Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

If you're an experienced system administrator looking to acquire Linux skills, or a seasoned Linux user facing a new challenge, Linux System Administration offers practical knowledge for managing a complete range of Linux systems and servers. The book summarizes the steps you need to build everything from standalone SOHO hubs, web servers, and LAN servers to load-balanced clusters and servers consolidated through virtualization. Along the way, you'll learn about all of the tools you need to set up and maintain these working environments.

Linux is now a standard corporate platform with users numbering in the hundreds of millions, and there is a definite shortage of talented administrators. Linux System Administration is ideal as an introduction to Linux for Unix veterans, MCSEs, and mainframe administrators, and as an advanced (and refresher) guide for existing Linux administrators who will want to jump into the middle of the book. Inside, you'll learn how to:

Set up a stand-alone Linux server



Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot a DNS server using BIND



Build an Internet server to manage sites, perform email and file transfers, and more



Set up an email service for a small-to-medium-sized site, complete with authentication



Install and configure Apache, PHP, and MySQL on a web server built from scratch



Combine computers into a load-balanced Apache web server cluster based on the free Linux Virtual Server



Set up local network services from distributed file systems to DHCP services, gateway services, print services, user management and more



Use Linux virtualization with Xen or VMWare to run multiple kernels on one piece of hardware; manage each kernel's access to processor time, devices, and memory



Create shell scripts and adapt them for your own needs



Back up and restore data with rsync, tar, cdrecord, Amanda, and MySQL tools











Linux System Administration is not only knowledgeable and practical, but convenient. The ingredients for this book had been scattered throughout mailing lists, forums, and discussion groups, as well as books, periodicals, and the experiences of colleagues. Everything is now in one handy guide. In the course of their research, the authors also solved many problems whose solutions were completely undocumented. They now pass their lessons on to you.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface
• 1 Requirements for a Linux System Administrator
• About This BookHow Can We Help?
• Where Do You Start?
• Do You Need a Book?
• Who Needs You?
• What System Managers Should Know About Linux
• What's Next
• 2 Setting Up a Linux Multifunction Server
• Server Requirements
• Installing DebianLogging in Remotely
• Configuring the Network
• Changing the Default Debian Packages
• Setting Up Quotas
• Providing Domain Name Services
• Adding a Relational Database: MySQL
• Configuring Mail Securely with Postfix, POP3, and IMAP
• Putting Apache to Work
• Adding FTP Services with ProFTPD
• Summarizing Your Web Statistics with Webalizer
• Synchronizing the System Clock
• Installing Perl Modules Needed by Spam Assassin
• What's Next
• 3 The Domain Name System
• DNS Basics Getting into the BIND
• Setting Up a DNS Server
• Configuring an Authoritative DNS Server
• Editing the Configuration Files
• BIND Tools
• Troubleshooting BIND
• What's Next
• 4 An Initial Internet-Ready Environment
• Installing ISPConfig
• Setting Up a Server and Users with ISPConfig
• Safeguarding a Linux Web Server
• What's Next
• 5 MailKey Mail Service Terms
• Postfix, Sendmail, and Other MT
• AsThe Postfix SMTP Mail Server on Debian
• Adding Authentication and Encryption
• Configuring POP3 and IMAP Mail Delivery Agents
• Email Client Configuration
• What's Next
• 6 Administering Apache
• Static and Dynamic Files
• A Simple LAMP Setup
• Installation Apache Configuration Files
• LogfilesSSL/TLS Encryptionsu
• EXEC Support
• Benchmarking
• Installing and Administering Drupal
• Troubleshooting
• Further Reading
• 7 Load-Balanced Clusters
• Load Balancing and High Availability
• Scaling Without LB and HA
• Further Reading
• 8 Local Network Services
• Distributed FilesystemsIntroduction to Samba
• Configuring the Network
• DHCP Gateway Services
• Print Services
• User Management
• 9 Virtualization in the Modern Enterprise
• Why Virtualization Is Popular
• High-Performance Computing
• Installing Xen on Fedora 5
• Installing VMwareVirtualization: A Passing Fad?
• 10 Scriptingbash Beginnings
• Useful Elements for bash Scripts
• Scripting Language Shootout
• Further Reading
• 11 Backing Up Data
• Backing Up User Data to a Server with rsynctar Archives
• Saving Files on Optical Media
• Backing Up and Archiving to Tape with Amanda
• Backing Up MySQL Data
• Appendix. bash Script Samples
• Index