Hello,

I'm looking for best structured book to learn Linux System Administration.

I work at a Helpdesk at this time and I'm looking for a book that is structured for learning Linux from install too building and maintaining the Server.

There are many resources out there but most seem disjointed, skipping from command line in chapter 1 to installing in chapter 4. I'm going to learn it in my own time with the goal to working up to system admin. I'm just looking for something that follows a logical sequence. This is the way I learn best. The fundamentals then to the advanced. Once I have that I'm okay with how things fall.


I still consider myself a newbie with Linux but I'm going to learn it one way or the other.

Just looking for recommendations.

Thanks

I doubt there is a best book. That book would have to be huge. You may wish to look at other sources for clues to a learning path. Red Hat and maybe your local schools and specialty trade schools may have a group of books.

https://www.lpi.org/linux-certifications

check out the LPIC 1 - 3 sections on the left hand side of the page. they will give you a very good overview of the linux system, and as you get deeper (2, and 3) more and more about how to administer a Linux server, workstation, and network.

I've got Linux Administration Handbook -- from 2007, but still useful.
See reviews: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...ation_Handbook

I still have this handbook. I was startled to notice that the Pink Cat on the front of it is actually a hand giving the middle-finger! I mean come on, the cat tail is obviously a thumb, with nail and all.

The best method I've found is to simply install a popular linux distribution, making sure to read all the official documentation beforehand, then once you have it up and running, look at the BASH info pages (Presuming your chosen distro contains BASH). I think this is the best start you can have actually. Beyond that, just skimming the info pages for any command you're interested in is always my first port of call and gives you the most up to date and accurate information.

Once you feel you understand the basics, I suggest reading through and executing the Linux From Scratch (LFS) project. This project is fantastic.

-D

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Hi,

I like to provide the following links for a new user. These will provide you with useful reference information;

Linux Documentation Project will provide you with a wide variety of reference material. Guides 7, 8 & 9 will provide you with condensed information. Overall the whole list above can be useful references to have on-hand.

Hope this helps!

3 members found this post helpful.

Install Debian or Centos into a couple VM's (bridged adapters so they get routable IP addresses) for practice setting the OS's up. Do it the hard way, where you have to partition everything yourself. For these next suggestions, Google is your friend, unless you have bought a book.

From there:

• set up your network, dns, dhcp
• set up an apache web server on one
• set up keyless SSH
• make a backup scheme from the webserver to the other machine
• put it in crontab to run once a day
• add a user
• set up the user to be able to manage apache
• set up varnish webcache
• set up and configure mysql
• add some databases into mysql
• make a backup of mysql
• make a backup scheme from the mysql server to the other machine
• put it in crontab and run once a week
• delete your webserver and read the logs to see what that would look like
• restore your webserver from backup
• drop your database
• restore your database from backup

Thats a fun little experiment to go through to get your fingers into linux.
Remember to search out information as recommended earlier, and search on the internet.. there is plenty of information out there.

2 members found this post helpful.

a great practical advice!!

The first book I recommend is in my 'sig' below.
Then the book I bought is The Debian Administrator's Handbook.
https://debian-handbook.info/
Now freely available to download.
https://debian-handbook.info/get/

Now this thread pretty much sums up how to admin the system thus hint, hint. A good way of checking if you are ready for certification at intermediate levels too.

Get Michael Jang's RHCSA/RHCE prep book...

Linux Bible is a great book to read and for reference as well.

Are there any certification courses? If yes, what are they?