Administration

UNIX System Management Primer Plus

Format: Paperback
Author: Jeffrey S. Horwitz
ReleaseDate: 09 August, 2002
Publisher: Sams
Rating:

Excellent Overview!
. An excellent overview on the 'what' and 'how' of performing Unix system administration in the real world.

It doesn't deserve good marks
There were not enough information about internal operation of Unix operating system. I wouldn't give good marks on the report card for this author. I was expecting more. Many good reviews. I don't know why.

Must-read for sysadmins and IT managers
It discusses the *practice* of managing and administering servers, rather than focusing on operating system commands and utilities. Horwitz wrote a book that I had always wished for and had considered writing myself. While written for Unix sysadmins, many of the lessons discuss elements generic to all operating systems.

In the first half of the book, he discusses the basics of planning, setup and impact to the data center, testing, and a support organization. It is an IT Management 101. In the latter half, there is more focus on Unix, but even then, most of the material is relevant to all operating systems. He discusses communications, procedures, and documentation.

This is a must-read for a manager of system administrators or for a lead or lone administrator of a small shop. In fact, I would recommend every sysadmin read this book, as the cutbacks typical of this tough economy are forcing more and more IT employees to broaden their scope of responsibility from the mechanics of the OS to general computer operations.