ugh.book

11

System

Administration

Unix’s Hidden Cost

If the automobile had followed the same development as the com-

puter, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per

gallon, and explode once a year killing everyone inside.

—Robert Cringely, InfoWorld

All Unix systems require a System Administrator, affectionately known as

a Sysadmin. The sysadmin’s duties include:

• Bringing the system up.


• Installing new software.


• Administrating user accounts.


• Tuning the system for maximum performance.


• Overseeing system security.


• Performing routine backups.


• Shutting down the system to install new hardware.


• Helping users out of jams.

A Unix sysadmin’s job isn’t fundamentally different from sysadmins who

oversee IBM mainframes or PC-based Novell networks. But unlike these