The Linux Problem Solver (with CD-ROM)

Brian Ward, author of The Linux Problem Solver, first gained fame as the writer of the Linux kernel HOWTO document, a public-domain piece of the Linux operating system's documentation set. In this volume, he steps up from the kernel's secret recipe and presents high-quality advice on Linux system administration. More specifically, he tells you what to try when your Linux system starts to misbehave, whether as a result of faulty configuration or the consequence of an attack. He also gives advice on setting up services in the first place. Generally, Ward is neutral on the question of Linux distributions, attempting to explain features that they have in common, and explaining differences where necessary.

In a lot of ways, this book is an example of traditional Linux documentation, with discussions of what various commands do and when you should use them. However, Ward has added problem-and-solution boxes amid the documentation paragraphs. The boxes describe a symptom (rdist is too slow), state the likely problem (-ocompare is slow), and suggest a solution (think twice about using -ocompare). You're kind of out of luck if the analysis of the problem doesn't pan out on your machine, but, for easy reference, there's a handy list of problems in an appendix. Pay special attention to the chapter on printing, which does a great job of explaining how this universally required service works (and can fail to work) under Linux. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Linux operating system for power users and system administrators who have a fair bit of experience in modifying and using Linux. How to install, configure, reconfigure, and repair services that have to do with networking, printing, user environments, and Internet services. How to do administration work, such as backup operations, kernel modifications, and installations from source.