[NTLUG:Discuss] Linux training

[Chris Cox]

Fred James wrote:

> I have 11 years "exposure" to UNIX and 2 or 3 to Linux (i.e., I know 
> some, but not surprising, there are lots of holes).
> 
> I have had some pretty unacceptable "class room" experiences lately and 
> I am looking for alternatives.  Do you (NTLUG) do any Linux training, or 
> know of a/some good alternative source(s) (books are acceptable).
> 
> I found this site:
>     http://basiclinux.net/blt-html/index.html
> does anyone know anything about it?
> 
> I am not necessarily looking for free, attractive as that may be, but I 
> am looking for value (i.e., the point of the exercise is for me to learn).
> 


NTLUG doesn't do training (in the normal sense).  To do an effective
class would require more constant class time.... longer individual
classes over multiple days preferably not 1 week apart, and especially
not 1 month apart :-)

With that said, and for any NON-exprienced person curious about
training... I am doing classes at Collin County Comm College (night
Cont. Ed.).  I'll be teaching Intro to UNIX in January and UNIX System
Administration in April/May.  Next fall, I'll be adding UNIX Network
Administration and UNIX/Windows Integration.  The classes aren't cheap,
though cheaper than commercial offerings... probably around $300 a
class.  You can contact CCCCD for more details on registering if
interested.

For those who like to learn on their own....

The Intro to UNIX class uses the text, UNIX for the Impatient
ISBN 0201823764 (I think some WalMarts even carry it... the
CCCCD bookstore carries it as well).  Supplemental text is
Mark Sobel's classic Practical Guide to UNIX (I prefer the System V
variant because of the commercial implications).  The UNIX
for the Impatient book is a very good general reference book.

The UNIX System Administration class uses the text, UNIX System
Administration Handbook, ISBN 0130206016 (eventually CCCCD will
carry this book as well).  The nice part about this book is
that it covers Linux as well... so you get to see the same
concept in differing flavors of UNIX.

I have not decided on a text for the Network Administration class...
may use portions of the UNIX Sys Adm Handbook mentioned above...
but probably will have a supplemental text if I go that route.

The UNIX/Windows integration might not have a text.  Haven't found
any I like and the field is changing way to rapidly anyway.

Anyone who can get Linux installed and read through a book should
be able to do fairly well with the texts above.  However, the
Impatient book moves VERY fast... covers a lot in very little
space... not the kind of book to "scan" or "skip around" on until
you have some basic skills.  In general, a saavy UNIX Admin should
have no problem picking up Linux as yet another UNIX alternative.
Setting up LVMs in Linux is very similar to the command set in
HPUX, Samba is Samba across all, BIND is BIND, dhcp is the ISC
dhcp server (but you would do well to replace some of the commercial
offerings with that one anyway), Sendmail is Sendmail (though
Linux has more alternatives readily available), RAID in Linux is
fairly simple, though the documentation could probably be better.

If anything, working so many years on Linux has made using Solaris,
AIX and HPUX immensely frustrating... even with the inclusion
of many of the GNU tools (esp. Solaris and AIX), there are still
some things that are always missing... and of course, the "support"
that they love to chant doesn't apply to the GNU tools... makes
you wonder why use the commercial offerings at all (as more commercial
packages are being supported under Linux... this becomes even
more true).

Hope this helps... or at least gives you something to think about,
Chris