Product Description

This book explains in a clear and coherent manner how Unix works, how to understand existing Unix programs, and how to design and create new Unix programs. The book is organized by subsystem, each presented in visual terms and explained using vivid metaphors. It breaks the information into manageable parts that can be presented, explained, and mastered. By using case studies and an extremely reader-friendly manner to illustrate complex ideas and concepts, the book covers the basics of systems programming, users, files and manuals, how to read a directory, using 1S, writing PWD, studying STTY, writing a video game, studying SH, environment and shell variables, I/O redirection and pipes, servers and sockets, writing a web server, license servers, and concurrent functions. For Unix system administrators and programmers, network programmers, and others who have used other operating systems and need to learn Unix programming to expand their skill sets.

Customer Reviews (15)

Very Informative
I find this book to be very informative and complete. You could read this book and understand unix system programming, you may not even need to take a course. It is very thorough with lots of programming exercises per chapter.

Outstanding introduction to Unix systems programming
I bought this book as a quick introduction to the world of UNIX/Linux systems programming. Having had extensive prior experience with the C programming language and application development on other platforms (DOS, OS/2, AS/400), I read the book without actually trying out the sample code or programming exercises.My goal was to get a solid feel for the basic concepts of Unix systems programming as quickly as possible, in order to move on to more advanced Linux topics (assembly programming, kernel and device driver development, implementation of the Linux TCP/IP stack) covered in other books. I found this book to be exceptionally clear and well written and ideally suited for the purpose.

The book requires intermediate knowledge of C and some basic computing skills, but otherwise makes very few assumptions about the reader.Concepts are introduced gradually, and the exceptionally clear diagrams, analogies, case studies and sample programs make each chapter a pleasure to digest and learn from.In order to avoid overwhelming the reader, advanced details are moved out of the main flow of the text, and into the exercises at the end of each chapter.

Each chapter is structured in a similar manner.A small programming project is introduced as the goal of each chapter.Each is appropriately chosen so that the systems programming concepts that are to be the subject of the chapter are key to the solution.The author then guides the reader along the path by asking and answering the questions "What does it do?", "How does it work?", and "How can I write my own version?".The author has a knack for anticipating the types of questions that are likely to be in the reader's mind at the appropriate moments, and helps the reader along with helpful pointers and analogies.This approach is very effective, and while not as detailed and complete as that of W. Richard Stevens (Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment), it is certainly more readable and easier to digest.

Overall, an exceptional introduction to Unix/Linux systems programming and highly recommended.

question in example code, still 5 stars
I have read more than half of the book. I like the material the book covers and the way of teaching by exemples.
Most other books focus on the features of the Unix system.

However I have minor questions:
1. There are typographical errors in exemple code.
2. I do not like function tty_mode(int how) in chapter 6.
it seems trivial and unnecessry and the static variable inside
the function seems questionable style.
I wonder why these obvious things happened in such a good book.

An excellent course through Unix and Linux with copious code and examples.
Unix has had the luxury of being one of the most documented operating systems in history. Many books have been dedicated to documenting the internals of Unix and Unix-like systems and some have risen to the ranks of classic texts regarded by all as necessary to understanding the inner workings of Unix. Understanding Unix®/Linux Programming would be in excellent company with these books. The book contains a copious amount of code and clear, diagramed explanations describing the processes transpiring in the machine.

Understanding Unix®/Linux Programming is designed to be used in an operating systems course with programmers fluent in C. Fortunately, though, the book can be used outside of the classroom if the reader does not mind an occasional open-ended questions with no included answers. The book may seem light on pages (530 including index), but the author should get an award for jamming so much useful explanation and helpful (and complete) code. The format of each chapter is familiar to most textbooks, with an introduction to the task at hand, explanations and examples, a summary, a list of explorations to further understand the topics presented, and a set of programming exercises. The exercises are creative and directly relate to the presented code.They're also (dare I say it?) fun. I'm not saying they'll replace crossword puzzles, but they do present creative or obvious challenges to the reader. (Like handling when a user types 'exit' from a shell, or blinking the text in an ncurses application).

The book includes topics on file I/O, device I/O, timers, process management, stream and datagram sockets, POSIX threads, file systems, the terminal driver, signals pipes, network programming and semaphores. A typical chapter will introduce an operating system concept (file systems and directories, for instance) and will briefly describe the current Unix command for working with that concept (pwd for determining the present working directory, or ls for listing the contents of a directory, and so forth). The author then proceeds to give a detailed description of what the operating system does to run the command. In the chapter on processes and programs, the author describes what processes are and how to use the ps command. Next the author describes how to fork child processes, and wait for them. This leads to the 'prompting shell', which is a simple, yet functional shell environment. Now some books would leave this exercise after creating a semi-functional shell, but the author presses on and in the next chapter creates 'small-shell' which is an interactive shell with a minimal scripting langauge and variable support. All of this in the span of 71 pages, with plenty of examples, full code listings, diagrams, and problem sets.

Understanding Unix®/Linux Programming takes advantage of the inquisitive nature of coders by presenting commands and command squences we all take for granted, and turning them into "how do they work" learning experiences. Anyone who has ever stopped to think why certain things work the way they do in Unix (or work at all) will find this book immensely helpful in sating that curiousity. Students who are assigned this textbook for a class should thank their teacher for choosing a genuinely useful text from which to read. I can't help but be jealous of students who will use this book for their classes. That jealousy is short-lived though, as anyone who wants an excellent resource for learning Unix programming will benefit from picking up this book. Kudos to the author for crafting not only an exceptionally easy to read and thourough book, but for taking the complex machinations of Unix and making them simple and accessible for all coders.

Easy to understand
It goes right to the point and it's easy too understand. One of the very few books out there that really shows what system programming is all about.Great samples too. ... Read more

Product Description
In typical Linux "bibles," reserve the last third coverage for advanced topicsthat sys admins use on a day by day basis. They tend to cover the underlyingconcepts reasonably well, but fall short on hands-on instructions, forcingadmins to buy specialty books. This book sufficiently expands the advancedsections found in these "bibles," providing step-by step instructions on how toconfigure the most popular Linux back office applications.To avoid confusion between the many flavors of Linux, each with it's ownGUI interface, this book exclusively uses the command line to illustrate thetasks needed to be done. It provides all the expected screen output whenconfiguring the most commonly used Linux applications to help assure thereader that they are doing the right thing. The Notebook also includes many ofthe most commonly encountered errors with explanations of their causes andhow to fix them. The book's format is aimed at sys admins who often have todo advanced tasks in which the underlying theory is understood, but thecommands to do it are forgotten or at the tips of their tongues.As the line between power users and administrators continues to blur, ascomputers move from the data center to the desktop, as Linux and Windowsgain equal footing in business, it becomes harder to remember and do it all.This is the guide that gives admins the answers they need to common problemsand tasks, allowing them time to eat lunch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Trouble shooting included
This is a great book even though it was published in 2005.I was trying to set up an open sshd server and access it from other computers on my home network.I reviewed several newer books that gave some of the theory and the go path for setup and use, but none of them offered any advice on what to look for if things didn't work.This book offered those troubleshooting hints and advice, and I soon solved my problem (a dumb mistake on my part) thanks to the book's suggestion.I wish we had more of these kinds of books where trouble shooting is an integral part of the book.Most Linux books just assume that everything works perfectly the first time out.Thanks Peter Harrison.

Best book available on the Linux OS
Easily the best book on Linux that I have ever read or bought. Also one of the best computer books overall that I have ever used. That is saying a lot given that I have many computer books on the full range of computer topics and given that I am very picky in what I buy. The other reviews - all but one 5-star - give details on the book. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to set up a Linux system or who has an interest in learning about Linux.

In regard to Linux in general, it provides a superior platform to the Microsoft platforms. Also the add-on programs that are available - all of the most useful are included in any of the best-known distributions, such as Ubuntu or Red Hat/Fedora - are as good as (in the sense of user-friendly) as the comparable Windows programs and in many cases better.

What is interesting to me is that much of the Linux development occurs outside the USA. It is a great tribute to the huge Linux-oriented developer universe that those developers have developed such outstanding tools that are free of the exorbitant, monopoly-determined prices of Microsoft products. So I hereby thank you all for your fantastic contributions to computer technology. Without your programs we would all be prey to the monopoly pricing and less-than-optimal programs produced by Microsoft. Not to say that there is anything wrong with most Microsoft products, but thank god there are better products available and better yet that most are free of licensing cost and most are changeable because the source code is available.

Great reference.
It's been two years since I've purchased this book, and I still reference it from time to time.

This book covers many common open-source applications used in conjunction with linux (bind,samba,sendmail,etc).

The examples are well-written.It's a great book for someone who is wanting to educate themselves to use linux.

I will note that the book seems to be red-hat/fedora biased. I use fedora, so that was a plus.

Quick Fix Notebook does what it says
Much of what I have done piecing together information from Google is concisely done in this guide.This book got my mail server setup in no time whereas in the past I gave up in frustration (and lack of knowledge).

The mail chapter alone was worth the price but this book is full of solving common system administration tasks for people with some linux experience but not the expertise of being a sysadmin.

One if not the most valuable Linux Book Ever
I really enjoy the content of the Book. Since my early days using Linux consult the linuxhomenetworking website for tips & howtos.

This is surely a must have book. It's been a while since I see some book with so much content !!!.

... Read more

Product Description

The Linux kernel is one of the most important and far-reaching open-source projects. That is why Novell Press is excited to bring you the second edition of Linux Kernel Development, Robert Love's widely acclaimed insider's look at the Linux kernel. This authoritative, practical guide helps developers better understand the Linux kernel through updated coverage of all the major subsystems as well as new features associated with the Linux 2.6 kernel. You'll be able to take an in-depth look at Linux kernel from both a theoretical and an applied perspective as you cover a wide range of topics, including algorithms, system call interface, paging strategies and kernel synchronization. Get the top information right from the source in Linux Kernel Development.

Customer Reviews (29)

An embedded developer point of view
Pure fun. This is a great book. It's the best I've ever read (toghether with "Embedded Linux Primer").
The author not only knows what he says (and writes...), but he understands it deeply and he is able to explain it to you in an easy way, with fun.
You don't need to be a linux kernel developer to find this book useful: you can find it very interesting to read how skilled, clever and expert developers solved difficult problems (often in a surprisingly easy way...) at kernel level, and you can use this knowledge in your own user-level world (or in the embedded world, like I do).
The only part I've found a little bit boring is the Virtual Filesystem chapter. My fault, anyway!

Great introductory book on Linux kernel
I bought this book three years back and still reading it.

Three years back, I was an application programmer (and even today I am :-) ) but had interested in learning operating systems. I was working for a security product that was implemented in hardened Linux. During discussion with my friend, we have to discuss about system call intercept and we wanted to write a system call and intercept one just for fun.

Linux was my default destination because of open source in nature with source code readily available.

We quickly checked out and found this book online. Went to look bookstore and bought the book. Read through system call chapter and within 3 hours, we implemented one new system call.

This book is simple, yet effective and conveys what a newbie Linux Kernel developer needs to know.

This book also helped to refine my understanding on system programming. Being an application programmer, it was very helpful for me to understand system and made me better application programmer.

Easy to read
This book is very easy to read, this is simply because Robert presented the material in such a way and it should not be taken for granted.

A useful book and true to its mission
If you're going to work on or within Linux, you'll have to start reading the code sooner or later. But this book can point the way and shine some light on your first few steps, and I do recommend it. Another good thing is that the text is not a regurgitation of other reference material or filled with useless code print-outs.

