Linux for Windows Administrators (Mark Minasi Windows Administrator Library) (Paperback)

by Mark Minasi (Author), Dan York (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
If you're a Windows administrator or consultant who recognizes the growing need for Linux skills, then get your hands on this book now! Linux has succeeded in finding a place alongside Windows in many enterprise-scale networks, and more than ever before, Windows administrators need to be familiar with Linux and understand the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two operating systems. New to the Minasi Windows Administration Library, this title is an update of the highly- acclaimed "Linux for Windows NT/2000 Administrators: The Secret Decoder Ring." Written by Mark Minasi, the world's #1 Windows authority, and Dan York, a leading figure in the Linux community, this book provides practical information on integrating Linux and Windows. Using terminology and examples that are familiar to Windows admins, the authors explain all of Linux's essentials, dispel its myths, and show how to use Linux in enterprise networks alongside Windows.

From the Back Cover
Practical Linux Instruction, From the Expert Who Taught You Windows

There was a time when people asked, "Windows or Linux?" Now it's a question of how to make the most of both. Linux for Windows Administrators is an essential resource for anyone working in the real world of enterprise computing. Inside, renowned Windows expert Mark Minasi and Linux guru Dan York give you practical, in-depth Linux instruction that dovetails perfectly with what you already know about Windows. It's the best way for you to give your organization the best of both worlds. Coverage includes:

Understanding Linux's strengths and weaknesses Understanding Linux's differences from, and similarities to, Windows Installing and configuring Linux Administering Linux from the command line Setting up Linux on minimal hardware--even a Pentium 100 Understanding how open source works Using Samba to make a Linux box emulate an NT/2000 file server Using NIS and NFS to create the Linux equivalent of an NT/2000 domain Using Winbind to make Linux recognize Windows user accounts Tapping the speed and reliability of sendmail Configuring Linux GUIs: X Window, window managers, and desktop environments Modifying and recompiling the Linux kernel

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Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Sybex; 1st edition (November 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0782141196
• ISBN-13: 978-0782141191
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 7.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #202,526 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have!, December 25, 2002

By	Ales Kavsek (Ljubljana, Slovenia) - See all my reviews

The first edition of this book was on my wishlist for some time, so when I found out that Mark wrote second edition I preordered the book the same day. One reason for that is because of the author itself (I read his fourth edition of Mastering Windows 2000 Server and I was really impressed by both the technical level and comprehensiveness of the book - believe me, this man really knows how to explain complex topics in plain English with real life examples), the second reason is the fact that there is no good alternative on the market - I couldn't find any other book of this kind. Linux books tends to be targeted either to already experienced users of Linux/Unix or to total newbies without any networking/OS background whatsoever. I have several years of Windows NT experience on my back so I don't want to re-learn some basic topics that are common to all network operating systems. I was looking for a quick headstart approach to transfer some of my knowledge from NT environment to Linux. Now, that I read the second edition of the book I'm really sorry that I waited so long, if I bought the first edition it would probably saved me some hair ;-).
Here is why this book should be on every bookshelf of Windows/Linux administrators;
At first I was a little skeptic to buy a book about Linux from one of the leading authors on Windows technology, even if I knew that writing style will be superb and that book is co-authored by Linux expert Dan York. I was expecting "GUI approach" to explain basic Linux administration. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that book is all about using command line to administer Linux. This is REALLY GOOD news ! (And don't worry there is excellent chapter on setting up X environment, one of the best that I read so far.)
One strength of the book is also that when appropriate author explains or compare command or feature in familiar lingo for us NT admins, like the sentence "..To set what we'd call in the NT world the Everyone/Full Control permission for speech.txt, you would type chmod 777 speech.txt".
In my reviews I usually honor some chapters more than the others, this time I can't pickup my favorite chapter, in all 10 chapters I learned something new. They're all up to the task to introduce you to the topic and give you a headstart, for example, now I know that server in the X world is not a 'server' and the client is really not a 'client' ;-) or I also learned how the system of starting/stopping daemons work on Linux, how file permissions work on Linux and what are the limitations compared to NT, how to setup my own DHCP, DNS, FTP, Web and mail server, how to setup NFS, NIS and SAMBA, or to compile my own kernel and many more.
Considering the size of the book (less than 500 pages) I think it's one of the finest material that you can find on the topic, especially if you're NT admin starting to explore the wonders of Linux. Highly recommended!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good introductions for a Windows Admin, June 21, 2003

By A Customer

I know most of the people reviewing this book gave it glowing reviews but I just wasn't won over by it. I had high hopes as I am quite familiar with Minasi's writings and I've been curious about Linux for some time now. So I was hoping this book would really help me launch my Linux understanding.
The book does some things really well. For instance, Minasi repeatedly draws parallels between the Windows and Linux world to help the reader understand the Linux concepts. This is often effective.
My biggest gripe is I think the book is overly biased. I found that throughout the book Minasi was moaning about how hard it was to perform certain functions or how arcane the Linux lingo was. After a while, it just got tiring. I didn?t buy the book for his opinion on whether the OS was good or not; I simply wanted to learn about Linux from a perspective that was intuitive to me.
I give him credit for trying. It's probably the best book on the market for a Windows Admin who doesn't have any Linux experience. But the best on the market does not necessarily make for a good book.
Ultimately I felt like Minasi was trying to say, "Linux is a novelty. If you have the time, check it out; but it's really not worth your time." This got annoying after a while.
I'm looking for another book now.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Linux books I've read, December 27, 2002

By	K. Rogers (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I haven't had a chance to pick up this 2nd Edition yet, but the first edition blew my mind. I'm already a big fan of Minasi and was worried that he might take a negative approach toward Linux considering the fact that he is probably THE authority on Windows networking. To the contrary, he is extrememly honest in telling you when it is best to use Windows and when it is best to use Linux. It is one of the only "cross-over" books out there and it was unbelievably helpful in my quest to learn Linux. My problem with Linux books is was that I either had to buy something in the area of "Linux for Dummies" or an O'Reilly book that, while it was high quality, assumed that I already had 5 or 6 years of Linux/Unix experience. If you already know Windows NT/2000 and are looking to learn Linux, there is no better book out there. As a companion to this book, I would also recommend "Linux for Windows Addicts" by Miller. Minasi's book is great for the server administrator and focuses mainly on the command line. "Linux for Windows Addicts" takes more of a GUI approach and is more useful toward using Linux for desktop systems.