The Practice of System and Network Administration

The first edition of The Practice of System and Network Administrationintroduced a generation of system and network administrators to a modern IT methodology. Whether you use Linux, Unix, or Windows, this newly revised edition describes the essential practices previously handed down only from mentor to protégé. This wonderfully lucid, often funny cornucopia of information introduces beginners to advanced frameworks valuable for their entire career, yet is structured to help even the most advanced experts through difficult projects.

The book's four major sections build your knowledge with the foundational elements of system administration. These sections guide you through better techniques for upgrades and change management, catalog best practices for IT services, and explore various management topics. Chapters are divided into The Basics and The Icing. When you get the Basics right it makes every other aspect of the job easier--such as automating the right things first. The Icing sections contain all the powerful things that can be done on top of the basics to wow customers and managers.

Inside, you'll find advice on topics such as

• The key elements your networks and systems need in order to make all other services run better
• Building and running reliable, scalable services, including web, storage, email, printing, and remote access
• Creating and enforcing security policies
• Upgrading multiple hosts at one time without creating havoc
• Planning for and performing flawless scheduled maintenance windows
• Managing superior helpdesks and customer care
• Avoiding the "temporary fix" trap
• Building data centers that improve server uptime
• Designing networks for speed and reliability
• Web scaling and security issues
• Why building a backup system isn't about backups
• Monitoring what you have and predicting what you will need
• How technically oriented workers can maintain their job's technical focus (and avoid an unwanted management role)
• Technical management issues, including morale, organization building, coaching, and maintaining positive visibility
• Personal skill techniques, including secrets for getting more done each day, ethical dilemmas, managing your boss, and loving your job
• System administration salary negotiation

It's no wonder the first edition received Usenix SAGE's 2005 Outstanding Achievement Award!

This eagerly anticipated second edition updates this time-proven classic:

• Chapters reordered for easier navigation
• Thousands of updates and clarifications based on reader feedback
• Plus three entirely new chapters: Web Services, Data Storage, and Documentation

Thomas A. Limoncelli is a noted system and network administrator employed at Google. He speaks at conferences worldwide on a variety of topics.

Christina J. Hogan has more than ten years' system administration experience. She now works at the BMW Sauber F1 team as an aerodynamicist.

Strata R. Chalup is a twenty-year veteran of system administration and technical project management. She is the founder of Virtual.Net, Inc.