It is generally concise and to-the-point and doesn't insult your intelligence (maybe because the author is a "real" developer). One notable exception is that it actually tries to teach basic concepts such as context switching, locking, and synchronization, etc. If you don't have the proper technical background, not only you don't learn it from this half-baked description, but you also have no business messing in the kernel anyway!

Easy to understand and folow
The book is a real easy read, Robert Love makes it really easy to understand what hes talking about.
The book does lack lots of extra information for the more in-depth inner workings of the kernel, however I find this book easier to read.
I read it before reading Understanding the Linux Kernel, which has much more in-depth information ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

I Loved it!
I was very suspicious of this book, because I knew it was available online for download. I thought at first, why not just print it and read it. A friend of mine told me this is something completely different. And he was right. It was worth every penny (cent).

The book is a great introduction to Linux networking theory and practices. Although it's lightweight in size, it makes it up with easy to read high quality content. I think even some experienced sysadmins might find a lot of interesting information inside.

The guide is very well written, with nice and self explaining graphics.

Setting up a SHO Linux Network
This is an excellent book to start with if you are considering setting up a Linux network for your home or small office. The intended audience is assumed to have some basic programming skills and understands the priority of network security. If you have never written a make file or know what make is, you might want to start with a more fundamental book; you will struggle understanding the concepts of this book. If you have never used UNIX or Linux, you will be quickly LOST!

It is important to realize that this book is a guide and not a reference. Each chapter covers a major system vital to the Linux operating system. Book(s) are written for each system, yet the author covers enough information to get you started and keep you from being dangerous.

The book also indoctrinates you to the procedures and mindsets of Linux. If a specific tool is not covered in this book, you will know how to search for it, read the configuration man pages, build it, and install it.

My background: Mixed Signal IC Design Engineer (20 years), C/C++, C#, Perl Literate. Converting from Win2K OS to Linux because of corporate directive. I have been a user of UNIX and Windows OS for 25 years, however, I never had to administer a network. I wanted to start up a Linux network at home to act as a Subversion server and a general file server.

Good for Overview and Common Practices
This is a good first book to purchase if you're getting into Linux Administration.It focuses more on common practices rather than configurations and how-to's.If you're looking to get an idea of how to build your environment (or make it better), this is a good book to start with, then purchase the specific manuals once you've decided on a course of action.

Printed Professional Quality Book
This book fits into the space between the general everything there is to know about Linux books (which give limited space to each subject) and highly specialized books that cover only one application such as Apache or sendmail. It's a niche book intended for people aministering a Linux network. It contains what you need to know to set up a network and keep it up.

This is the third printed edition of this book. This has given time for the original work to be expanded and rewritten to satisfy the needs of readers who down through the years have sent in questions on various subjects.

This book is based on the on-line Linux documentation but bound into a convenient book, cleaned up professional illustrations, better indexing. While it costs a bit, it is probably no more than the cost of the ink cartridge it would take to print it out.

good discussion of DNS and sendmail
A good education in how to use the Internet, in the context of a linux network. The authors provide a nice lucid explanation of DNS, as a globally distributed database that underpins the Internet. An entire chapter is allocated to this most crucial of ideas. The sort of thing you should have down pat.

Other network aspects are covered elsewhere in the book. Notably sendmail. The most important configuration ideas and settings are shown.

Though, for an edition printed in February 2005, the book only seems to refer to version 8.12 of sendmail. Whereas 8.13 has already been out for several months, and contains much enhanced Milter capabilities for fighting spam. But perhaps the discussion about 8.12 is simply due to the realities of how long it takes for a book to be published and printed.

A very topical chapter is offered last in the book. On wireless networks. It's a decent synopsis of a hugely popular occurrence. But given the rapid hardware upgrades in this field, and the still evolving wireless standards, you may want to seek out a more extensive text. ... Read more

Product Description
Installing Linux on a Dead Badger (and Other Oddities) contains a dozen stories to amuse any fan of technology humor or science fictional dark comedy.Many of the stories are what Green Man Review has dubbed "cyberzombie humor"; the title story is one of the most popular features ever posted at the acclaimed science fiction magazine Strange Horizons.The satiric tales are accompanied by 14 black-and-white illustrations from DE Christman and Malcolm McClinton.

Teen Linux gang mayhem.Trolls gone wild.A vampire's guide to management.Your corporate network and the forces of darkness.And much more .... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Funny gift for the Linux lover who has it all
This is just a funny book all said and done. I can't say that I understand it all seeing as some of the jokes are for Linux users only----but I bought this as a present and he thought they were fabulous.

Not as clever as it thinks it is.
Not actually funny, jokes are based on incoherent and incomplete research, and also contains plenty of irrelevant political swipes and sucker-punches. Not recommended.

You'll Need Your Braaaaaaaains!
In this book, Snyder succeeds in making zombies (both human and animal) wickedly funny--no matter how jaded you are by cries of 'Braaaaaaaaaaaains!!!' Either this book will make you laugh out loud at least once, or you should consider having yourself checked for signs of death.

Snyder's work first came to my attention when the cover story, 'Installing Linux on a Dead Badger' was submitted to SFF webzine Strange Horizons, where I was then an articles editor. I can't take much credit for discovering her, though--there wasn't any debate in the articles team about whether we should publish Badger. It remains easily my favourite of the articles published during my year at SH. So it's a treat for me to see it appear in print, along with eleven companion stories that also explore ideas surrounding cybermancy, badgers, and the undead.

Throughout the book, Snyder's style is light yet assured. She makes no effort to convince you of the validity of any of her claims, or to justify them, but just writes as if it's all true. The effect is almost to convince you that it is true--that you, too, could install Linux on a badger. Or maybe a wombat. Or even an entire replacement workforce, with all the advantages and strange happenings that would bring. If only you had a Duppy card, and a herb-scented application.

The focus on cyber-zombies does become a little too much at times, especially when one story contains virtually a re-run of the badger installation instructions, so my recommendation would be not to try to read this book at one sitting. Carry it with you--it's neither large nor heavy--and dip into it in a spare moment, on the train, or when you desperately need cheering up. You'll soon find yourself immersed in a whole other world, where vampirism is a career opportunity, and the best way to get an entry-level job is to pretend to be dead.

The book is nicely-presented, and there are small gems everywhere--check out the product disclaimer on the back, for example--but for me the illustrations don't do it justice. They tend towards the grainy or the noticeably photo-shopped, although a notable exception can be found on page 73. It's a shame, as a lot of work has clearly gone into this book, but it might have worked better had the visuals been left to the reader's imagination.

Overall, this book is a winner. It'll amuse you, entertain you, and inspire you to seek out more of Snyder's work, some of which--shameless plug--can be found in GUD.

[Review written by Debbie Moorhouse for GUD Magazine]

Must read for zombiephiles
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Being a sci-fi lover and a former IT operator I thought this book was brilliant. My only problem is it was not long enough. I got to the end and wanted more.

Wacktastic
It's wacky and funny. Cross genre humor explodes on the pages. Good read for zombie fans, Cthulhu fans, and first person shooter fans. Check it out! ... Read more

Product Description
Tighten holes and maintain security on your Linux system!

From one of the authors of the international best-seller, Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets & Solutions, comes a must-have security handbook for anyone running Linux. This cutting-edge volume shows you how to think like a Linux hacker in order to beat the Linux hacker. You'll get detailed information on Linux-specific hacks, both internal and external, and how to stop them.Amazon.com Review
"Throw up a Linux box," comes the chorus whenever there's a need to provide some network service or other without impinging upon the boss's martini budget. Fair enough, but by doing so are you opening security holes you don't know how to find or fix? The newest edition of Hacking Linux Exposed helps you answer that question and solve many of the security problems you find. To a certain extent this book is a recipe collection in that it describes weaknesses in Linux (calling attention to specific distributions where appropriate). The authors stop short of explicitly showing you how to wage most kinds of attacks, a reasonable thing to do from an ethical point of view even though the instructions can be found easily on the Internet. Rather than do that, they give step-by-step instructions on how to defend against the attacks they catalog. The point is not, "Here's precisely how to bring down a server by means of an ACK storm," but rather, "Here's how to defend against such problems." They do demonstrate plenty of weaknesses, though, as in their coverage of the conversation that goes back and forth between an FTP server and its client.

This book covers pretty much everything you'd want to do with a Linux machine as a network server. Read it and see some of the weaknesses in your system--and do something about them before someone else does. --David Wall

Topics covered: Security best practices, approached from the perspective of what can go wrong and what can be done about the problems. Specific coverage goes to all major services, including user management, FTP, HTTP, and firewalling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Ding, Ding, We have a winner.
First, this book does _NOT_ have a installation walk through...YES!!!

You will not find another book this comprehensive in the length in HLE has accomplished. i found the book to be on point, and not overdrawn on any specific topic. The authors usage of gender is something of a mystery aswell. For the first 10 chapters or so the cracker is a woman, then in later chapters it becomes a man, then in even later chapters a woman, then back to a man :-).

i found the book to be very well written, it feels like a very good naration. There is only a few plugs of direct humor (1 about using word for the publisher, another about the shortest sentence using all letters) but these few are lightening.

Technically this book is sound. it does very good in keeping the basics of security alive through the book (chattr +i, only use what you need, upgrade, etc...).This is very helpful to a beginer for reinforced learning.The software packages it mentions for firewalls, logging, etc. are very nice and descriptive.

All around great book. BTW, did i mention that is does _NOT_ cover a Linux installation from CD/DVD? That alone should be enough to buy it.

Must-Read Info For Linux Admins
The Hacking Exposed books have set the bar for this genre of security book. Hacking Linux Exposed - 2nd Edition doesn't fail in meeting that bar as well. If you've read Hacking Exposed - 4th Edition and think this book can't tell you anything you don't already know- think again. For those who administer Linux boxes this book provides an in-depth look at specific hacks and vulnerabilities unique to the Linux operating system and the accompanying fixes and workarounds to protect yourself. The book is overflowing with examples and sample commands that users can immediately put to use to better understand the risks and how to mitigate them. Hacking Exposed is a must-read for security- this book is a must-read for Linux security.

(...)

Don't have this book?You're BEGGING for trouble...
When I first starting using Linux systems and putting them online I had NO idea what sort of grief I was in for.The reason for that grief: I had NO clue how to 'harden' a system or what that term even meant.By not knowing that I put upsystems that were quickly exploited by script kiddies and SPAM houses looking for open relays to use for SPAM and for 'zombies' to use in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.I bought this book, read it, and haven't had those problems since.If you are going to do *anything* with Linux on the internet then GET THIS BOOK NOW.Unless, of course, you *want* to have your computers destroyed on a weekly basis...

The best hands-on Linux security book just got better
I'm a big fan of the Hacking Exposed style of writing.All offensive theory is backed up by command line examples, followed by defensive countermeasures.Hacking Exposed: Linux, 2nd Ed (HE:L2E) follows this tradition, updating the content of the first edition and adding 200 pages of new content.Although I reviewed the first edition in Sep 01, reading the second edition reminded me of the challenges posed by securely configuring and deploying Linux systems.

The best way to learn while reading HE:L2E is to try the sample commands.I also recommend visiting the links mentioned and installing many of the tools described by the authors.I found programs like raccess, nsat (ch. 3), sslsniff (ch. 7), nstx, and httptunnel (ch. 15) particularly interesting from an attacker's point of view.From a system administration standpoint, coverage of passlogd (ch. 2), lilo and grub (ch. 5), and X (ch. 6) were very helpful.

