What are some good books/websites for a junion sys admin

[dpodblood]

Hey guys;

Today is my last day as a customer service rep, and on Monday I will be starting with a new company as a system administrator. I was wondering what the some of the best books, websites, or other resources are for a junior administrator.

Some of my responsibilities will include:
-Windows Server 2003 (Active Directory)
-Group Policy
-Exchange Server 2007
-Networking/VPN
-Linux/Apache server (Not sure which specific distro)
-Maintaining workstations (Mac and PC)

This is all stuff I have studied in College, but have not used much for the last 3 years. The only exception being Mac OS which I have no real experience with. I'm basically looking for some resources to use as a refresher/quick reference.

Thanks!

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

u studied these topics in college?
where did you go, devry?

 

[airdata]

I find the official Microsoft materials to be fairly painless.

CBT Nuggets or Train Signal are also good options. Could also use vmware server or virtual pc to set up a virtual lab environment for study.

 

[lokiju]

Google

Serious. It's going to be more a case by case basis.

You'll find it's more knowing how to search for solutions that having a one stop place that covers it all.

 

[Exterous]

Google

Serious. It's going to be more a case by case basis.

This - especially for the hundreds of seemingly random issues that crop up

 

[waffleironhead]

http://www.petri.co.il/

 

[dpodblood]

Google

Serious. It's going to be more a case by case basis.

You'll find it's more knowing how to search for solutions that having a one stop place that covers it all.

For sure. Believe me I already do that on a daily basis for more specific problems.

 

[vjeltz]

http://www.experts-exchange.com/

Well worth ~$100 per year

 

[dpodblood]

http://www.experts-exchange.com/

Well worth ~$100 per year

LOL. I remember googling things so many times where my exact issue comes up in experts exchange, but I couldn't get to it because I didn't have a subscription.

 

[ViviTheMage]

case by case ... use google.

back in the day you'd just pile up OS books.

 

[ViviTheMage]

LOL. I remember googling things so many times where my exact issue comes up in experts exchange, but I couldn't get to it because I didn't have a subscription.

If you scroll to the bottom, you can see all of the replies....without an account/sub/log in.

 

[dpodblood]

Anyone have recommendations on Linux/Apache books? That is probably my weakest area.

 

[rasczak]

Hey guys;

Today is my last day as a customer service rep, and on Monday I will be starting with a new company as a system administrator. I was wondering what the some of the best books, websites, or other resources are for a junior administrator.

Some of my responsibilities will include:
-Windows Server 2003 (Active Directory) - Windows Server 2003 Unleashed
-Group Policy - The 2003 resource kit if you can get your hand on a set cheaply
-Exchange Server 2007 - no answer
-Networking/VPN - no answer
-Linux/Apache server (Not sure which specific distro) - no answer
-Maintaining workstations (Mac and PC) - no answer

This is all stuff I have studied in College, but have not used much for the last 3 years. The only exception being Mac OS which I have no real experience with. I'm basically looking for some resources to use as a refresher/quick reference.

Thanks!

Bolded

Google

Serious. It's going to be more a case by case basis.

You'll find it's more knowing how to search for solutions that having a one stop place that covers it all.

This is truth. After your first 6 mos on the job, you'll pretty much see every problem (unless you have proprietary software) and your google-fu skills will increase 100 fold.

 

[Kev]

If you scroll to the bottom, you can see all of the replies....without an account/sub/log in.

I was so mad when I learned that... after years of being pissed off by expert sex change, all I had to do was scroll all the way to the bottom.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

I would suggest a dictionary.

 

[airdata]

LOL. I remember googling things so many times where my exact issue comes up in experts exchange, but I couldn't get to it because I didn't have a subscription.

Often you can use the cached version of the google result and it will show you the page, albeit it won't be pretty.

I subbed there for a few months and then realized it was kind of lame to be paying for a forum membership when there are plenty of other forums.

This guy my company used to pay contract ~$200 an hour to do stuff that I now do for peanuts would come out and then be on experts-exchange on his laptop looking stuff up.

 

[LookBehindYou]

You're not the only one doing this stuff are you? I ask because if they are relying on you to do network and server stuff and your only experience is stuff you learned in schools 3 years ago, you are going to struggle. I got my CCNA 18 months ago and stopped doing Net Admin stuff 12 months ago. And I can tell you now that if someone put a router in front of me I would struggle.

Google will definitely be your friend, but it is nice having someone there too that can help you out a bit to kind of make sure you are heading in the right direction with some stuff. Especially when you are talking about routing on the network side.

 

[seepy83]

experts-exchange? F*** that! I don't think anyone should pay for a subscription to a damn messageboard when almost all of the problems can be solved by reading vendor documentation and knowing wtf you're doing.

And if you're really desperate to see what experts-exchange has to say, then used google's Cached Page feature. 9 times out of 10 you can view the experts-exchange answers there for free.

 

[classy]

http://www.experts-exchange.com/

Well worth ~$100 per year

Use it all the time.

Any of the Microsoft books are good, but as an admin you'll use different types of resources to either find an answer or implement something. I keep the pocket administrators handy from microsoft which are pretty good.

Congrats

Welcome to the fold and now you will lay awake at night, roll over and wonder, did I do that right, lol .

 

[classy]

Also since you are still using 2003, I have covered many Active Directory books, but this is no question the best damn book ever on AD.

http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Active-...9&sr=8-2-fkmr1


Way better than any Microsoft book either. You'll learn all kinds of things and you will have better understanding of AD. I read this after even getting my MCSE for 2003 and found I learned a lot more. Its a really good book.

 

[vshah]

how has no one mentioned stack overflow yet?? gtfo of here with your expert sex changes!

 

[dpodblood]

You're not the only one doing this stuff are you? I ask because if they are relying on you to do network and server stuff and your only experience is stuff you learned in schools 3 years ago, you are going to struggle. I got my CCNA 18 months ago and stopped doing Net Admin stuff 12 months ago. And I can tell you now that if someone put a router in front of me I would struggle.

Google will definitely be your friend, but it is nice having someone there too that can help you out a bit to kind of make sure you are heading in the right direction with some stuff. Especially when you are talking about routing on the network side.

There is an existing IT guy now, who is transitioning over into the companies programming department. Over the next few months he will be transitioning his day to day activities to me as well as handing over several projects. So I won't be alone at first, but I will be the "main IT guy." Luckily I have worked with several others in this company before, including the ones I have interviewed with so they know my skill level and experience. I expect there will be a lot of learning, and re-learning in the months to come; and I fully embrace that because it means pushing my career ahead long term.

It's also not like I don't deal with these things to an extent in my current role. I currently deal with Server 2003, group policy, and SQL 2005 on a daily basis, but more in the context of my companies specific product. So it wont be completely new, but for sure I can expect to feel a bit overwhelmed at first.

 

[lokiju]

LOL. I remember googling things so many times where my exact issue comes up in experts exchange, but I couldn't get to it because I didn't have a subscription.

Uhhh, just scroll to the bottom.

Or if that doesn't work just open the Google cache version.

No reason to play. Paying just basically gets rid of the ads and lets you post questions.

 

[bobdole369]

experts-exchange? F*** that! I don't think anyone should pay for a subscription to a damn messageboard when almost all of the problems can be solved by reading vendor documentation and knowing wtf you're doing.

And if you're really desperate to see what experts-exchange has to say, then used google's Cached Page feature. 9 times out of 10 you can view the experts-exchange answers there for free.

Nah the google cached copy stopped working for me while ago. Besides - Experts exchange is for noobs.

 

[bobdole369]

http://37signals.com/rework/

Rework. Best book about business I ever read.