Debian GNU/Linux, a very popular non-commercial Linux distribution, is known for its reliability and richness. Built and maintained by an impressive network of thousands of developers throughout the world, the Debian project is cemented by its social contract. This foundation text defines the project's objective: fulfilling the needs of users with a 100% free operating system. The success of Debian and of its ecosystem of derivative distributions (with Ubuntu at the forefront) means that an increasing number of administrators are exposed to Debian's technologies.
This Debian Administrator's Handbook, which has been entirely updated for Debian 8 “Jessie”, builds on the success of its 6 previous editions. Accessible to all, this book teaches the essentials to anyone who wants to become an effective and independent Debian GNU/Linux administrator. It covers all the topics that a competent Linux administrator should master, from installation to updating the system, creating packages and compiling the kernel, but also monitoring, backup and migration, without forgetting advanced topics such as setting up SELinux or AppArmor to secure services, automated installations, or virtualization with Xen, KVM or LXC.
This book is not only designed for professional system administrators. Anyone who uses Debian or Ubuntu on their own computer is de facto an administrator and will find tremendous value in knowing more about how their system works. Being able to understand and resolve problems will save you invaluable time.
Raphaël Hertzog is a computer science engineer who graduated from the National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) in Lyon, France, and has been a Debian developer since 1997. The founder of Freexian, the first French IT services company specialized in Debian GNU/Linux, he is one of the most prominent contributors to this Linux distribution.
Roland Mas is a telecommunications engineer who graduated from the National Superior School of Telecommunications (ENST) in Paris, France. A Debian developer since 2000 as well as the developer of the FusionForge software, he works as a freelance consultant who specializes in the installation and migration of Debian GNU/Linux systems and in setting up collaborative work tools.
This book has a story. It started its life as a French-language book (Cahier de l'Admin Debian published by Eyrolles) and has been translated into English thanks to hundreds of persons who contributed to a fundraising. Learn more at https://debian-handbook.info, where you can also obtain an electronic version of this book.
