Network Administration with FreeBSD 7: Building, securing, and maintaining networks with the FreeBSD operating system (Paperback)

~ Babak Farrokhi (Author)
Key Phrases: using cvsup, root syslogd, racoon daemon, Network Services, Network Conf, System Configuration (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In Detail

This book is a guide to FreeBSD for network administrators; therefore it does not cover basic installation and configuration of FreeBSD, but is about using FreeBSD to build, secure, and maintain networks.

After introducing the basic tools for monitoring the performance and security of the system the book moves on to cover using jails--FreeBSD virtual environments--to virtually run multiple instances of FreeBSD on the same hardware. Then it shows how to overcome the different bottlenecks that you may meet depending on the services you are running by tweaking different parameters to maintain a high performance from your FreeBSD server. Next it covers using the ifconfig utility to configure interfaces with different layer protocols and about connectivity testing and debugging tools. After covering using User PPP or Kernel PPP for Point-to-Point Protocol network configuration it explains basic IP forwarding in FreeBSD and the use of the built-in routing daemons, routed and route6d, which support RIPv1, RIPv2, RIPng, and RDISC. Next it covers the OpenOSPFD and OpenBGPD daemons that you can install to run OSPF and BGP on your host. Then it covers setup and configuration of IPFW and PF, and finally looks at some important internet services and how to set them up on your FreeBSD server.

What you will learn from this book?

• Monitor system performance and security
• Secure your network with Jails
• Tweak parameters to overcome bottlenecks
• Configure interfaces with ifconfig
• Test and debug connectivity
• Configure PPP networking
• Control IP and IPv6 routing with routed and route6d
• Run OSPF and BGP with OpenOSPFD and OpenBGPD
• Configure an IPFW firewall and PF packet filtering
• Set up internet services on your FreeBSD server

Approach

This book first covers the basics on each topic clearly and then gives examples, so that you understand the topic clearly and can work on it independently after you have worked through the book.

Who this book is written for?

This book is for Network Administrators who would like to work with FreeBSD and are looking for skills beyond installation and configuration of FreeBSD.

About the Author

Babak Farrokhi

Babak Farrokhi is an experienced UNIX system administrator and Network Engineer who worked 12 years in the IT industry in carrier-level network service providers. He discovered FreeBSD around 1997 and since then he has been using it on a daily basis. He is also an experienced Solaris administrator and has extensive experience in TCP/IP networks.

In his spare time he contributes to the open source community and develops his skills to keep himself in the cutting edge.

You may contact Babak at [e-mail] and his personal website at farrokhi.net

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Packt Publishing (April 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1847192645
• ISBN-13: 978-1847192646
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #796,252 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some good content, but very poorly copyedited and reviewed, July 8, 2008

By	Christopher M. Buechler (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wrote most of this review before Richard posted his, and feel like he's really stolen my thunder. I'm basically in agreement with him on all points, and trimmed some of what he said that I duplicated.

Farrokhi clearly knows what he is talking about, there were a number of things I learned from the book. However his native language is not English, and I have to wonder if it was even reviewed by a native English speaking editor. I don't fault the author at all for this, I know how difficult writing a book is and couldn't imagine writing one in anything other than English. Packt dropped the ball here with a complete lack of editing. I started making notes on formatting and grammatical issues but gave up less than 50 pages in as the list grew so quickly it felt like work. Some just made the book harder to read, but several left me wondering what exactly he means.

I think there is a place for a good niche book on more advanced network and system administration topics, and many of the topics covered in this book are suitable. I feel like it doesn't go into enough depth in several areas - there were a number of parts where I felt you were left hanging without adequate explanation. For the second edition, I agree with Bejtlich, focus on those areas he listed and get a native English speaker to copyedit and this could be a five star addition to the lineup of FreeBSD books available.

As for this book, it's definitely not something I would recommend to anyone just getting started with FreeBSD - that isn't its intended audience. I feel more seasoned administrators who frequently work with FreeBSD will find enough value in the content to justify the purchase price. Just don't be prepared for a smooth, easy read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The second edition, if repurposed, should be better, July 6, 2008

By	Richard Bejtlich "TaoSecurity.com" (Metro Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I am always glad to see new books on FreeBSD. The best authors look at the current market, identify gaps, and fill or expand beyond them with good material. I believe Network Administration with FreeBSD 7 (NAWF7) could be that book if the author takes a look at the competition and decides where his book should fit. Right now it's a combination of standard FreeBSD system administration advice plus fairly interesting, higher-end guidance. I strongly suggest the author remove all of the standard material, tell the reader to look elsewhere for basics, and focus squarely on advanced FreeBSD system administration. Add a copyeditor who proofs for grammar (in addition to the technical editor who proofs for content) and you could see a five star second edition.

NAWF7 shines when it addresses items seldom seen elsewhere. For example, I liked reading about adding and encrypting swap space. The book also covered modern topics like Csup, Portsnap, FreeBSD Update, and other recent additions to the FreeBSD OS. I was disappointed to see only a small mention of Portmaster, however. I liked the tables on pp 102-4 explaining flags seen in ifconfig output, e.g., "SIMPLEX Indicates that the interface cannot hear its own transmissions".

I would like to see more or new coverage of the following in a second edition: 1) system performance monitoring and tuning; 2) advanced networking using Netgraph; 3) more IPv6; 4) creating, modifying, and maintaining FreeBSD ports; 5) large-scale system administration, particularly keeping multiple systems configured and updated appropriately; 6) advanced port and package management, especially maintaining a personal package repository; 7) debugging problems with CURRENT and other in-depth subjects. Topics like these would clearly differentiate NAWF7 from other FreeBSD books.

On a final note, I noticed that FreeBSD's current "Fast IPSEC" implementation doesn't use "options IPSEC-ESP" in 7.0. That is a pre-7.0 convention. I also found the author's language distracting. A real copyeditor should have proofed the book and worked out the English language issues.