The authors share many novel ways to abuse Linux systems, but counter those exploits with little-known features or third-party tools.I never knew I could use bash's HISTCONTROL feature to selectively remove entries from shell history files.HE:L2E goes the extra mile to help secure your system, such as including sample C code in ch. 13 to allow one to compile TCP Wrappers support into one's own programs.Other clear, concise defensive measures were introduced in excellent chapters on keeping the kernel and packages current (appendix B) and pro-active security measures (ch. 2).The last appendix gives a short yet powerful description of the damage an intruder can perform, showing how he hid unauthorized programs and how those programs were discovered.

If you use Linux, you'll find HE:L2E indispensable.I even applied many of the tools and techniques to my FreeBSD system, showing that that good security advice can be a cross-platform endeavor.

Great book.
I just finished going through the entire book line by line. I am extreemly new to Linux and security, and this book made it all very clear. I only wish I realized that there was a second edition out when I bought this one. Everything in this original edition was still completely correct and appropriate, three years later. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

It used to be listed here
This book hit number 7 on Amazon's Bestseller list. For some reason, my books have been stripped from the profile.

Great for quick overview
I got this to get me more acclimated with our Linux systems. I have only had very limited exposure to Linux and the apps you run on it. This is a great book for giving a technical person a good understanding of basic administration. I would recommend based on the book description and who the intended audience is for.

Poorly organized
I stumbled on this O'Reilly volume in the bookstore and immediately bought it, but my high expectations were not met. As of 2009 the book is already hopelessly out-of-date even though its publication date is only March 2007. Partly this is due to the tumultous, fast-moving Linux landscape, but most of the blame rests with the authors, who rely too much on specific commands and config files rather than on explaining general concepts. As a result, many of the examples in the book don't work at all. Experienced admins will find this merely annoying, whereas novices are likely to be thoroughly baffled and frustrated.

In Chapter 2, Setting Up a Linux Multifunction Server, we install Apache, Postfix, BIND, and various other services on a Debian server. The authors explain that this chapter is based on "Debian's stable version," but fail to alert the reader that "Debian's stable version" is a moving target that changes every couple years. Beginners who dutifully install "Debian stable" and follow the directions in this chapter will be in for quite a rough time, since the authors appear to be using Debian 3.1 (although they don't say), and the current stable version is 5.0. The chapter starts by updating and restarting inetd, an obsolete package that Debian no longer uses. There are many other problems and annoyances in this chapter. The authors set up rdate as a cron job and point it at a specific NTP server at CMU in order to synchronize time on the server. They fail to mention that hosted virtual servers (which I'm sure many readers will be using) will not have to do this since NTP will already be running on the host server. They install fetchmail which seems pointless since a few pages later they install an entire mail server (Postfix), complete with a self-generated SSL certificate. They install BIND9 in a chroot environment. To me it seems ludicrous to introduce chroot jails and self-generated SSL certificates in an *introductory* chapter on Linux system administration.

The organization of the book is bizarre.Chapter 10, the second-to-last chapter, covers extremely basic Unix topics like file permissions, I/O redirection, and shell scripting. The final chapter is on backups. It's as if the book were written backwards, moving from advanced topics to basic ones.

Experienced sysadmins will be able to glean some valuable tips from this book, but newbies who want a general overview of Linux system administration should stay away.

Configure and deploy debian servers
This book explains step by step how to properly configure basic network services for a corporation.
The text describes most used open source applications and it is focused on Debian Linux distribution ( Ubuntu is based on Debian).
The content of the book is very detailed and the quality of the resulting server configuration really works in a productive environment.
You should be aware that you need some Linux/UNIX background because basic Linux commands are not explained.
If you want to deploy a Debian server with basic functionality or want to become an acceptable Linux system administrator, this book is really useful.

Great reference
This Linux system administration book has been very handy for me over the last 6 months.I found the information on high availability and virtualization very helpful since I am deploying this in my domain.This book is also a great command line reference for me.The security recommendations also came in very handy.This book also gave me guidance on other books to purchase for more indepth information certain topics.I recommend this book for new system administrators! ... Read more

Product Description

An Internet-connected Linux machine is in a high-risk situation. Linux Firewalls, Third Edition details security steps that any sized implementation--from home use to enterprise level--might take to protect itself from potential remote attackers. As with the first two editions, this book is especially useful for its explanations of iptables, packet filtering, and firewall optimization along with some advanced concepts including customizing the Linux kernel to enhance security.The third edition, while distribution neutral, has been updated for the current Linux Kernel and provides code examples for Red Hat, SUSE, and Debian implementations. Don't miss out on the third edition of the critically acclaimed Linux Firewalls.

In the wrong hands, firewall reports are either hyped-up cloak-and-dagger sensationalism or monotonous treatises in bitwise accounting. Zeigler strikes a middle ground with a book fit for members of the Linux community who are curious about what is happening over their TCP/IP connections. These are folks who have the prowess to build kernel releases on their own but who aren't necessarily wonks at developing kernel or device driver sources. --Peter Leopold ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

I found all I wanted in this book
Very well written book. I found answers to all my questions regarding iptables. A lot of examples. Well done!

Excellent reference
I set up a simple host-based firewall using this book.

Overall, the book is excellent.It has a nice balance between explaining concepts and giving actual firewall rules.

I think the non-firewall security topics are superfluous and would best be left out of the book, though.

A Must-Read for a solid foundation
I have 'fiddled' with Linux systems for some time, almost exclusively as servers (My personal preference is OSX/Win for work stations), but I have never before felt like I knew enough to put together a gateway firewall system on my own, so I have always had help with that.

This book has helped me to truly begin to understand how iptables works. I have previously used a Shorewall interface for working on a firewall, but I found that things were just a step or two too abstract for my liking. Linux Firewalls gave me a good (not excessive!) helping of background/theory, and then started showing me actual firewall scripts, interspersed with explanations for almost every command issued.

The book is not for a complete Linux/networking novice. It really does not help you if you don't already know how to do important administrative tasks like assure that the firewall script is executed at the proper time, or know how to fill in the blanks of things that are not strictly Firewall related. That's what I liked about this book, personally: It did not explain to me what a Shell was, or take 50 pages to describe the OSI model (yet again!), and it does not lecture too much on what is or is not the proper way to do things. It just shows you how to do various things, and gives you the information you need to be able to go from there.

Just what I thought it would be
I give this 5 stars not because I think its the best book available on the subject but because I got exactly what I expected and found no issues with it.

The book is part tutorial and mostly configurations. If you are looking to implement a firewall and would like a walk-through for different services then this is your book. At the beginning of each chapter, the author discusses the topics in generalities and then each specific service you are configuring is discussed in short detail followed by the setup of the firewall rules.

The author starts with a simple firewall and builds upon that model throughout the book so you can get as simple as you like to as complicated as the book gets. It's not really targeted towards a business firewall but I found that it probably has enough information in it to help configure a small to small-medium business firewall.

What this book isn't is an in depth discussion of firewalls or specific strategies. He talks about different approaches to doing things but it is by no means the point of the book.

Comprehensive firewall reference
I had a lot of questions and firewalls before I bought this book. I found the answers and then some. The technologies and concepts are clearly and thoroughly explained. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether you're just starting out with Linux or looking to hone your existing skills, this book will provide you with the knowledge you need. For new users, it is an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter. Advanced trainees can consider it a desktop reference, a collection of the base knowledge needed to tackle system and network administration.

To help you work more effectively with Linux, this book contains hundreds of real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. These examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Top Machtelt Garrels books:
1. ISBN-10: 159682199X - "Introduction to Linux" (Third Edition)
2. ISBN-10: 1596822015 - "Bash Guide for Beginners" (Second Edition) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good introduction to Linux for first time users!
This book provides an overview of the Linux Operating System. It is well presented and includes topics such as: file system, processes, I/O redirection, text editors, printing, backup, networking, sound and video. There are also exercises at the end of each chapter. I reckon it a good hands-on guide for new users to getting started and exploring Linux on their own.

Not bad for a woman
Just kidding, Tille ! Anyhow I while I appreciate the fact that an extremely competent and skilled linux admin like Garrels has taken pains to write a basic guide and has made it freely available online for the Linux Documentation Project, I still have some issues with this being a good intro for the Linux beginner. Yes, it's short, to the point and precise, but for a real beginner it is too short, too to the point and too terse. It is distribution independent, theoretically a good point, but in practice a down side for a beginner who 's way more interested in how to organize his desktop than in how to use the find command efficiently. Let's face it, there is no such thing like a command line only introduction to Linux for the real beginner. Failure to understand this is the main reason while a superior product like Linux has still not replaced Windows in the desktop market. I wish the author will take the time to write a real, complete, gentle andtutorial -likeintro to Linux focusing or one or two of the main distros. Meanwhile, the best intro(and distro) I can recommend to the Linux beginner is "Beginning Ubuntu Linux" by Apress. I can promise it will bring you to the level whne you can kiss Windows ( and his licence fees) goodbye.
... Read more

Product Description
This book is…one nice and convenient package that I will keep on the shelf as a reference manual.

— Derek Anderson, JavaRanch GreenHorn

The Definitive Guide to Linux Network Programming offers a clear, concise treatment of creating clients and servers under the Linux operating system. This book assumes that you know C and have experience developing code on Linux, but it provides everything else you'll need as a programmer for real-world network programming.

Whether you're a Windows developer looking to expand to Linux, or you're a proficient Linux developer looking to incorporate client-server programming into your applications, this book has a wealth of invaluable information to suit your needs.

This book covers design, implementation, debugging, and security. You'll also learn about the many kinds of socket types, sessioned versus sessionless protocols, and encryption, as well as how to build a custom protocol, how to use SSL, and how to tunnel data.

Customer Reviews (7)

skimpy skimpy skimpy
Skimpy coverage, the code compiles with a bazillion warnings, and for me at least the first client/server examples just plain don't work and don't provide useful enough error messages to figure out.It's not until you get to a much later chapter that you learn about debugging techniques that *might* help.This debugging information should either have been moved forward within the book, or should have been forward-referenced from the first example.Additionally the book repeats the same information over and over again, for instance in any example that calls for the use of the INADDR_ANY constant, the author explains what it stands for each and every time.This sort of repetition is simply not acceptable in a book fancying itself as somehow "definitive" yet only 300 or so pages.Furthermore, rather than covering ins and outs of actual network programming, far too much is devoted to the basics of various protocols (the first 20+% of the book), and/or security specifically (the last 20+% of the book).A better title for this book would be Linux Network Programming *Fundamentals*, and as such this would warrant 4 stars, maybe even 5 if it taught debugging earlier.As a *Definitive Guide* though it is a 2 at best; if you want truly definitive, albeit regarding Unix generally and not necessarily Linux, Stevens' "Unix Network Programming" series is the real deal.

Short, yet, Excellent.
A very insteresting book. I would like to see a more advanced version of this book in the future. It covers the basics of TCP & UDP, and helps you in choosing a suitable design/protocol for your applications, and covers everything related to network programming including security, debugging... Excellent work!

An adequate introduction to the subject
This book gives a good general overview of network programming for the Linux operating system along with the C source code used for the implementation. Therefore, individuals who prefer to do network programming in PERL will have to find another book. It is written for the beginner to network programming, but could serve as a general reference for more seasoned network programmers. Due to the straightforward way in which the authors explain the ideas, the book can be rapidly assimilated by those readers who are pressed for time and need to get to the frontiers of the subject with little delay. I only read the first 7 chapters of the book, and so this review will be confined to these.

In chapter 1, the authors give an elementary and general overview of networks. All of the discussion is very easy to understand, and should be helpful for newcomers. In particular, the idea of a port is sometimes a source of confusion for those who are new to networking, sometimes viewing them as being hardware interfaces on network devices. They are rather virtual destinations, and allow a standardization of just what kind of network traffic can be passed to and from a node.

