Essential System Administration: Help for Unix System Administrators

This text takes an in-depth look at the fundamentals of Unix system administration in a real-world, heterogeneous environment. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced administrator, you should quickly be able to apply its principles and advice to your everyday problems. The book approaches Unix system administration from the perspective of your job - the routine tasks and troubleshooting that make up your day. Whether you're dealing with frustrated users, convincing an uncomprehending management that you need new hardware, rebuilding the kernel, or simply adding new users, you should find this book helpful. It covers back up and restore and how to set up printers, secure your system, and perform many other system administration tasks. This second edition has been updated for all major Unix platforms, including SunOS 4.1, Solaris 2.4, AIX 4.1, Linux 1.1, Digital Unix, OSF/1, SCO Unix Version 3, HP/UX Versions 9 and 10, and IRIX Version 6. The book has been thoroughly reviewed and tested on all of the platforms covered. In addition, networking, electronic mail, security, and kernel configuration topics have been expanded substantially. Topics covered include: starting up and shutting down your system; adding new users; managing processes; system security; organizing and planning file systems; planning and performing backups; setting up pointers; TCP/IP networking; setting up email; adding terminals and disk drives; and setting up and using the accounting system.

Table of Contents:
Preface Chapter 1. Introduction to System Administration The System Administrator's Job Becoming Superuser Communicating with Users Menu Interfaces for System Administration. Chapter 2. The UNIX Way Files Processes Devices The UNIX Filesystem Layout. Chapter 3. Essential Administrative Tools Getting Help Piping into grep and awk Finding Files Repeating Commands Creating Several Directory Levels at Once Duplicating an Entire Directory Tree Comparing Directories Deleting Pesky Files Starting at the End. Chapter 4. Startup and Shutdown The UNIX Boot Process The UNIX Initialization Process and Startup Scripts Shutting Down a UNIX System When the System Crashes When the System Won't Boot. Chapter 5. User Accounts Adding New Users UNIX Groups Standard UNIX Users and Groups. Chapter 6. Security Prelude: What's Wrong with This Picture? Thinking About Security User Authentication Revisited Protecting Files and the Filesystem Detecting Problems. Chapter 7. Managing System Resources Thinking About System Performance Monitoring CPU Activity Managing CPU Usage and Controlling Processes Managing Memory Disk I/O Performance Issues The Freely-Available monitor Utility Managing Disk Space Usage Controlling Disk Usage with Disk Quotas. Chapter 8. Automating Tasks with Scripts and Such Creating Effective Shell Scripts Perl: An Alternate Administrative Language Expect: Automating Interactive Programs When Only C Will Do Periodic Program Execution: The cron Facility Adding Local man Pages. Chapter 9. Filesystems and Disks Mounting and Dismounting Filesystems Using fsck to Validate a Filesystem From Disks to Filesystems Adding Disks Striped Disks Floppy Disks CD-ROM Devices Media-Handling Daemons (IRIX and Solaris) Logical Volume Managers. Chapter 10. Backup and Restore Planning for Disasters and Everyday Needs Backup Media Backing Up Files and Filesystems Restoring Files from Backups Making Table of Contents Files Backing Up and Restoring the System Filesystems Other Backup Facilities Related Tape Utilities Tape Special Files. Chapter 11. Terminals and Modems Terminal-Related Special Files Specifying Terminal Characteristics Adding a New Device Terminal Handling Under Solaris Troubleshooting Terminal Problems Configuring a Dialin/Dialout Modem Controlling Access to Serial Lines. Chapter 12. Printers and the Spooling Subsystem The BSD Spooling Facility System V Printing The AIX Queueing Facility Troubleshooting Printers Remote Printing. Chapter 13. TCP/IP Network Management Understanding TCP/IP Networking Adding a New Host NFS and NIS Monitoring the Network Network Security. Chapter 14. Electronic Mail About Electronic Mail Configuring the Mail System System-Wide Mail Configuration Files Setting Up Mail Aliases and Distribution Lists. Chapter 15. Configuring and Building Kernels SCO UNIX Linux Digital UNIX and SunOS IRIX HP-UX 9 HP-UX 10 Booting an Alternate HP-UX Kernel Solaris AIX System Parameters. Chapter 16. Accounting Standard Accounting Files BSD Accounting System V Accounting Afterword: Don't Forget to Have Fun Appendix A. Bourne Shell Programming Basic Syntax The if Statement Other Control Structures Getting Input: The read Command Other Useful Commands Shell Functions Appendix B. Selecting and Installing Linux Systems Buying Hardware to Run Linux Linux Distributions Installation Overview Glossary Books Shell Tools, Programming, and UNIX Internals Security Networking Performance and System Tuning Terminal Lines, Data Communications, and X Linux General and Miscellaneous Topics Periodicals Freely-Available Software Index

About the Author :
AEleen Frisch has been a system administrator for over 15 years, tending a plethora of VMS, UNIX, and Windows NT systems. Currently, she looks after a very heterogeneous network of UNIX and Windows NT systems. Her other books include Essential Windows NT System Administration and Windows NT Desktop Reference (both O'Reilly & Associates) and Exploring Chemistry with Electronic Structure Methods (Gaussian, Inc.). She also writes the "NTegration" column for SunExpert magazine (discussing Windows NT from a UNIX perspective). She has degrees from Caltech and Pitt and is an MCSE. AEleen is a third-generation native Californian, living in exile in Connecticut with her partner Mike and her cats Daphne, Lyta, Talia, and Susan. When she is not writing technical books and articles or computer programs, she divides her spare time between writing a novel, painting, and creating murder mystery games. AEleen can be reached by email via aefrisch@lorentzian.com.