Linux: A Network Solution for Your Office [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Viktor T. Toth (Author), Viktor Toth (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Using Caldera OpenLinux as its test bed distribution, Linux: A Network Solution for Your Office explains the essentials of Linux installation, configuration, and management in a novice-oriented way. Though the author's approach lacks the detail you'd find in other Linux books (it may not prove helpful when exotic problems strike), this book will serve you well during a straight installation of OpenLinux. However, with this book, you will need to ensure you have a fresh system with guaranteed Linux-compatible hardware (e.g., with no need to figure out partitioning arrangements, multi-boot schemes, or strange physical devices). Caldera OpenLinux 1.3--not the most current version but still not a bad product--appears on the companion CD-ROM, along with StarOffice.

Viktor Toth is at his best when explaining network protocols in just enough detail to head off the "why" questions that could pop up while working through the network configuration instructions that follow. In actually explaining how to implement network services--DNS, electronic mail, the Apache Web server, and others--he's stingy with details and alternatives, but it's possible to follow the instructions to create a working system just like Toth's. There ought to be a command reference here, and the listed configuration files should be on the CD-ROM.

This is a decent (if limited) book. For more detailed coverage of server software, be sure to look at Linux Network Servers: 24 Seven and Red Hat Linux 6 Server. --David Wall

Topics covered: Caldera OpenLinux 1.3 as an operating system on which to run back-end server software. Coverage includes initial setup, as well as configuration of various servers: Web (Apache), electronic mail (sendmail), Domain Name System (DNS, implemented by BIND 8), and Server Message Block (SMB, implemented by Samba). Basic system administration gets attention too.

Product Description
Linux as a Business OS is a step-by-step, focused tutorial on installing and reliably maintaining a comprehensive Internet solution, including a corporate mail server, Web Server and more on a shoestring budget. Topics include: Set up and Installation, Connecting to the Internet, Basic services-mail and news, Setting up a Web server, Security, Advanced networking, Managing the system--accounts, logs, backups, configuring workstations, and Troubleshooting.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Sams (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0672316285
• ISBN-13: 978-0672316289
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,858,449 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Lead by example", September 18, 1999

By A Customer

Mr Toth's book is well thought out and well presented. Good examples are used to highlight key concepts. This book gives a very good understaning of Linux networking without going to deep. For me it bridges the gap between a beginners 'Dummies' or 'Idiots' guide and an 'Unleashed' mammoth.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Solution for Linux Users, June 14, 2002

By	Michael Wallette (Anchorage, AK United States) - See all my reviews

While this probably won't be your only book on Linux networking, it is certainly the best book I have found to give you reasonable coverage of all the major issues a Linux sysadmin needs. The author discusses the most important network applications--DNS, Samba, Apache (including an all-too-brief introduction to web programming), NTP, DHCP, firewalls, and routing--as implemented on Linux systems. Best of all--this book is extraordinarily readable, which is a wonderful surprise in a techie manual. If you are really serious about implementing any of these applications, I would also recommend the Craig Hunt Linux Library, but for a good introduction to make sense of the man pages and HOWTO documents, this book can't be beat.

My only gripe is that Sendmail configuration and administration is far too complex for a book of this scope. The author's introduction to the topic was only deep enough to convince me to disable sendmail on my systems until I had read a more thorough text on the subject.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small Office Solution howto, January 26, 2002

By	J. Turner (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is basically a descriptive example of how to build a Linux-based server for a small office. This book covers the spectrum of the most common necessities: Internet mail (SMTP and POP3), DNS, centralized backups, Samba (allows Microsoft operating systems to share files and printers), setting up FTP, setting up apache (WWW), and configuring the Linux box as a firewall.

In the process, Toth bridges the gap between introductory books and the gargantuan Linux books.

My only negative comment is that Toth used Caldera Linux (which is on the CDROM), so you may run into some minor inconsistencies when trying to implement the information on other flavors of Linux/Unix. But with a little intuition and documentation, you shouldn't have much of a problem.