Perl for System Administration: Managing multi-platform environments with Perl

Blank-Edelman introduces this diversity of notation to motivate a far-reaching discussion of system internals, and shows how Perl is a natural choice for cross-platform administration. The Unix and Windows "slash" path separators--"/" and "\", respectively--are like crossed swords, where the Mac OS uses the less- generally-known colon (":"). In lesser hands, this treatment still would have been about LAN backups, but Blank-Edelman's familiarity with network imperatives drives the synthesis.

As the topics move beyond file systems, user accounts, and process control, the tripartite division in the discussion breaks down. Treatments of TCP/IP and e-mail feature discussions of NIS, WINS, DNS, and nslookup. The chapters on directory services and SQL database management--while apparently digressive--are inserted tactically to enable elegant approaches to the more mundane administrative tasks of sending and receiving e-mail and managing log files to maximize their utility. Blank-Edelman's keen pragmatism shines in the chapter on security in which noticing intrusion earlier instead of later draws on many of the skills that are developed throughout the book. Notably, each chapter ends with a recapitulation of Perl modules that were referenced in the preceding text.

The eclectic tutorial appendices--an old revision-control system (RCS), the extensible markup language (XML), the database language (SQL), and two undermotivated and esoteric protocols (LDAP and SNMP)--are so brief as to function more as a Perl-free zone for shop talk than as valuable precis for their respective subjects.

Delightfully, this is one of Perl's and O'Reilly's best-written books. Blank-Edelman's wit buoys the argument without descending into the all-too-common parlance of sappy testimonials, hollow confessions, or the burdensome ornamentation of inside jokes and puns. --Peter Leopold

Product Description
The Perl programming language lets you write quick yet powerful scripts for automating many administrative tasks. Written for several different platforms (Unix, Windows NT, and MacOS), Perl for System Administration is aimed at all levels of administrators--from hobbyists to card-carrying SAGE members-- sysadmins on multi-platform sites. Assuming only a little familiarity with Perl, this book leads you through the pockets of administration where Perl can be most useful, including filesystem management, user administration, directory services, database administration, log files, and security and network monitoring. Each chapter concentrates on a single administrative task, discusses the possible pitfalls, and then shows how Perl comes to the rescue. Perl for System Administration is for anyone who needs to use Perl for administrative tasks and needs to hit the ground running.

The best part of the book is highlighting the art and craft of system administration, possibly better than most attempts at it that I've previously read. Even disregarding the excellent examples and specific code for same, this is good as another resource of the harried sysadmin. Somewhat less so for the Perl junkies, however.

The biggest downside to this book is the inclusion of NT-specific constructs and concepts. Most system administrators won't touch NT, and most network administrators maintaining NT server farms probably won't touch Perl. This may be a bias of mine, of course.


Perl for System Administration   April 30, 2001
 4 out of 18 found this review helpful

I was surprised to find a disclaimer at the beginning of the book on the places where it might NOT be a good idea to use Perl. Typically people take an all-or-nothing approach to toolsets like Perl. This might save some work where a small ksh script works ok - it's not always necessary to build a Perl program.

The best part of the book is highlighting the art and craft of system administration, possibly better than most attempts at it that I've previously read. Even disregarding the excellent examples and specific code for same, this is good as another resource of the harried sysadmin. Somewhat less so for the Perl junkies, however.

The biggest downside to this book is the inclusion of NT-specific constructs and concepts. Most system administrators won't touch NT, and most network administrators maintaining NT server farms probably won't touch Perl. ....


Buy it for the apendicies!   November 27, 2000
 14 out of 17 found this review helpful

Heck, i haven't even looked at the main part of this book, but the appendicies are priceless. A fifteen minute crash course on SQL? An 8 minute crash course on XML? Like treatment is given to RCS, LDAP, and SNMP. I've used this book for less than an hour of my life, and it's been a terriffic investment.