Customer Reviews

Red Hat Linux 7 Server

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've been looking for "best books" in various categories for quite some time. This is the one that I recommend to everyone who takes my Linux Sys-Admin 101 training course.

No.. it's not for your average MSCE point-n-clicker. And if you're JUST barely getting into Linux, dip your toes in the pool with a book like "Learning Red Hat Linux" (O'Reilly) or "Linux for Dummies, 2nd ed".. Both are great beginner Linux books. Or, if you're already an NT/wk admin, check out
"Linux for Windows Nt/2000 Administrators : The Secret Decoder Ring". I've heard that most Win-admins like that one as an intro to Linux.

But I train at the largest Linux data center in the world (over 4,000 servers on line). And almost ALL of our sys admins use Kabir's book as their "best choice" Red Hat ref.

I just had to comment on this after I saw the two poor reviews above and say, "Thanks Kabir! You've done a GREAT job again!" 8v)

But as previously eluded to, for new folks, there are several paradigms that people not familiar with UN*X will need to beef up on before just cracking Kabir's book cold. For example, things like UN*X SysV vs BSD norms, the concept of "every thing's a file" (in UN*X in general), navigating the command line, using vi/vim, shell scripts, user accounts, basic multi-user and multitasking concepts, flat (text) configuration files instead of a single monolithic registry/hive, etc. After you have some of this stuff under your belt and a little bit of experience... THEN pick up Kabir's book and enjoy the wonderful way that he lays things out and presents the concepts, and drills down into each.

I've been following his stuff since the 6.x version. And am going out tomorrow to get the new 7.x version (I hear that there's both a desktop flavor and a server flavor now! cool! ;).

Anyway.. just wanted to add my two cents and let folks know that if you have already been introduced to Linux or know some other flavor of UN*X... that this is considered "THE REFERENCE" for most people in the business of making money with (RH) Linux.

Hope this helps.

Thomas Weeks

I'm not really sure what it is authors who write books on Linux are trying to do. When a rookie buys a book on hardware or software, carpentry or gardening they want to know how to do something. Sadly, this book doesn't tell one how to do anything that one does not already know how to do.

Starting with installation, the author makes statements like "for a server installation, you should select server-related components; it is not a good idea to install everything on a server...." and then he explains why. And then the obvious question is left begging, what are the sever-related components? The book is filled with mysteries like this. The book is, therefore, totally useless for anyone who wants to put up a mail server, or a web server, or a file server, unless you already know how to do it.

As for experienced users, I have no idea, I am not experienced. I suppose it might have some use as a reference, but who would know?

Save your money....

this is my primary reference in getting my server up and running (web/mail/ftp server on an sDSL line), with the Linux Documentation Project my second (linuxdoc.org).

This book covers all the services that I would use, but too bad there are *so* many typos littered throughout the book...eg. double dashes when there should only be a single one, commas where there should be a period, etc. etc. For an unexperienced unix/linux user, it would leave him/her stumped since many of the typos are in the example commands or configs or in the step by step instructions!! If I didn't have really good systems admins at work to turn to when I had a question, I'd be lost as well!

I'd probably give the book 5 stars if the typos weren't so numerous. It seems like this book was rushed out to print. Shame on everyone involved. If a 2nd edition comes out with corrections, then I'd probably recommend it then.

This is a very useful book if you are trying to set up a server and you are already somewhat familiar with Linux. I've been running a server for several months, and needed to add some services.

This book gave me some good practical information about configuring services, setting up logging, using tcp wrappers, and doing some basic security testing.

It also introduced me to some helpful tools that I hadn't known about before. No book on system administration can be comprehensive, but the best ones, like this one, explain good practice, show detailed examples, and point you in the right direction to continue.

This is not a book for the absolute beginner, or for getting started on a Linux workstation (check out "A Practical Guide To Linux" for that). But if you know enough to start the job, this book will help you finish and will strengthen your understanding of how the system works.

I called Redhat concerning a server problem I was having. I spoke with 3 techs over 3 days. I asked each what was their favorite resource for Linux 7. EACH told me that everyone there has Kabir's Red Hat Linux 7 Server on their desk.

I asked about typos (other reviews up here) and they said they were minor and the info was too good. I figured if it was good enough for them, it was good enough for me.

I bought it - I'm a better Admin for it! If your are a Linux Admin get this book. Great Book.

I like the way Kabir explains the traditional methods and GUI methods of doing things. Mr. Kabir should include info about NIS, configuring lpr(manual methods)printers and Dial-In Servers in further editions. But all the basic stuff and a little more can be found in the book. I haven't tested the scripts yet but they are well explained.

I have worked with linux for a little over 3 years now, and I have read SO MANY books on server administration. After all the practical experience of personally creating over 7 networks from scratch, including 3 integrated Windows 2000/RedHat networks, the only one I refer to after all that time on a regular basis is Kabir's RedHat Linux Server book. This book (Red Hat 7 Server) is just as good if not better as his last one on Red Hat 6, and addresses some good things about system v architecture, apache, sendmail, and a particularly useful section on system security. The book for RH 6 was reccommended to me by one of my professors at in the Computer Science department at Georgia Tech who was a Linux guru, and I've been forever in his debt since. If you are interested in a fantastic book that explains how things work as well as tells you step by step on how to get things working, purchase this book. If you don't, you will do yourself a great injustice. Many many thanks Mr. Kabir!

As i wanted to start learning all about this great alternative operating system and enter the linux world i purchased this great book based on good reviews and the author's name

The idea is that following the step by step instructions you can setup a linux server
I did, and the server almost worked but there are a few points to bear in mind and i hope mr kabir will address them in an update

My main disappointment was that emphasis is entirely on command prompt interface with little mention to the gui part of the o.s.
All i wanted is to setup an intranet and i consider myself a not so bad user, but some of the settings are not very clear and chapters with "Intranet" in their title are not really addressing such a technology clearly or in depth
Inclusion of some Case studies could have been beneficial.
Nevertheless a power user will be able to find his way through

For a Linux beginner i recommend the book as a second book after having gained some experience with the o.s.
I found the book suitable for above average to power users

Overall the content was very helpful and i think mr kabir is one of the best authorities on the subject
any drawback is most certainly because i am new to linux and i am sticking to this beautiful o s that respects our intelligence

I was looking through the Linux books for a solid server book and found Kabir's book to be the most complete one!

His writing style is totally fluid and conversational, which is my type!

I wanted to run a Web server on Linux to access my home (DSL) machine from work and his Apache chapter did the job!

I noticed on Amazon that Kabir also wrote the Apache Server Bible. I hope he has a Apache 2 book coming soon. I am definitely going for his books.

I recently had to build a Linux server from scratch to co-locate at a ISP facility. This book helped me setup everything I needed fast. Great job!