I believe most of you guys are guru here.
I'm actually linux/unix programmer and understand some of linux language (sh, bash, perl).
I would like to jump into more technical role which is sys admin which I need to do something like :
Veritas backup and clustering (I heard our sysadmin use gpfs software about this)
Unix backup and file restore (I know how to create tar and extract, I read sysadmin usually use dump command)
install software (I know how to install rpm files, which usually following the readme file, but what about SUN package file?)
Monitoring software (How sysadmin usually do this? via top command? or any 3rd party software like tivoli)
Layer 2 and 3 networking like SMTP, DNS (I know some command about this to scan port, check port open using nmap, netstat -ar)
Web hosting (I know about IIS and abit apache)
If I wanna know all of these, which the best I should start via books or course and certifications? build one box and play around but we need number of boxes to play around about clustering and networking...
So, if you guys can shed a light where should I start and do, that would be appreciated..
Administration is a lot a question of experience...
Reading books will help of course but cant replace the "workshop"
If you dont have a serve you can play with at work, then opt for a linux at home and so get O'Reilly linux admin book. The essencial practice, you will need, then once mastered, its not that difficult to understand and find your way in all the other flavours of UNIX
virtualize if you need more then one server and don't feel like spending the number. use vmware of instance. also, solaris 10 (and 9) have zones or containers. sol10 zones are pretty big these days and putting them on a zfs filesystem will definitely get you into the realm of sys admin. i'm a solaris admin so much of my resources come from docs.sun.com. if you take a look at the basic and advanced sys admin collections, you will definitely start learning.
all the applications you are speaking about can all be done without any cost to you. btw, man pages are your collective bible.
If I install linux mandriva at home as I have got it now,
would it be much different to admin other more popular flavour like (redhat, fedora) and unix.
Or would be the best if I spend some money to buy Redhat and install at home.
Actually, can I buy Solaris 10 Unix and install at home or unix require specific hardware and we need to buy from sun as the package (hardware and OS)?
Because we all know unix is most popular in the world.
There is OpenSolaris and it should be free...
If you are really willing to learn, the hard way (but you learn far more...) is to go with a debian server then there is an O'Reilly book of admin for it.
The hard way because there is a lot to do from scratch in Debian. So to my eyes - the best approach : You will know since you succeeded in its installation where all is installed, this is a great advantage when issues occures, you know where to look...
People with pur GUI usually have no ideas where the config files are hidden (Ive see too many claiming they installed... then call for help when in trouble, not to say when X doesnt start...)
About the commercial unix, instead of buying a solaris, look for a box on Ebay or any other site you find servers for less than 100$
That will do the job!
I have 2 HP and a SUN at home ( solaris8 - never finished the installation started in 2002- i lack of time...)
Hi vbe, about the commercial unix, I found server HP 9000 A500 Server UNIX SERVER and it's empty (no OS), so do we need to buy solaris separately ? like yours (solaris 8) how much?
With a A500 You will need HPUX11i v1 (Its a PA-RISC box...), that costs quite a lot but I suppose someone can give you some CDs /DVD to install a basic configuration, It cant be worth much without OS...but its a nice little server (blade type) Does it have a DAT drive with it? If you are looking at SUN, a little ultra10 would be fine for you. Remember to look also for DAT drive installed ( backup/restore exercice...) About HP, in the worst case I will look and see if I can help...(but I have a A400 and sure its not the same processor in mine is serie 7XXX while I bet A500 is PA-8000 (64bit...))
would you mind to tell me how you become unix admin at first time? or it's just simply luck opportunity from company :), they like you and give you training.
If I install linux mandriva at home as I have got it now,
would it be much different to admin other more popular flavour like (redhat, fedora) and unix.
functionality wise it is almost the same as Mandriva. Mandriva was derive from redhat. Im suggesting that you try the Fedora. Every new Rehdat technologies are incorporated at fedora core.let us say that it is a (staging RHEL in some ways).
Or would be the best if I spend some money to buy Redhat and install at home.
No need you just need the fedora download and thats it.
Actually, can I buy Solaris 10 Unix and install at home or unix require specific hardware and we need to buy from sun as the package (hardware and OS)?
Because we all know unix is most popular in the world.
Opensolaris will do. Just like fedora it Sun microsystems also incorporate new technologies at opensolaris.
If you can buy HW that will be a plus/ good point for your learning. Its means that your passionate on doing this unix admin thing.
Well peac3, I was luck enough to start when unix sysadmin were difficult to find:
I was a programmer-analyst, and got frightened when the employer at the time realised I was better in COBOL then the COBOL team (I was very happy with mantisse and VB3...) and after a successfull attempt of revers engineering was chown a wallside of COBOL program in spagetti format ( 2nd line goto etc.. ) and the fact that GCOS7 was on the end, I looked for something in UNIX. I started my UNIX life as UNIX/oracle developper but the office really needed a sysadmin, so I slowly got into unix / Novell administration while officially being a developper...
I suppose you could do the same by having a very good web knowledge and developping wwww software using plone/zope/wiki etc... on apache... Once you are a website admin you fatally have to at some become sysadmin (In order to solve performance issues...)
Is fedora has GUI interface as well like GNOME/KDE,
I used to install mandrake and if I need to install any software based on linux, I can install them via GUI eventho more complicated than windows.
And I was just wondering in commercial industry, if sysadmin is asked to install subversion or veritas or tivoli. Did they install via GUI or via console (like extract the file into specific directory manually)?
If Linux is good to learn then I will download fedora and buy old box and install it, buy a book and play around. Any recommended book for fedora?