Linux Network Administrator's Guide

by Olaf Kirch, Terry Dawson

Linux, a UNIX-compatible operating system that runs on personal
computers, is a pinnacle within the free software movement. It is
based on a kernel developed by Finnish student Linus Torvalds and is
distributed on the Net or on low-cost disks, along with a complete set
of UNIX libraries, popular free software utilities, and traditional
layered products like NFS and the X Window System. Linux is sweeping
Europe, winning adherents in North America, and generating enthusiasm
worldwide.

Part of Linux's appeal is the unstructured and far-flung manner in
which it grew. Self-styled hackers from many countries created it.
Maintenance and support are distributed in a similar manner. And
even its documentation -- from installation instructions through
manual pages and full-length guides -- is the product of a volunteer
effort, the Linux Documentation Project.

Networking is a fundamental part of Linux. As a stand-alone computer
system it is impressive enough, but sooner or later you, the user, are
going to want to send someone a file, mount a file system from another
computer, read Usenet news, or search the World Wide Web. Whether you
want a simple UUCP connection or a full LAN with NFS and NIS, you are
going to have to build a network.

One of the most successful books to come from the Linux Documentation
Project is the Linux Network Administrator's Guide by Olaf Kirch.
It touches on all the essential networking software included with Linux,
plus some hardware considerations. Topics include:

Introduction to TCP/IP
Configuring network and serial hardware
Domain Name Service
Serial line communications using SLIP and PPP
NIS and NFS
Taylor UUCP
Administering electronic mail, including smail and Sendmail+IDA
Administering Netnews, including C News, NNTP, and several news readers

Genres: Technical, Reference, Nonfiction, Technology, Computers, Computer Science, Programming

512 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994

Reviews

[Elie De Brauwer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first edition of the Linux Network Administrator's guide. And when I bought this book somewhere in the 2nd half of the 1990's, this book was the first O'Reilly book I owned and comes from a time in the offline era where lot's of knowledge (even about computer-ish things) had to be obtained in an offline world. Even today I'm still impressed by the book itself, the 'RepKover' way of binding still bring this feeling of quality and even though it is one of my oldest tech books it doesn't show it effective age. Hell the book even 'smells' like an O'Reilly (something current O'Reilly don't do anymore).

As for the contents, from one end reading this (in the first edition !, there is also a 3rd edition which stems from 2005) it already contained some stuff that was even vintage in '95, things like UUCP, YP, NIS, ... (things I wouldn't have known if I hadn't read about them in this book). It cover 0.99 and 1.* Linux kernels which were even before 'my' time. Another big part is just a trip down memory lane, the concepts still exist but the practical implementation has changed. And some rock solid concepts are even relevant today.

Anyhow, I read this book for nostalgia purposes (success !) and now the 'Printed on Recycled Paper' will take a next step in the circular economy.

[Jorgon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick re-read of this confirms that its status as an oldie but goodie. Despite some space wasted on obsolete technologies, the chapter on DNS, at least, is still quite relevant. But it is probably time for another revision!

[Angela Randall]

Free in HTML here.

[Laurent]

Read the first edition, then this one... must be close to 10 years ago.

[عَبدُالكَرِيمْ · Rating 3 out of 5]

learned from it but not as much as I expected.. pass