Chapter 2 is an introduction to socket functions, a `socket' being explained as an abstraction for network communication. The Linux operating system uses the Berkeley socket interface (over TCP/IP), and the basic network I/O functions and the notion of a `socket descriptor' are explained in detail. A client/server configuration is used to illustrate the function calls utilized in sockets. Address data structures, such as `sockaddr_in', `linger', and `servent', are discussed. The authors also address the need for specifying the network byte order, so as not have to deal with issues of just how numbers are represented on a particular machine. Code is given for a simple application consisting of a string transfer from server to client.

In chapter 3, the authors concentrate on how to transfer files between a client and server but over the (connectionless) UDP protocol using `datagram sockets.' The discussion clearly points out the differences between TCP/IP and UDP in client/server network communications when doing file transfer. A very brief discussion is given for error handling.

The authors go into more of the details of protocol architectures and methods. An important part of this discussion is the difference between `stateful' servers, which maintain information about the current connections with its clients, and `stateless' servers that do not. A fairly thorough discussion is given on the different methods for maintaining state in a server, using the concept of `sessions'. The role of the HTTP protocol in maintaining a session in a stateless server is outlined, along with the role of `session IDs' for this purpose. The authors also discuss how to maintain state on the client side, using cookies, hidden form variables, and URL parameters.

The next part of the book deals with design issues and decisions and how to develop network programs that function in the client-server environment. Explicit programs are given that illustrate multiplexing, forking, and preforking, the latter of which will alleviate somewhat the costs associated with creating child processes during the initialization of the application. The authors also discuss multithreading, and its advantages in performance versus its disadvantages in stability (due to its use of shared memory). They also give the usual cautions in the use of multithreading, such as the need for mutexes when using global variables shared among threads, and when dealing with servers that must maintain a large number of persistent connections. For readers in the scientific community, a very useful section on how to deal with large amounts of data using nonblocking sockets is given.

Only a cursory discussion is given of "thick" and "thin" clients in this part, probably since the book is about Linux-based network programming. In non-Linux environments, thin-client architectures have become very important in recent years. The authors do discuss issues from both the client-side and the server-side, such as the differences between `monolithic' and `modular' clients, and the use of daemons on network servers. The advantages for using `privilege dropping" are also outlined, this being used in Web server programming for binding ports, and in giving an application superuser status.

Short, pragmatic guide to C network programming
This is a straightforward walkthrough of developing network clients and servers in C on Linux. Though many of the same principles could be applied to Windows network programming.

The book starts off with a small chapter on architecture. It quickly becomes chapters of annotated code with a few illustrations thrown in. The text is well written and the the book is short enough to make that format workable.

The last section of the book is dedicated to security. Which I appreciate since C programming is so fraught with security problems.

I recommend this book to those looking to write basic network protocols with C. Though I think it should be said that using a wrapper C++ library, or some higher level applications language for network protocol work will be advisable.

fine grained control
I'm not sure about the "definitive" claim in the book's title. But after reading the book, I'm quite willing to grant that the authors have indeed done a thorough job. The book calls to mind the now classic series on Internetworking, by Comer and Stevens in the early 90s. If you've been in this game long enough, you know exactly what I mean. Of course, Comer and Stevens were looking at unix boxes hooked to the Internet.

But, as you can see in this book, linux network programming carries over very closely to those unix versions. And both use what is basically the same IPv4, despite the massive physical buildout of the Internet.

The book's code is unabashedly C. No cute user interface to trip over. It can test your knowledge of C quite well. Partly because the coding and handling of network calls is deliberately low level. Using the book's approach, you can get a fine grained appreciation of how to talk across the Internet. Higher level languages like Java and C# come with network libraries that deliberately hide a lot of this detail. Which is good for many applications. But sometimes you might need the performance and control that this book offers. ... Read more

Product Description
This book addresses topics in the area of forensic analysis of systems running on variants of the UNIX operating system, which is the choice of hackers for their attack platforms. According to a 2007 IDC report, UNIX servers account for the second-largest segment of spending (behind Windows) in the worldwide server market with $4.2 billion in 2Q07, representing 31.7% of corporate server spending. UNIX systems have not been analyzed to any significant depth largely due to a lack of understanding on the part of the investigator, an understanding and knowledge base that has been achieved by the attacker. The companion DVD provides a simulated or "live" UNIX environment where readers can test the skills they've learned in the book and use custom tools developed by the authors.

The book begins with a chapter to describe why and how the book was written, and for whom, and then immediately begins addressing the issues of live response (volatile) data collection and analysis.The book continues by addressing issues of collecting and analyzing the contents of physical memory (i.e., RAM).The following chapters address /proc analysis, revealing the wealth of significant evidence, and analysis of files created by or on UNIX systems.Then the book addresses the underground world of UNIX hacking and reveals methods and techniques used by hackers, malware coders, and anti-forensic developers.The book then illustrates to the investigator how to analyze these files and extract the information they need to perform a comprehensive forensic analysis.The final chapter includes a detailed discussion of Loadable Kernel Modules and Malware. The companion DVD provides a simulated or "live" UNIX environment where readers can test the skills they've learned in the book and use custom tools developed by the authors.

Throughout the book the author provides a wealth of unique information, providing tools, techniques and information that won't be found anywhere else.Not only are the tools provided, but the author also provides sample files so that after completing a detailed walk-through, the reader can immediately practice the new-found skills.


* The companion DVD for the book contains significant, unique materials (movies, spreadsheet, code, etc.) not available any place else.
* This book contains information about UNIX forensic analysis that is not available anywhere else. Much of the information is a result of the author's own unique research and work.
* The authors have the combined experience of Law Enforcement, Military, and Corporate forensics. This unique perspective makes this book attractive to ALL forensic investigators. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Hardly A Book About Forensics
The title may mislead readers to believe that this book discusses actual forensics of Unix and Linux systems. It does not. The authors waste precious pages in this short book discussing their favorite cool Linux apps like Nessus and Metasploit but don't have any meaningful discussion about the various flavors of Unix: AIX, Solaris, *BSD, etc. Their "Unix and Linux" forensic book is almost entirely about Linux. There is no thoughtful discussion about filesystem forensics; no technical detail helpful to Forensic Examiners.

The few moments where the authors approach a meaningful forensic topic, the reader is redirected to an online resource rather than provided an analysis or explanation within the book.

The book title may lead readers to believe that an accompanying DVD contains a Unix forensic toolkit of some kind. In fact, there is only 1.8 MB of documents and no tools save for a few (4) short Bash scripts that hardly cover a thorough forensics examination: live or otherwise. One of the scripts is only one line. One of these documents is an incomplete 3.5 page summary of Sleuthkit tools. By "incomplete" I mean that it is apparent that the author decided to quit writing. Apparently there was no room in this 236 page, 14-gauge font book to cover in any detail the different Unix filesystems, data acquisition, data carving or static filesystem analysis. But the authors make plenty of room to discuss scanning with Unix tools (nmap, nessus, etc.).

There is a section entitled "Malware" except that no malware sample is actually examined. The reader is briefly introduced to Panda's AV scanner and is walked through how to use ClamAV as if that is the only AV scanner available for either a Unix user or Forensic Examiner. Forensic Examiners should pay very close attention to AntiVirus product comparative reviews.

The book cover boasts that this is the "only digital forensic analysis book for *nix". Indeed there may be little in the way of books solely dedicated to Unix forensics but other books cover Unix forensics with greater detail than this one. For example, Brian Carrier's "Filesystem Forensic Analysis" or Jones, Bejtlich and Rose's "Real Digital Forensics".

The book cover also boasts that readers can "Hit the ground running" with the information within. Unfortunately, if readers expect the content to help them bridge a gap between Windows and Unix, they will hit the ground with a resounding thud. If any Forensics Examiner finds value in the content of this book for actual Unix forensic investigations, I would question that examiner's experience and training.

If the authors wanted to write a book about cool Linux tools or network scanning, they should have entitled the book differently. Perhaps "A Beginner's Guide to Using Linux and Linux Security Applications".

I felt the title was misleading and false advertising. The authors take advantage of the word "Forensics" to sell a book that is not about forensics. For $53.95 I expected much more and was extremely disappointed and disgusted at the inferiority of the content.

going on ebay
I don't often write reviews, but after reading this book, I decided to write one.Not because this book was excellent, but because I was quite disappointed.I am not an expert in *nix security by any means; however, this book is exteremly basic.The target audience for this book is someone who has little or no knowledge in linux or unix internals and security.
If you already know unix or linux, but are not familiar with tools like Nessus, nmap, wireshark, tcpdump, netcat, etc... just go directly to [...], where you can find the compilied list of the top 100 security tools from the nmap-hackers mailing list.

What a waste of time and money.

Very informative style of delivery in Forensic World
The authors initiate a very interesting subject, with very easy informative style of delivery. Looking forward of going through more advanced material by the authors with such valuable information.

Excellent introduction to Linux forensics, ideal for those starting out or Windows centric examiner who is curious about Linux
The first few chapters leads the reader gently into appreciating the differences between Windows and *nix based nomenclature. There are a number of practical tools covered which would assist any Windows investigator to perform post forensic analysis.The tools needed to get the job done on *nix boxes are covered more than adequately.Chapter 4 introduces the reader to some practical advice on triage and live data analysis, there are some useful practical exercises using search techniques and the author shares his experience offering some good practical advice on narrowing the search to relevant areas of investigation.Chapter 5 provides some of the best examples I have seen of the "top 10 hacking" tools covered.This should inspire any reader to appreciate how best to investigate against such "tools".This chapter inspires the reader to conduct their own research in a laboratory environment with just enough of a sweetener provided in the examples to encourage them to do so.Chapter 6 takes the reader on an insightful tour of the /proc filesystem highlighting some of the key areas an investigator needs to know in terms of live analysis and key areas for volatile data capture.There's small additional section on the sysfs which covers additional areas of interest relevant to the investigator.Included in this chapter is an insightful walkthru of an investigation further re-enforcing the ideas presented by the author.Chapter 7 guides the reader through the filesystem, highlighting key areas such as configuration files.The author also provides the reader with some inventive techniques for investigation. Although a short chapter it concisely provides enough detail to assist the reader in their investigations.Chapter 8 contains detailed instructions on the use and installation of anti-virus/malware software with a good overview provided by the author of Linux file permissions/security.The final appendix is a worthy addition providing a good overview of auditing and logging not just on *nix but includes,Windows, firewalls, router, IDS and IPS systems.It provides a complementary addition to the literature.

Summary.
The author has sought to introduce the reader to a very wide subject area,which considering the diversity of Unices is a brave and audacious move.It is quite amazing how much the author has managed to cover and condense into only 8 chapters and an appendix.The authors clearly have a vast amount of forensic experience especially with regard to incident response, providing practical and sound advice to the reader.There are a number of other sources hinted at by the authors which shows thorough research benefiting this literature and ultimately the reader.This book provides the reader with a perfect introduction to UNIX and Linux Forensic Analysis,additional it should also benefit forensic investigators from the Windows centric world in grasping some of the power available with Linux and Open Source tools.This should allow the reader to complement their own arsenal of investigation tools and techniques with a complementary set of Linux forensic CDs and methodology.This is a book I would heartily recommend to experienced computer forensic examiners and those starting out.Especially to those investigators more used to the Windows environment.The book is clearly an introduction and hints at more to come.I very much look forward to reading more material from the authors covering more advanced topics in their next book.The final paragraph of the synopsis clearly says it all.
... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Anyone who's done programming work knows that you spend half your coding time looking for other people's solutions to the problems you're facing in your project. Particularly when you're dealing with times, dates, standard calculations, and other common problems, you find yourself saying, "Someone must have solved this before." And, indeed, someone usually has. Linux Programming by Example is a dense compendium of Linux software solutions--tools, algorithms, and procedures that solve data-processing challenges of the sort that crop up in all sorts of software projects. Though it does not address X11 user-interface programming or network communications much, this book does a great job of communicating recommended practices for command-line interfaces, filesystem manipulation, internationalization and localization, and inter-process communications. Taken together with The Art of Unix Programming, this book will help you solve difficult Linux programming problems quickly.

