend while skiing. Well, after my legs gave out for the day.
September 11, 2015
If you have the slightest interest in Unix system administration, you NEED this book... it will either equip you for the job or make you consider a new line of work.
This book is by far the best book out there for general UNIX system adminstration. The third edition is even better than the second. Whereas the second edition sometimes got bogged down in trying to mention too many different UNIX flavors, this new addition just concentrates on four main ones (HP-UX, Solaris, Red Hat Linux, and BSD). An excellent decision because it nows has great details and specifics about the four types. An excellent reference and it's entertaining to read too! Highly recommended.
I only regret that the author Evi Nemeth is disappeared en route between New Zealand and Australia on her 40-foot sailboat Wonderland.
This book is by far the best book out there for general UNIX system adminstration. The third edition is even better than the second. Whereas the second edition sometimes got bogged down in trying to mention too many different UNIX flavors, this new addition just concentrates on four main ones (HP-UX, Solaris, Red Hat Linux, and BSD). An excellent decision because it nows has great details and specifics about the four types. An excellent reference and it's entertaining to read too! Highly recommended.
I only regret that the author Evi Nemeth is disappeared en route between New Zealand and Australia on her 40-foot sailboat Wonderland.
July 29, 2012
All in all it is not a bad reference for day-to-day sysadmin work, however you will still need the fundamental knowledge of operating systems that you might get from a decent book or university course on the subject if you want to do a good job.
Also I was somewhat disappointed by the coverage, or lack thereof of clusters and the VxVM volume manager and Solaris metadevices.
While I do love being cutting edge those two are still pretty widely used and ZFS has a number of issues that need to be resolved in my personal opinion.
Also I was somewhat disappointed by the coverage, or lack thereof of clusters and the VxVM volume manager and Solaris metadevices.
While I do love being cutting edge those two are still pretty widely used and ZFS has a number of issues that need to be resolved in my personal opinion.
April 8, 2016
Fine; it's likely quite dated now but back when I was wearing an onion on my belt and admining refrigerator-sized Unix systems with hundreds of concurrent users, this 2nd edition of the guide was an exceptional reference, not just for the technical value, but because it was so readable. Evi Nemeth's death was a great loss.
July 11, 2007
This is the best book that I have found for all around *nix administration. Its a bit worn and out of date but I haven't had a need to get a more recent addition (I don't do much *nix admin anymore). It is one of my few technical books that I am happy to leave on my shelf.
April 10, 2007
Great book for system administrators.
Read
November 3, 2008UNIX. Руководство системного администратора. Для профессионалов
April 28, 2011
Fun, classic; a bit more than I needed as the single admin of a library web server (Ubuntu).
December 8, 2011
Well it's a classic, I think. I always recommend it.
February 3, 2012
Good for starting at the beginning of a Unix adventure and pertinent now that so much of the web, apple Oscar etc is underpinned by it.
February 4, 2013
This is the best UNIX reference book available.
April 21, 2015
The Bible for Unix Admins.
November 1, 2015
Growing more dated now, but still valuable especially for those who must manage or administer UNIX and Linux type systems from the command line.
October 23, 2007
Very Very essential, right up there with the nutshell and power tools
January 6, 2016
These books are the only ones you need to read if you want to be a sys admin.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews