Simply AIX 4.3 (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

Casey Cannon (Author), Scott Trent (Author), Carolyn Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0130213446 | ISBN-13: 978-0130213440 | Edition: 2

This is a clear, friendly AIX guide that helps you get started -- and becomes even more useful as your experience grows! Completely updated to reflect AIX 4.3's hottest features, it includes dozens of new productivity tips from IBM insiders. You'll find detailed coverage of 64-bit scalability, Y2K readiness, Internet integration, and Web-based system management. Here are authoritative answers for installation, configuration, peripheral support, Internet connectivity, troubleshooting, and more. And if you're migrating to AIX from DOS or Windows, you'll appreciate the book's specific comparisons with the systems you know.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Preface

AIX 4.3 provides a full multivendor package in terms of scalability, availability, e-business and network computing, security, enhanced systems and network management, better usability, and unmatched serviceability. And that's not just the IBMer in us talking. According to a VARbusiness industry survey of UNIX and NT operating systems, IBM's AIX received top marks in the categories resellers say matter most: reliability, ease of configuration, ease of installation (tied for first), security, technical support, scalability (tied for first), and management capabilities.

Independent software vendors who develop on AIX are also voicing their approval of AIX 4.3's binary compatibility with all previous AIX Version 4 releases. Binary compatibility is a big reason why independent software vendors have already ported over 2000 applications to AIX 4.3.

In addition, IBM's AIX has led the way for UNIX operating systems with a number of firsts, such as being the first operating system in a 64-bit environment to be branded UNIX 98 by the Open Group, the first UNIX operating system in a 64-bit environment to receive E3/F-C2 security certification, and the first server operating system with Virtual Private Network certification. Who Should Use This Book?

Our goal in writing this book is to help our customers enjoy AIX 4.3 as much as we do! We have written about topics that will be useful to all users, including system administrators, programmers, and end users. Cheat sheets, useful tables, technical tidbits, an easy, fun, plain English, writing style, and pertinent, straightforward information make this book useful to novices as well as the seasoned UNIX user.

Use this book to find out about AIX 4.3; use this book to administer your AIX 4.3 network; use this book to manage your AIX PowerPC. We're not kidding — whether you've tunneled around AIX or have only recently mastered MS-DOS, we'll familiarize you with the basics and amaze you with the functionality of an industrial-strength operating environment.

This book is designed for both new users and more advanced users. A hot pepper icon within chapters indicates that the level of information in the chapter is hot stuff and looks like the following:

The hot pepper icon is used to mark sections that are more advanced. Power users (gurus) may want to read these sections first. New users can become gurus after learning these sections. How This Book Is Organized

The overview explains the history of AIX, details the information provided in each chapter, and gives you a general introduction to the AIX environment.

Chapter 1, "Customizing Your Environment," shows you how to use the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) tools and launchpad to make yourself feel right at home.

Chapter 2, "Using AIX," teaches you AIX commands, file system structure, shell usage, and additional tricks that will make you a genuine AIX user.

Chapter 3, "I Know Windows/DOS, What's AIX?" compares and contrasts the Windows/DOS and AIX worlds. It gives you the inside information on running Windows on AIX.

Chapter 4, "Editors," gives you an overview and cheat sheets for your favorite AIX editor.

Chapter 5, "Installing AIX," provides easy, fast GUI (graphical menu) tools and instructions for what is often perceived as the most difficult part of a Unix operating system — getting it up and running.

Chapter 6, "Setting Up Peripherals," tells you how to set up printers, CD-ROM drives, and other devices you'd like to attach to your system.

Chapter 7, "Communicating with the World," describes what you need to know to survive the alphabet soup of AIX-supported communication protocols, including the use of AIX Net Browsers on the Internet.

Chapter 8, "SMIT Happens! Administering AIX," enables you to manage, do simple or complex tasks, and administer your system and/or any other systems on your network using either GUI applications or command line combinations.

Chapter 9, "AIX Speaks Your Language: Internationalization," tells you how to get AIX to speak your language. Look in this chapter for information on how to communicate globally in a different language.

Chapter 10, "All the Help You Need," describes how to use InfoExplorer, the AIX on-line hypertext information library (50,000 pages on-line); AIX developer help available through the Internet; 1-800 numbers and fax sheets; and URL addresses and descriptions for IBM Internet sites.

Chapter 11, Gathering Up the Pieces," wraps up our journey into AIX with information on 64-bit AIX, Year 2000 Issues, performance tools, file system management, the AIX development environment, security, and special tools that help you learn how to resolve common AIX problems, as well as obtain the latest bug fixes from the Internet.

Chapter 12, "Kick Start Your Enterprise," describes the scalable compatible line of RISC systems that can help you develop and maintain a competitive advantage. A server is more than just the sum of its parts and every component is integral to smooth operation. Downtime at any point, whether a result of a power supply failure, a software application failure or scheduled maintenance, can slow down, even shut down, your business. Customers are left waiting, your employees can't perform their jobs, and your business can't keep up. The RS/6000 hardware platform provides a solid foundation for your enterprise, enabling 86,400-second-a-day, 1440-minute-a-day, 24-hour-a-day business system up-time. Exciting AIX Firsts AIX 4.3 — The first 64-bit operating system certified at the E3/F-C2 level!

The need for security is no longer restricted to governments. With the explosion of Internet technology and e-business, commercial users are now increasingly concerned with security issues and they frequently demand that their systems are certified to be just as secure as the systems used by government and defense.

To meet this requirement, AIX version 4.3 has been re-evaluated and re-certified at the E3/F-C2 security level with a strength of mechanisms "High," according to European Information Technology Security Evaluation Criteria (ITSEC).

It represents a well-defined level of security criteria in the implementation of the security functions and mechanisms of an information technology system. This indicates a high level of security function regardless of the specific requirements of the customer.

AIX is the only UNIX operating system that supports a 64-bit operating environment being evaluated and certified at the E3/F-C2 level. This evaluation level is achieved through a rigorous inspection of the AIX source code and testing by an independent auditing organization, Industrieanlagen-Betriesgesellschaft (IABG), and certified by the German government authority, Bundesamt fuer Sicherheit Informationstechnik (BSI). BSI is the German certification authority. IBM has been officially awarded the AIX 4.3 E3/F-C2 certificate on May 6, 1998. The certificate is issued in Germany, but as the evaluation was done using internationally accepted standards and on the basis of recognition agreements, it is recognized throughout all Europe and by commercial customers in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

From the Back Cover

2143D-7

The authoritative AIX 4.3 resource for new and experienced users!

Simply AIX 4.3 is a friendly, authoritative jumpstart for new AIX users-and a dynamite resource for anyone who wants to supercharge their AIX skills! Completely updated to reflect AIX 4.3's hottest new features, it includes dozens of new productivity and troubleshooting tips, direct from IBM insiders. You'll find detailed coverage of key topics including:

• AIX 64-bit scalability and enterprise-class symmetric multiprocessing.
• Web-based management: manage AIX systems from anywhere, anytime.
• Maximizing availability with AIX and RS/6000 hardware.
• Installation, configuration, and peripherals support.
• Using SMIT to streamline AIX administration.
• AIX internationalization techniques for global environments.

From Java support to Internet bug fixes, Web-based System Management or InfoExplorer, Simply AIX 4.3 is your single source for all the hard-to-find AIX information you need. It's the one book that will make you more productive with AIX-whether you are a new user or a veteran.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 2 edition (February 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130213446
• ISBN-13: 978-0130213440
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,382,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Computers & Technology > Operating Systems > Unix > AIX

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If you know anything about Unix you will be disappointed., May 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Simply AIX 4.3 (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This is a very simplistic book containing mostly pictures of the SMIT GUI, and pointers to other resources on AIX. Every third sentence has a "cute" remark and an explanation point. I read it in about 25 minutes and will be returning it. In no way will this book enlighten you on AIX or systems administration.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Simply AIX 4.3, September 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Simply AIX 4.3 (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

If you want to know why to Buy AIX 4.3, this book is for you. This book will give you all the reasons to buy AIX over other versions of UNIX or even other OS's. It is an AIX salesman's Bible. If you want to know anything about using AIX stay away from this book. No Useful information about Installing, Configuring, Using, or Administering AIX will be forthcoming. The Authors took the approach that AIX will take care of everything for you so you don't need to know anything, in which case you don't need this book. "the AIX Survival Guide" has been a much better reference for AIX. I purchased this book because it directly referenced version 4.3, which I am using, and thought it would be of the most use. It's Contents mentioned several things that weren't around when many of other AIX Books were written. 64Bit Systems and, Y2K to mention a few. All you really learn is that AIX handles these things, which would be assumed for any modern OS. If work hadn't paid for this book I would have returned it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If ANY experience with AIX, this will be a disappointment., May 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Simply AIX 4.3 (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This book is for beginners and doesn't have much depth. Even if you buy this book only for basic commands and basic administrative tools, then you've already spent too much and you'll be very disappointed. You would think 3 people from IBM would be able to put together a pretty good book about their own operating system. Still upholding the IBM mantra, "It'll be in the next version".