In this article, we take a look at a few books that should be on every Linux administrator's bookshelf. These books cover most, if not all of the technologies and applications that a Linux sysadmin is expected to know. Learn how to administer DNS servers, Web servers, setup firewalls and a lot more!
Administering a Linux computer/server can be a difficult job unless you have extensive experience in doing it. With increasing threats against servers and networks, everything has to be designed and implemented with security as a high priority. And with multiple daemons running on a server, it can be very difficult to secure everything. As they say, security is only as tight as the weakest link in the chain. Therefore, there's no point securing the web-server with multiple layers while leaving the DNS server open for attack. In this article we'll take a look at 10 must-have books for Linux administrators. These will address various things like hardening the operating system, the Apache web-server, BIND DNS server and so on...
Administering the system includes, but is not limited to, various tasks like user management, pruning the excess software packages installed on the system, and general maintenance that keeps a server secure and in good shape. Remember that these books are not a substitute for hard-work, a curiosity, and hands-on experience with Linux. Another thing to remember is that everything changes quickly in the world of Linux. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to keep updating yourself with new knowledge and buy books that are not more than a few months old, unless they're recommended by many people and have stood the test of time.
Linux Administration Handbook (2008) - Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, Trent R. Hein: This is one of the most important books you can buy. With a positive review from someone like Linus Torvalds himself, you cannot go wrong with this one. The authors expect you to know a thing or two about Linux and take it from there. The content is well written and packed with information, and covers most of the major Linux distributions in use today - Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise, Debian. The content is not just a bunch of 'man' pages lined up one after another, and care has been taken to keep the content fresh and at times, humorous. You can use it as a start-to-end book or use it as a reference whenever you're stuck with something. All in all, a highly recommended book for system administration.