Unlike a lot of code-oriented books, this one manages to keep its samples concise, and devote more space to discussions of why things are done than to the code that actually does them. This promotes understanding: You can always mess around with the code yourself on your own. Overall, Arnold Robbins does an excellent job of stripping away some of the hacker mystique to reveal the code behind the curtain. This book shows how to work Linux magic. --David Wall

Topics covered: Linux programming in C, mostly at a level concerned with user input from the command line, file I/O, interprocess signalling, and memory management. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

GNU Programming by Example
This is a fantastic book about how to program in the GNU style.In other words, this book is a great companion to the GNU coding standards, and it provides a good window into actual programming practices.Reading GNU code and Ancient Unix code will be much easier to understand after reading this book.I really liked how it compares the old Unix style with the GNU style and uses examples to suggest the best practices in programming.

The biggest weird thing I noticed about this book is that it is yet another example that shows calling the GNU System "Linux" is a terrible choice of words.This book is called "Linux Programming..." and therefore (a) you might think it is about programming Linux (the kernel) which it absolutely is not (it uses no kernel-code examples) and (b) it strongly advocates following the GNU standards and using GNU extensions, GNU libraries and GNU style!The whole point of this book is to compare how to code on a modern GNU system with an older (more limited) Unix system.It explains at the core technical level what "GNU's Not Unix" really means.

Yet another poorly-titled book that points out the difference between calling the system "Linux" and GNU/Linux is not just a matter of politics or giving credit.It is a technical issue, and the editors' choice clearly reflect their lack of insight on the subject (it belongs in a series with other poorly-titled books).The author even spells this out clearly in a section on "Why GNU code is better."

Nevermind the title; get the book.

Good Introduction
This is a good introductory book for Linux OS related programming concepts including memory management, files, IPC, signals and debugging. It does explain the concepts quite well and the code illustrations are very helpful. Its debugging and internalization chapters are noteworthy. As mentioned by others, this book does not cover threads and sockets.

It could be better to provide more complete coverage of the topics such as IPC and memory management. For example, the IPC chapter is limited to pipes and fifos (they are not even explained depth enough).

In short, I strongly recommend it as an introductory book for the topics covered.

Quality book, a keeper
I learned about this book from its sister book, Linux Kernel Primer: A Top-Down Approach for x86 and PowerPC Architecture. While the kernel book is not a good one at all, this one is a true gem. The writing is clear, lucid, and the examples are from the real world and thoroughly explained. In contrast, the kernel book gives overly broad and general introduction to a subject and then dives into the source code with disconnected commenting; there is such a big gap between the intro and the source code that it's not readable at all.
The auther Arnold Robinns also wrote a few other great books, including Learning the vi Editor and Learning the Korn Shell. With the achievement of this book, he ranks near the great, late Richard Stevens in terms of writing quality.

Great real world examples
Linux Programming by Example: The Fundamentals is a great book that covers three main concepts in Linux programming: files, processes and debugging.In each part the author explains and gives several examples of functions, systems calls and APIs that will help the Linux programmer.He also includes several real world examples of how these concepts are implemented.Here are the some things that I found interesting:

The Good: 1)This book really focuses on the use of standards and good program design.Right from the beginning, the author goes out of his way to make the reader aware of standards from ISO and POSIX and how they apply to good programming and design.Along this line I also like that the author explains the benefits of - and promotes - the use of Gnu software.Being an avid Gnu user myself (as most Linux users are) I agree that Gnu software is generally better software.
2)I feel that knowledge is power, and the author goes along with this idea by showing how some things should *not* be done.He often points out several functions that are available but should be avoided.I appreciated this, and feel that it makes the reader an all-around better programmer.The author also frequently gives extra information and history which helps explain why things are the way they are.This was especially useful when explaining mount points and types of file system.
3)I liked the fact that the author uses real world examples to demonstrate the ideas being presented.I really appreciated the fact that he uses V7 code (older, smaller and less comlex code) to demonstrate his examples.This allowed me to be able to see how the features were implemented in simple code, without being overwhelmed by the modern equivalents.A great example is the V7 echo program - only 23 lines!

The Bad: There weren't too many things that I didn't like about this book, but if my arm was twisted I would say the following:1) This book is called *Linux* Programming but really it is about Unix programming.I know they are similar, and maybe I am splitting hairs here, but the title could really be *Unix* Programming.Most of this stuff is generic Unix programming, and the author points out the special exceptions not only for Linux but for other Unix variants as well - such as BSD.
2) Don't confuse the word "Fundamental" with "Beginning."This book really isn't for beginning Linux programmers, but rather it teaches basic (or fundamental) concepts that Linux programmers should know and use.The reader needs to be moderately familiar with the C programming language if he or she is to be edified.

A great read, with some excellent examples of well written Linux programs.If you are interested in moving beyond basic Linux programming then you should definitely pick up a copy of this book!

An invaluable resource
This is an exceptionally fine book.

Robbins has supplied the reader with a vast number of
programs and a lot of elucidation.This is a primer in
Linux programming, but also serves as a tract on UNIX
programming.The illustrations stem, for the most part,
from actual GNU and Linux code.

This is an invaluable resource for those converting from
another system to Linux. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

This book helped me pass the 734
I read this book cover to cover. I took all the chapter sample tests, and the Appendix test. Then I re-read the book. I took the 734 exam today and passed 96% (only missed 2 out of 51 questions). Clearly this book works.

The sample exam questions are so close to the actual test questions that, if you understand why a sample question is correct in this book, take all the sample questions and do well, I don't think it is possible to fail the 734.

I say this with several caveats. First, the book is filled with typos and a few serious factual errors. You should have your laptop open as you go through the book and read the DB2 9 and 9.5 Information Center to verify details. Second, the book completely glosses over some DB2 features such as the Administration Server, some details on DPF, or how to use db2pd effectively. Again, check the Internet and IBM Information Center for more information to fill out those gaps.

The Index and Table of Contents could be much better.

I would have liked the Appendix sample test to have had different questions than those used in the Chapter sample tests. At some point obviously the reader begins to memorize the test questions which skews the results for the final sample test, reducing its effectiveness as an assessment tool.

This is NOT a generic reference for how to be an effective DBA. This is a certification guide and will only help you pass the 734 test. The 734 is NOT a comprehensive test of what it takes to be a DB2 LUW DBA. In my opinion, IBM needs to develop a more detailed certification roadmap for DB2 database administrators. In particular there should be a separate certification exam for DPF/Data Warehouse/Balanced Infosphere administration.

You should consider passing the 734 only the beginning of wisdom. Follow this up with your own independent reading in the IBM Information Center and Redbooks.

This book got me to pass the 734 exam on first try
If you are trying to get your Advanced DB2 certification then I highly recommend getting this book. Not only did this book help me pass my 734 exam the first time, I also use it as a guide book for on the job references. It's not a book to go to for a bunch of examples, but it will guide you to the right answers. Buy this book, you won't be let down.

Another Home Run
It's not surprising that this book is extremely well written and informative considering the two authors. Roger Sanders is "the" DB2 author we all admire and Dwaine Snow has long been considered an "expert to the experts" so the collaboration of these two virtually guaranteed a success. Despite this being a Certification Study Guide (a slot that it fits very well indeed), the information this book contains goes well beyond what would simply prepare someone to pass the cert.It is an excellent foundational work for any DB2 DBA and should be considered required reading for those of us who work with the product daily.

EXCELLENT BOOK!!!HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!
I own several of Roger Sanders' books and I have heard Dwaine speak at conferences in the past so I was excited to see that they were working together to produce this book. I pre-ordered a copy and when it arrived, I found it easy to read and full of good information. Before I bought this book, I took the 734 exam and my score was rather low - 39%. After reading this book and working through the practice questions at the end of each chapter, I was able to pass on my second attempt with a score of 84%! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to prepare for the 734 exam

Not up to par
This book does not warrant an "Advanced" label. The content contains much of the same information as any of the other DBA books. I would have expected more for an "advanced" label. The V9 books have not lived up to their predecessors. I found the V8 books much more informative and useful as a DBA. ... Read more

Product Description

• This book is broken into four primary sections addressing key topics that Linux programmers need to master: Linux nuts and bolts, the Linux kernel, the Linux desktop, and Linux for the Web
• Effective examples help get readers up to speed with building software on a Linux-based system while using the tools and utilities that contribute to streamlining the software development process
• Discusses using emulation and virtualization technologies for kernel development and application testing
• Includes useful insights aimed at helping readers understand how their applications code fits in with the rest of the software stack
• Examines cross-compilation, dynamic device insertion and removal, key Linux projects (such as Project Utopia), and the internationalization capabilities present in the GNOME desktop

Customer Reviews (3)

Ups, it was a mistake to buy this book
Well, the title says everything. Googling you'll find more and most interenting (and free) stuff than you actually get from this book. If you have money and do not have in which spend it, buy the book; otherwise please don't do it!! (in fact I'll check if amazon.com can refund me for this book).

Achieving the Professional Programming Window
Wrox should be applauded for continuing to document the programming training requirements for Linux. I have been a professional programmer for 27 years and I depend on these references to keep me up to date on procedures, tools and specialization areas. The previous reference on professional programming, about 8 years ago, was over 1100 pages and covered 28 chapters verses the current reference's 14 chapters and 440 pages. The Linux world has narrowed somewhat in the last 10 years and it has changed its focus on programming tools as well. Linux applications have grown into new areas, such as virtualization, enterprise databases and network domain management. This reference has adapted to the same needs and has adjusted its topics to the current programming needs window. This book is a must have if you want to enter the professional programming level in Linux.

I do have a few reservations about the content in this reference. Aside from the movement of serveral chapters from the previous reference to entire books of their own, there are new programming areas that have been surprisingly neglected. New languages have emerged as leaders in the Linux world such as C++, Java, and C#. More importantly, development performance and application complexity now demand the use of Integrated Development Environments( IDE ) for project design. There should have been chapters dedicated to Eclipse( Java, C++, C ), the Mono Project( C#, C++, C, and Java ) and others. I haven't hired any programmers since 1992 that didn't know how to use Visual Studio or an integrated editor like SlickEdit on the Windows side of the asile. An integrated debugger in the IDE is a requirement in order to meet current schedules. Professional development also requires an editor that can have over 40 open files. Furthermore, portability and version control for team programming are widely considered important features for companies contemplating a wider use of Linux applications. Consider these questions, how can these companies combine version control systems, and what features from std lib and graphic libraries are also reflected in .NET libraries? Its time to give CVS a decent burial and at least adopt Subversion. What about design patterns and good programming practice? These topics can be referenced in other books to make it clear what the current requirements are for professional programming. The command line isn't dead, but it isn't the preferred method of building projects either.

In the next series, I want to see at least 1000 pages and 22 chapters dedicated to the current areas and in addition the following topics: Program development in current IDEs, Debugging tools, Current programming languages, designing web and system services, Database comparison in Linux, custom Graphics at the WPF level, and very importantly, interprocess communication between different operating systems.

