Three Books Every System Administrator Should Read

Let’s face it, most technical and computer books are boring, and reading the texts cover-to-cover is nothing less than a slog. However, there are some exceptions, including a number of books apropos for system administrators. In fact, there are three books I highly recommend and are mandatory reading for my staff.

The Unix Philosophy by Mike Gancarz

The Unix Philosophy is a quick read and aims to explain Unix and its design philosophies. One reviewer on Amazon says the book provides “… a rare description of ‘Unixness’” and the characterization is spot on. The Unix Philosophy encourages developers and system administrators to keep the spirit of Unix in mind in every task. Indeed, according to Gancarz, Unix is a herald and exemplar of how software should be designed and implemented.

Much of the book is organized into tenets, where each tenet ties…

1. Remove Remote Connectivity Static with Dynamic DNS
2. The State of Open Source System Automation
3. Are You Expecting? Your Boss Should Know
4. The Persistence of Time
5. NTP: Timing is Everything