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Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
Local Network Services
In this chapter we’ll look at some skills a system administrator needs to manage a
host behind the firewall or gateway of a company, an organization, or even a home
network.
Some of us prefer reading about developments in Internet technology rather than
local area networks, which we think of as routine and unchallenging. But when we
need to configure or fix something central to our working environment, local net-
working moves up the value chain. For example, little else seems to matter when the
CEO’s email doesn’t work.
Local networking can take up the majority of a system administrator’s time if she
isn’t smart about it. So, if you’ve just started in system administration, you’ll want a
primer on LANs and how to install, configure, and maintain a number of different
servers you’ll find there. For the basics, take a look at the most recent edition of the
Linux Network Administrator’s Guide Terry Dawson, et al (O’Reilly). As long as you
possess basic Linux user skills, though, even without such background the topics in
this chapter shouldn’t be over your head—and we find them exciting.
In this chapter, we’ll explore distributed filesystems with a unique slant, how to set
up DHCP and gateway services (including routing between a LAN and the Internet),
the craziness of corporate printing, and user management. Local email services fit
under the umbrella of ...