Linux can only become a leader when it can be the common hub that connects various systems and includes both desktop and server systems. Windows will continue to rule the PC world if the current deficiencies remain. Open Office is one place where this catchup is happening. When the design and programming interfaces become comparible between OSs and applications, the questions of which OS to install will become moot when this happens. But first, we must all know how to connect the application to all the current interface. OS price is not the sole issue here and passion is not sufficient to change this situation.

I like what I see in this reference, but there are subject deficiencies that should be corrected. Until, these issues are addressed in this reference in the next edition, I can only give it four stars. Fortunately, there is space for an additional five hundred pages to close the requirements gap. I'm looking forward to seeing this done in the next two years and I will be the first to buy or contribute to this advanced edition. I enjoy open system programming for Linux and I want to see it become the standard for PC computing.

Good for beginning... if you know your basics.
I bought this book hoping to familiarize myself with some of the more common methods of programming for the Linux system. The book does a fairly good job of explaining the Linux kernel, as well as introducing the basics of OpenGL and SDL for graphics. I felt that the networking section of the book was rather lax in it's discussion of forking servers and handling TCP protocols. While the book discusses the basics of programming for the Linux system, it lacks nearly any mention of bash scripting or use of the standard Linux command line tools.
While this is a good book for learning the basics, if you don't already know some programming, then some of the examples can really mess you up; the editor missed quite a few things in this book. Some of the mistakes are in the example code, some are in the author's explanations of the examples, and there are several when the author is simply describing anything new.
Overall, i would recommend this book for learning basic programming for Linux. It was very helpful for me, even with all of the grammatical and programming syntax errors.
... Read more

Product Description

Linux Recipes for Oracle DBAs is an example–based book on managing Oracle Database in a Linux environment. Covering commonly used distributions such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Oracle Enterprise Linux, the book is written for database administrators who need to get work done and lack the luxury of curling up fireside with a stack of Linux documentation. The book is task–oriented: Look up the task to perform. See the solution. Read up on the details. Get the job done.

• Takes you directly from problem to solution
• Covers the “right” mix of Linux user and administration tasks for database administrators
• Respects your time by being succinct and to–the–point

Customer Reviews (4)

great condition -looks as new.
The book was in good condition and looks new. Also it was delivered on time. Great deal for the price.!!

Excellent Linux Reference
This is an excellent Linux reference for an Oracle DBA.

The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 1 - Getting Started
Chapter 2 - Working in the Shell
Chapter 3 - Managing Processes and Users
Chapter 4 - Creating and Editing Files
Chapter 5 - Managing Files and Directories
Chapter 6 - Archiving and Compressing Files
Chapter 7 - Shell Scripting
Chapter 8 - Analyzing Server Performance
Chapter 9 - Viewing and Configuring System Resources
Chapter 10 - Managing Server Software
Chapter 11 - Automating Jobs
Chapter 12 - Implementing ASM on Linux
Chapter 13 - Implementing RAC on Linux
Chapter 14 - Working Securely Across a Network
Chapter 15 - Managing X Windows
Chapter 16 - Managing Remote Servers with VNC

There are also two Appendixes:

A - RAID Concepts
B - Server Log Files

My favorite parts were Chapter 7 and Chapter 11. For DBA's, it is very powerfull to understand how to write shell scripts and automate them. Also, Chapters 12 and 13 are great references for a DBA who has to implement ASM and RAC on Linux.

My Linux admin has also used these chapters to look at some OS configuration issues with RAC and ASM as well as querying disks with oracleasm (for ASMLIB).

Definitely a great resource that has clear and concise steps to follow to get things up and running. No fluff here.

Excellent Source
I have several years of DBA experience in a Windows environment.The company I work for just picked up a Linux contract, so I had to learn how to perform various DBA functions in a Linux environment...quickly.This book has helped out tremendously with the task I was presented.Chapter 2 was extremely useful since I was new to the environment.However, Chapters 5 and 7 are proving useful on a daily basis.I'm working on automating some of my tasks, so I will be spending a bit more time in Chapter 11.

The book is easy to read and the authors provide several good examples.

Excellent Linux knowledge for Oracle DBAs
I have read the book and found it extremely helpful, It gives you the information you need right away with no lengthy explanation.
Unlike other ready-made UNIX scripts for Oracle DBAs, this book teaches you to write your own script (Chapter 7).
It is nice to see implementing RAC on Linux and Appendix on VNC.

I think Problem/Solution with "How it Works" approch is what makes this book a valuable TO-THE-POINT material for Oracle DBAs. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Useless book avoid!
I know I'll be rated down, as everything I write here gets rated down.

First off is the reason I got a copy of this book. (thank god it was used) I am experimenting with options to lock down linux, I wanted to know about, and set up a wide range of technologies to get a good feeling for how much security linux can provide.

First off. I was quite happy to see a section covering how to be a small time CA. (found at the beginning of the stunnel section) This section is so bad, it doesn't even use the right options to say sign a cert from a different server. That is right a book I paid money for didn't even bother to look up the correct options to sign a cert, to be a small time CA? The kerberos section was ok, but it reads like a hobbist wrote the chapter, and not an experienced admin. I found myself taking notes to follow along, just to redo the instructions to fit my own needs. Lastly ldap. This chapter is simply so aweful it inspired me to write this review. I was testing the chapters of this book against the current Debian stable. The only thing this book is good for, is to let you know what other books you should buy instead. I just placed orders for dedicated books, on the chapters from this book I was interested in learning more about.

To recap: The instructions are wrong, the book is inconsistent. I am ashamed o'reilly let this book pass as they have some of the best books.

Disappointed about the installation instructions.
The big reason why I purchased this book was because it claimed it was great about security and it said it would show how to setup these services the correct way.
Well first of all this author loves to use the binary packages (RPMs, etc.).And anyone that is a major security buff knows that the RPMs are the last things to get updated when a flaw is found out.
Secondly that's all the user shows for the installation of most of the software is how to do it with a binary distribution.So unless you are using Suse, Redhat, Fedora it is quite useless.This book should indicate that it made for those distributions and it is not general "Linux".

Also his views on running some of the software is really off the wall.But that is just a personal preference I guess.

Overall if he would have used the regular "./configure ---comands", "make", "make install" this book would have been much better and it would have been able to be used for those that don't want to be stuck in "rpm hell".

Not Focused
I read every column of paranoid penguin and they are quite good.This book is ok, but not great.They (I mean they because several chapters are not by Mike) try to cover a huge amount of information and make the mistake of being both too broad in some areas and too specific in others.Overall, there wasn't a cohesive glue to bring the chapters together into a single vision.

For instance, for a book that introduces FTP servers, web servers, mail (imap/smtp), dns - they are like separate entities.They do not complete the picture by showing a complete network diagram with IDS / VPN, -- showing an example of all of their advice coming together in a working solution.And Kerberos isn't even mentioned.

They were extremely specific in some areas like talking about rpm example/debian/ make options and specific .conf options ad nauseum - which detracted from the whole picture.Is someone securing bind 4 really reading this book?Also, maybe a mention of apt-get - - but don't tell me how to install each package on every architecture - it just inflates the word count.

I don't think this book was focused enough in the 'big picture' of trying to piece together all of the tiny pieces into a coherant whole, while at the same time it gets cought up in the minute details of certain packages making for a tough read.

Perhaps they could have included an actual example company or two showing possible layouts of ldap in action with:
login/mail/split-dns/firewalls/database$web.

Anyone for OpenBSD?

For sys admins
Linux Server Security, Second Edition
By Michael D. Bauer
Second Edition January 2005
ISBN: 0-596-00670-5
544 pages, $44.95 US
(...)
This book goes along with the moving trend of the normal computer user, securing your data. Servers generally are targeted more often than the average home PC because most are made to be accessible from the outside world. This is where securing that server comes into play. This book covers the tools and techniques to securing your Bastion host.

First I'd like to start out and explain what Bastion host means as according this book so you can understand what this book covers more specifically. Bastion Host is defined as "A system that runs publicly accessible services but is usually not itself a firewall. Bastion hosts are what we put on DMZ (although they can be put anywhere). The term implies that a certain amount of system hardening has been done, but sadly, this is not always the case."

After you understand what a Bastion host is defined as, you should understand that this book mainly covers these server daemons and the systems that run them. But some of the information applies to a Linux desktop system such as a per host iptables firewall, using secure shell, keeping up with your logs, and intrusion detection. Most of these things the average user doesn't care much about but sometimes being paranoid comes in handy.

Someone who would most likely use this book more than the average desktop user would probaly be a system administrator. Securing web, database, ftp, dns, and email servers is what majority of this book contains. Along with covering these server systems, there are guides to securing the Linux system that runs these daemons along with designing the networks around these types of hosts.

One of the sections I'm most fond of is Chapter 2: Designing Perimeter Networks. With this section you can really take a look at the design and layout of the different types of networks and figure out the portions that suit your needs for your own network. The diagrams shown in this chapter help explain what is going on with the traffic and allows you to see exactly what is going on and at what points the systems are protected.

At the end of the book there are 2 well commented iptables firewall scripted that allow you to get a feel for the netfilter iptables system if you're not familiar with it already. With some modification of these scripts you can easily bring them into a working environment depending on your situation, which sometimes these helps with some of the frustration with the iptables syntax. I personally prefer the PF system within OpenBSD for it's clean syntax and have grown away from iptables, but both are powerful firewall systems and should fit the needs of your network.

I'd definitely recommend this book to system admins or anyone who is paranoid about their security. Security is always something that people should be educated about.

Lloyd Randall
Pensacola Linux User's Group

Great Reference for New Server Admins
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is involved with securing Internet servers.The book strikes a nice balance between theoretical background and implementation examples.

Though certainly not all encompassing, the book touches on several key elements of server security, including DNS, Email, File Servers, Web Services, IDS methods and more. People new or just curious about Linux server security will gain the most.More experienced system administrators will find a few implementation tips and useful background information for presentation or training purposes.

Unlike many server security books, this one includes some notes on alternatives to the most popular software packages. For example, the chapter on securing Internet email includes excellent tips on securing both Sendmail and Postfix while the IDS chapter covers the popular Tripwire package and some lesser-known integrity checkers. References and the end of each chapter are provided to point you to even more solutions.

This book certainly will not replace a dedicated reference volume, but I find it to be a good summary of major security practices for bastion hosts.Note that the book focuses primarily on host hardening.Though there are some sections on network security, most of the chapters focus on locking down your server.So if you are mainly interested in network clusters, network surveillance, or honeypots, you will probably want to find another reference.Also, if you have several years of experience, you may not find too much new information, but the book is a handy reference volume that can point you in the right direction.If, however, you are new to Linux server security or just simply want a concise summary of common security practices, then this will be a welcomed addition to your technical library. ... Read more

Product Description

• The combination of Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP is popular because of interaction, flexibility, customization, and-most importantly-the cost effectiveness of its components
• Helps LAMP professionals take their skills to the next level with in-depth discussions of OOP; extensions of PHP such as PEAR, GD, XML, and CURL; improving site security; and advanced tools available to the coder
• Those proficient in other languages such as Java, C++, Perl and ASP will find this guide invaluable when transitioning to the LAMP environment
• The Web site includes sample scripts created in the course of each chapter, and several applications that can be modified and reused

Customer Reviews (3)

Mostly covers PHP
This book only gives rudimentary coverage of MySQL or Apache.

Twenty one pages in the chapter for 'Advanced MySQL' -- really! 13 pages of this is a review of SQL, how to do queries, updates, deletes, etc.

Apache got 35 pages and was a little better. It did have info on rewriting URLs but a lot of time was spent on rewrite patterns and rules. Many of the other items and configuration settings could be gleamed from the Apache configuration file.

I really was disappointed as I expected more of a discussion of PHP in the context of MySQL and Apache. I wish the authors had spent as much time on the other subjects as they did on PHP.

Linux -- wasn't even in the table of contents or the index and I didn't see anything that was even close.

The discussion of PHP covered subjects like installing packages, code effeciency and PHP extensions and was adequate.

Maybe the book should be called "PHP Packages Available".

The Next Level
I just finished reading Professional LAMP. These four components make for quite a powerful open source solution. It is being used at the enterprise level, with companies such as Yahoo and Google taking advantage of the flexibility if can offer. This book is ideal for anyone wanting to delve further into this development environment. As far as I know, it is the first book to cover LAMP at the professional level. The full listing of chapter topics covered are as follows:

1. What's New in PHP5
2. PHP5 Object Oriented Programming
3. More Obscure PHP
4. Advanced MySQL
5. PHP Configuration
6. Apache Tricks
7. Site Security
8. PEAR and PECL
9. Code Efficiency
10. PHP Extensions
11. AJAX
12. Caching Engines
13. Content Management Systems

As you can maybe tell, the above topics are a bit light on the "L" aspect of LAMP. Linux is covered briefly, addressed as the platform on which the AMP aspect runs. To be honest, I did not expect that this book would be a comprehensive look at Linux, because there is already a plethora of books out there. This book addresses in detail many aspects of Apache, MySQL and PHP.

- What's New in PHP5

This chapter covers the changes between PHP versions 4 and 5. This includes object-oriented programming, new functions, configuration changes, mysqli, XML support, Tidy library extension, and SQLite. Suffice it to say, there is quite a bit of information to absorb from this comprehensive first chapter.

- PHP5 OOP

This chapter opened with a good discussion on procedural versus object oriented programming. It then moved on to cover class definitions, methods and instances. One of the things I thought was cool is abstract, which allows you to create a class that can be extended by others. Using OOP methods also allows you to build an extensible API so that developers can create their own plugins. One such example would be peppers that people make for Mint.

- More Obscure PHP

This chapter was great, and helped to clear up some confusion for me. It covered some of the history behind Perl and C that led to PHP coming into its own. Like many languages, PHP has been around long enough that there is some "legacy" code still packaged in it. These relics remain only for backwards compatibility with older applications. Much like target="_blank" and iframe are deprecated as of XHTML 1.0 Strict, there are some things in PHP that are no longer supposed to be used, though they are still supported.

Anyway, the point is that PHP has breadth and depth that many programmers never even touch. They describe it like the English language, that though we understand quite a bit of terminology, most of us only use a small portion of it in our own daily vocabulary. Examples of things covered in this chapter are: callbacks, array_map(), array_walk(), array_filter(), preg_replace_callback(), call_user_func_array(), create_function(), glob() and creating streams.

They even discuss the code necessary to create an aerial orthophoto database query, such as would be seen in Google Maps' satellite view. They cover various compression methods for PNG files that make up the series of photos. I have to admit, it is pretty heady stuff, so you'll just have to check it out for yourself.

- Advanced MySQL

In this chapter, a simulated list of cars at an auto dealership is presented. They show you how to maintain data based on manufacturer, model, paint color, etc. There are many code examples for creating new entries, modifying existing data, and joining / merging tables. Also covered is how to use a MySQL database with the InnoDB storage engine, as opposed to the default MyISAM. Some of the benefits to this include transactions, row-level locking, and foreign key constraints. The one major drawback is lack of full-text searching. They also show you how to switch back and forth between MyISAM and InnoDB on the fly, should you ever need to use both in any particular situation.

In addition, the process of granting / revoking user priviledges is covered, which is a crucial aspect to understand if you want to have different tiers of access to different sections of your data. For instance, you might want the administrator to be able to affect everything, whereas your staff worker you would only want to be able to enter new entries into a product inventory.

- PHP Configuration

Next, they cover some of the basics of tweaking PHP for optimal performance. This all revolves around the php.ini file. They give several recommendations for settings to change, such as: register_globals = off, display_errors = off, log_errors = on, magic_quotes = off, asp_tags = off, and short_open_tag = off. They gave a compelling reason why to leave off short_open_tag, because instead being "< ?php", it is shortened to "< ?". This would cause a parsing error, because XML is written "< ?xml" but would be treated as PHP because it begins with "< ?" as well. If you plan on doing any AJAX, this would create major problems. Keen insights such as this are sprinkled throughout this chapter.

- Apache Tricks

This chapter offered a slew of helpful pointers on Apache Server, including sixteen pages on mod_rewrite alone, the Apache module that allows for more readable clean URL's, instead of messy addresses. Consider the following two examples, both of which lead to the same page (this very book review):

* godbit.com/article/professional-lamp-review
* godbit.com/index.php?id=110

As you can see, while the first might be a bit more lengthy, it contains more memorable information, such as the fact this is an article, and it is a book review of Professional LAMP. This goes a long way in making things more human friendly, and helps search engines index your site more accurately.

Another topic covered is that of mod_deflate, a compression method used in conserving bandwidth. This will cause Apache to send along text such as HTML and CSS with white-space and line-breaks compressed in gzip format, which most browsers are able to interpret and then convert back into a plain text, uncompressed equivalent. The book gives the example of sending a Zip file in an email, rather than several separate attachments. There are also security tips, such as authenticating MySQL users or using SSL when uploading files.

- Site Security

This leads me into the next chapter, which is all about security. Inevitably, with the ungoverned way the Internet operates, you will have malicious people trying to mess with your website. Basically, if you want something secure, don't hook it up to the `net. That being said, there are significant precautions you can take in order to minimize the likelihood that your site will be compromised either intentionally or accidentally.

They explain how to control authentication with both Apache and then adding another layer of PHP checks, such as form validation or register_globals protection. Plus, there is a section on protecting yourself from SQL injection attacks. This nastiness works by using an input, such as comment form or discussion forum, to do things like drop tables or granting user priviledges. Suffice it to say, that can cripple a database driven site, such as this one.

- PEAR and PECL

It has been said that good programmers borrow, but great programmers steal. While I do not advocate ripping people off, the premise of this quote is that if it's been done before, you'd be wasting your time to re-invent the wheel. PEAR - PHP Extension and Repository, and PECL - PHP Extension Community Library are two big components of what make PHP so great. You could think of it as standing on the shoulders of giants, continuing to build where they left off. Basically, each of these is a big pool of submitted extensions that improve PHP's functionality. You could think of it like installing a plugin for the language.

There are far too many extensions to do justice in this review, but one of the ones mentioned in the book was the Date class. With this package installed, you can reference and modify the date with methods like these: addSeconds, getDayName, getMonth, getNextDay, getQuarterOfYear, isLeapYear, etc. As you can tell, each of those is more human readable than: echo date("Y");.

- Code Efficiency

This was a great chapter on balancing code efficiency with real time efficiency. In other words, you don't want to kill yourself over a few milliseconds of loading time, if it is going to take several hours of real development work, especially if that time could be spent better elsewhere. They gave an example of a server computer running software slowly. The first reaction might be to buy new software, resulting in days of lost productivity due to necessary data backup, operating system and program upgrades. In their example though, all that was needed was more system RAM, requiring only a few minutes of down-time.

They take this same principle and apply it to coding methods, benchmarking a few ways of writing mathematical computations, namely a<<3 versus a*8 to multiply a variable integer by 8. If that looks like Greek to you, don't worry because it's explained in this chapter. Essentially, it's an argument of binary notation versus long-hand yet human readable code. They even go so far as to benchmark single quoted (') vs. double quoted (") strings. After an extensive series of tests, and rendering two very complex 3D graphs, it appears that single quoted is in fact faster, though many things can affect the outcome.

Aside from the theoretical arguments, they also help address various server configurations in order to find bottle-necks. An example of this would be too little RAM on your server, or too fast of a server in comparison with too slow of a connection. A good way to think of it is the adage "The box, or the band?" If it's the box, then you can make hardware tweaks, but if it's the bandwidth causing the problem, then you can either up that allotted amount, or tweak various compression schemes and server / client caching methods, to make things go faster. In addition, they of course show you how to write leaner, meaner PHP code, to save on both processor cycles and download time.

- PHP Extensions

This chapter touches on the many extensions that are available. Two of the ones I found to be interesting were PDFLib and GD Library. PDFLib does what the name implies, and creates PDF files on the fly via server-side methods, pulling info from a database. They give an example of how to create a r?sum? maker that outputs PDF versions for download. GD Library handles images on the server-side, allowing you to do things like rotate, resize, and even add watermark overlays or text descriptions with varying opacity directly into the image. This can be seen on sites like iStockPhoto, which have a branded stamp across preview images, encouraging you to buy the unaltered version.

- AJAX

Oh man, I am sick of talking about AJAX - Asynchronous JavaScript And XML. This book does a very good job of explaining the concepts behind it, but I feel like we hear about it so much nowadays that it is almost pointless to regurgitate it again. If you like, read the reviews I've done on books about AJAX here:

* http://godbit.com/article/ajax-and-php-review
* http://godbit.com/article/foundations-of-ajax-review
* http://godbit.com/article/professional-ajax-review

- Caching Engines

This is a good chapter for people who might be concerned about getting Slashdotted or being on the front page of Digg. Basically, it covers several methods of caching pages on a server, so that when a visitor comes, your MySQL database is not constantly being hit in order to serve up content that has not changed. This can be done in a variety of ways.

One such method involves using Alternative PHP Cache, which stores code from the PHP runtime engine in shared memory, so that it not recompiled each time unnecessarily. Other caching engines that function comparably are eAccelerator and the Zend Optimizer. They also cover JPCache, which is unique in that it does not require being installed as a DSO or built into PHP statically, because it runs off standard include and required statements. There is also one called memcache which requires its own daemon to be running on Linux, and caches database results in RAM to keep SQL from running, freeing up the hard drive. It should also be noted that according to this book, JPCache and memcache can "play well together" on the right server, further increasing response time.

Content Management

In this chapter, they cover installing and configuring a few different CMS's. Most of these I had not yet heard of, for example Exponent CMS. This is an enterprise level system, which I found is table-based and not very standards compliant. Therefore, I am not recommending it to anyone. Another CMS mentioned in this chapter is XOOPS, which suffers from the same sort of poor front-end markup. Basically, this chapter was about antiquated systems with bloated code. Also listed were Mambo and PHP-Nuke, both of which should be avoided. To their credit, the authors did cite Drupal and WordPress, which are more accessible and standards compliant than the aforementioned clunkers.

Summary

With the exception of the last chapter, I found that the whole of this book is one that I will refer back to often as I continue to grow in my usage of the LAMP development environment. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has dabbled in the Linux / Apache or PHP / MySQL combo, but really wants to gain a more complete understanding of how they interact. It will definitely help anyone who wants to write cleaner PHP or provide a more responsive hosting server.

Could be of interest to the right audience...
If you don't know (in which case you wouldn't be reading this in all likelihood), LAMP is an acronym for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP5.It's the open source "software stack" used to do web development.If you have a basic grounding in all those software elements, you might be interested in the Wrox book Professional LAMP - Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP5 Web Development by Jason Gerner, Elizabeth Naramore, Morgan L. Owens, Matt Warden.

Contents: What's New in PHP5?; PHP5 OOP; More Obscure PHP; Advanced MySQL; PHP Configuration; Apache Tricks; Site Security; PEAR and PECL; Code Efficiency; PHP Extensions; AJAX; Caching Engines; Content Management Systems; Language Translation; Alternative Tools; Index

As you can see from the content listing, this is a bit of a grab-bag of topics that may or may not interest you.There does seem to be some contradictory information as to who the target audience might be.Looking at the back of the book, the book is described as being for "intermediate to advanced LAMP professionals".This is backed by their visual flowchart of titles, which shows this as a high-end book for those who already know what they're doing.But in the introduction, there is a description of the book as one "for web developers with some experience who want to take their websites to the next level."This is followed by a list of basic skills that they assume, none of which are the software elements that make up LAMP.While I consider myself the target of the second description, I can tell you that this isn't a book that I could use to learn and understand LAMP.You definitely need to have a firm grasp of PHP in order to gain value from this material, as they go into new and advanced features very quickly.

