UNIX System Administration Handbook

by Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Scott Seebass

This new edition of the world's most comprehensive guide to UNIX administration is an ideal tutorial for those new to administration and an invaluable reference for experienced professionals. The third edition has been expanded to include "direct from the frontlines" coverage of Red Hat Linux. UNIX System Administration Handbook describes every aspect of system administration - from basic topics to UNIX esoterica - and provides explicit cover of four popular UNIX systems:

- Red Hat Linux
- Solaris
- HP-UX
- FreeBSD

This book stresses a practical approach to system administration. It's packed with war stories and pragmatic advice, not just theory and watered-down restatements of the manuals. Difficult subjects such as sendmail, kernel building, and DNS configuration are tackled head-on. Examples are provided for all four versions of UNIX and are drawn from real-life systems - warts and all.

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

853 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Paul Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Vincenzo De Sanctis · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Nemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[J. Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Jon Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[TK Keanini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for system administrators.

[Viaden]

UNIX. Руководство системного администратора. Для профессионалов

[Yitzchak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, classic; a bit more than I needed as the single admin of a library web server (Ubuntu).

[Aleksey Abramov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well it's a classic, I think. I always recommend it.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jason Canon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best UNIX reference book available.

[Scott Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible for Unix Admins.

[Altivo Overo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing more dated now, but still valuable especially for those who must manage or administer UNIX and Linux type systems from the command line.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Very essential, right up there with the nutshell and power tools

[David Sewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are the only ones you need to read if you want to be a sys admin.