Having stated the caveats, I will say the book is laid out well and would be beneficial to the right audience.There is a lot of code to use and play with, and the information is well documented.The focus is on PHP5 material, so I think that you'd find the book most valuable if you were a PHP developer looking for tricks and tips using the latest version of the software.The Linux part of LAMP is not covered much at all.It's assumed that you're using Linux to run the "AMP" part of the stack, but that's about as far as it goes.If you're looking for Linux info, you won't get much out of this book.

Recommendation?If you're firmly grounded in LAMP and you're looking for information that goes beyond the basics, you might be interested.If you're just looking to get started, you'll want to look elsewhere... ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides thorough knowledge of Linux TCP/IP stack and kernel framework for its network stack, including complete knowledge of design and implementation. Starting with simple client-server socket programs and progressing to complex design and implementation of TCP/IP protocol in linux, this book provides different aspects of socket programming and major TCP/IP related algorithms. In addition, the text features netfilter hook framework, a complete explanation of routing sub-system, IP QOS implementation, and Network Soft IRQ. This book further contains elements on TCP state machine implementation,TCP timer implementation on Linux, TCP memory management on Linux, and debugging TCP/IP stack using lcrash ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

comprehensive description of the Linux protocol-socket interactions
I've been several months eager to have a book describing the TCP/IP stack details and especially the interactions between the protocol stack and the socket system calls, especially having no response from the Linux networking kernel development communities (I don't criticize them but it is the fact that the kernel coders are busy with making new patches rather than helping others to understand the existing things).Therefore i ordered this book even without having seen any preliminary user comments on the Amazon web site.

The most attractive feature of the book is that the authors, attempting to share their understandings to the users, carefully organized topics with a natural logic that a kernel newbie is easy to follow. For example, there are several data structures regarding the TCP bind sockets but the source codes themselves are written in a quite confusing and inconsistent way, making it very hard to extract the role and usage of each of the structures. The authors list them all first and then dive into each with conceptual diagrams for the big picture of the data structure organizations. A typical fashion of discussion is applied throughout most of the topics, starting from the involved data structures as well as their organizations, and then walking through how the system calls interact with the protocol stack functions in manipulating these structures. It is clear that the authors are really experienced in modifying/customizing the Linux networking kernel.

The most unacceptable drawback of the book is, as another reviewer ever stated, the book contains a lot of typo and format errors. Because of them, the book looks like a rush result. Hope the revision will make out an elegant work.

It is a little pity that the book doesn't involve the UDP and raw sockets yet. However, I'd prefer to have such a TCP-only version first instead of waiting another half a year to have a more comprehensive one. The authors have promised UDP for the next edition but i'd like to suggest having the raw sockets as well, because the communication without port is not the same with the cases having the transport-layer identifiers.

The book covers an older version of Linux kernel, version 2.4, rather than the most updated 2.6, but this is understandable because such a work is very time-consuming. Personally i do think a book should be helpful in understanding problems rather than uncovering every algorithms. This book has achieved that.

Anyway, to my personal point of view, though there is very big and obvious room to improve the book, it contains currently the most comprehensive explanation over the TCP/IP stack in the Linux kernel. therefore I give 5 stars to the book and highly encourage the authors continuing the work, making the successive edition fully qualified.

The book is highly recommended to those who are trying to understand the linux networking kernel and making some modifications in it. it is suggested not only to read the book but also to read the original source code simultaneously, especially with a certain purpose of doing some research or development works.

For those who are using this book with new 2.6 Linux kernel, a careful comparison between the code of version 2.4 and that of 2.6 is necessary. The networking part in the version 2.6 is significantly changed from version 2.4 with introducing inet_ hash tables to replace the previous tcp hash data structures. However, following the clue that the book ever provided, one can get his/her own extraction on the current version 2.6without much difficulty.

Useful, though not as good as I hoped
This book is useful if you want to better understand Linux _TCP_ internals (i.e. not just IP). There are several good books describing Linux networking internals for link-layer, IP, routing, neighbouring etc. - but no books of the same quality for TCP and UDP yet.

There are two main problems with the book:
- it is written for 2.4 kernels only (no 2.6)
- there is a huge number of typos, stylistic and grammatical errors

Even though the authors write in the preface: "The newest kernel version 2.6 does not have much variation as far as the TCP/IP stack is considered", this is only partially true. Most important algorithms are the same, but there were many new features; structures layout is rather different (they changed it several times even in 2.6 kernels).

For a description of Linux networking internals not related to TCP I would rather recommend "Understanding Linux Network Internals" by Christian Benvenuti.

The book provides nice descriptions of TCP algorithms - both generic and Linux-specific. For example, if you want to understand the management of synqueue/acceptqueue (what does it mean that connection is 'young'?), the book provides a very detailed and easy to understand description. The same is true for timers management, core processing and state machine.

The chapter about debugging is rather outdated - it describes LKCD/lcrash environment but all new kernels have kexec/kdump facility and 'crash' is the preferred debugger for those vmcores. Maybe 2.4 kernels and lkcd are still relevant for embedded Linux (2.4 has a smaller memory footprint), I am mainly interested in normal systems.

So this book is the best we have for Linux TCP internals at this moment. The authors promise to update the description for 2.6 kernels in the next edition. Hopefully typos/errors will be fixed either and then the book would be highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Offering you thorough coverage of the new version of the leading Linux certification from Linux Professional Institute (LPI), this book covers both objectives and materials tested in the two required LPIC-1 exams: LPI 101 and LPI 102. You’ll certainly appreciate the clear, concise information on key exam topics, including using Linux command line tools, managing software, configuring hardware, managing files and filesystems, working with the X Window system, administering the system, basic networking, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Juicy Content Rich
I thought this book would be a quick read, LOL my mistake! I'm happy about it though, it covers TONS of stuff. I've only been using a Linux OS for a few months, my primary use is on web servers (SSH). So I figured I better start getting smart and study this over the course of a year, possibly a bit more, and perhaps I'll be able to pass an exam eventually :P Lot of stuff, Lot of stuff, good purchase.

My only complaint is that the page paper pages feel cheap, kind of absorable and easy to tear, almost newspaper-ish, and a dull grayish color. So highlighting things will be scary, it might go through a few pages, I hope not!

Decent Book Horrible Materials
I sent a message to the publisher some time back about the shoddy materials they used to create the book.They never bothered to respond.So, now I am putting out a very public review of the book for all to see. You see, I am one of those people who highlight the material in the book.I will use yellow, then orange, then perhaps blue.Yellow gets used the most, then orange is to highlight pertinent material out of the those sections.Finally, I use blue to select keywords.The book seems to be decent for information.However, the paper is the cheapest crap I have ever had to deal with.The highlighter ink just bleeds through, which makes the book nearly useless for my purposes.I can not recommend this book what-so-ever for the level of frustration it has caused me.I hate to waste money.So, I am still trying to plod my way through it, though it be one of the most painful books I have ever had to deal with from which to learn new information. As a last note... I really wish these writers would stop sending people to the man pages as a way to cover some of the material.It just comes across of a cheap way to avoid covering all the aspects in the book itself.

Book arrived on time
Book arrived on time, but I was little disappointed with the condition of the book.There was no highlighting or writing in the book and the binding was good.However, there were a couple of coffee stains in areas that weren't important.That's why I'm giving only four stars rather than the full five.

Comprehensive
One word: comprehensive. The book covers the exam objectives in-depth and organized in a fashion that feels natural. The questions at the end of each chapter are difficult enough to prepare you for the real thing. If you can read and understand each chapter and get the review/assessment questions right then you WILL pass the exam. It's obvious that the author put more time into the book than Jang did into his "LPIC-1 in-depth" book. This is the one to get! Passed the first exam with ease and I sit the second exam this week and am confident thanks to this book. Too bad he hasn't written one for LPIC-2.

LPIC-1 Best Guide
It's an amazing book, it covers all the topics required by LPI, from the basics of Linux command line to scripting and networking.
Very useful for those aiming to take the initial Linux certification. ... Read more

Product Description
Apache continues to be the leading open source web server in the industry, and Sybex has the information you need with a revised edition of Linux Apache Web Server Administration, the book selected as one of "Top Five Linux Books" by Linux Online. Fully updated to coverthe newest version of Apache, v. 2.0, as well as the latest Linux kernel, v. 2.4, and Red Hat 7.2, this second edition provides clearly written and focused explanations of the real-world issues that Apache administrators can expect to encounter on the job. The authors take you step-by-step through all the standard and advanced techniques you need to know to administer Apache on a Linux box, using dozens of clear, consistent examples to illustrate these techniques in detail-so you stay on track and accomplish all your goals. This book is part of the Craig Hunt Linux Library, which has earned the reputation as the most comprehensive, well-written, and appropriately targeted Linux series available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Best for books
Ordered out of print book, arrived very quickly, well packed.Book was in perfect condition, excellent transaction.Very satisfied!

good but soon to be outdated
Everything you need to know about v.1.3, but with Apache 2.0 just around the corner (currently in beta), you might want to hold off until the 2nd edition.This edition touches very briefly on 2.0, providing a general overview of what to expect, but no meat.A lot remains the same, but some critical things are different, and clear documentation of the kind that this book provides for 1.3 is scant.Hopefully something will come out before too long fill the void.

Of course, Apache 1.x is no slouch, has the majority share of servers on the web currently, could be all you need and more.If you're inclined towards the tried, tested, and true, and shun the unproven, consider this a 5 star recommendation for an excellent book on an excellent, if somewhat venerable, web server.

Good but should have been better
There is a lot of good information contained in this book just waiting to get out.Unfortunately, the poor chapter organisation and the abyssmal index makes finding the information you need (or trying to find it later) a frustrating experience.There's also a lot of padding with CGI and PHP scripts that didn't seem to serve any purpose unless you really wanted to learn how to program 'hello world'. Overall, it will teach you the gist of administrating an Apache Web Server, but I found it disappointing.

Best Apache book I've found
Excellent instructions, and an amazing companion to the O' Reiley book. Takes the guesswork out of Linux Apache admin, and is a handy tool for any other Unix folks as well.

It's so nice to read a technical book that is accurate and in English not geek.

Perhaps the "must buy" for Apache
Having spent a great deal of time wrestling with the more arcane aspects of administering a web server I've read way too much about the Apache server.

This may well be the one book written about Apache that turns into a must buy. It covers earlier in the learning curve and has much better prose than Kabir's "Apache Server Administrator's Handbook" and covers more than Laurie's "Apache: The Definitive Guide". While the sections on Perl, PHP and CGI are not extensive they cover all an Apache administrator needs to know to support the programming efforts of others. I found the sections on troubleshooting and security particularly useful.

I had already compiled Apache from source a number of times so cannot really tell how useful this section might be to the newcomer but it seems to cover everything you need to know to custom build your own httpd binary from source.

The section on configuring Apache is marvellous, I learn something from it every time I open it to assist in reconfiguring a server.

This book is well written, up to date, concise and authoratitive. It has good examples, good explanations and leaves out almost nothing.Everything a computer book should be. I feel that anyone who is starting down the Apache road should buy this book, any real need for earlier information is adequately addressed by the Apache manual while no other volume covers so much of the rest you need to know as well. ... Read more