HP Unix...In 2 months... Oh Dios Mio!!!

[frescies]

Hey Everyone,

By powers unknown I have somehow landed myself in a network/data administration job that will commence in roughly 2 to 3 months. It's an awesome job... roughly 20 to 30 workstations at each of several locatoins are going to be networked together accross a massive WAN that spreads accross several hospitals. The network is for a database setup that stores medical files and logs on HP Unix Servers, and each individual workstation will be running Windows 2000 on XEONS.

Well,
The networking is going to be the easy part. I have abundant experience with WAN/LAN networking (most of it is optical, T1, or Frame Relay on the WAN side and Ethernet on the LAN side over TCP/IP anyway).

But,
UNIX!!! I have very very very BASIC experience with Linux and FreeBSD file structures and whatnot. I have not had much experience working on the core of UNIX and I need to learn it FAST.

Does anyone know of any really resourceful publications??? Names of ANY books or software programs that were really helpful to you would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks Very Much

 

[bousozoku]

I would buy the O'Reilly UNIX (not Linux) System Administrator's Guide. It goes over most major UNIX dialects including (I believe) HP-UX, AIX, and Solaris.

IBM puts out magazines for their customers but the helpful hints are fewer and the marketing opportunities are greater. I'm not sure that HP puts out similar magazines. You might check Computerworld or InfoWorld, the weekly computer newspapers, for links.

 

[frescies]

oooo

The O'Rielly books look neat!

I think I will take your advice. Thank you for that. I'll get that book along with Unix for Dummies or something

 

[frescies]

Ok Ok...

Now I need some hands on equipment!

What software do you suggest I install on a PC for me to work with.

I would install something on my Mac but that would probably be a bad idea, considering the PC will emulate what I will be working on more closely.

SHould I use Linux? Something else?

 

[maradong]

I would use debian. It s the bettest linux dist aviable ( at least for me ). At the beginning it will hoever be difficult to get it all, but with a little time of working on the system you should manage it.

Try everything and it s impact and you ll learn it really fast.
( but, do a backup of the /etc/ -> just make a tar ball and than gunzip it, and put it in a secure place. once there is something you did wrong, just extract the whole bunch, this will evoid you of reinstalling the whole system )
Mandrake is also very nice, but debian has the bettest update tool.

I hope that helps you.

 

[sparkleytone]

if you are going to be using HP Unix, do NOT install a Linux. The closest free variant you are going to get is a BSD. I recommend installing OpenBSD. Definitely get yourself a book and read through it and do whatever it asks you to. Again DO NOT INSTALL LINUX if you are going to be primarily using a real UNIX.

 

[edesignuk]

Re: Ok Ok...

Originally posted by frescies
What software do you suggest I install on a PC for me to work with.

I'd look around for a copy of Solaris for x86. It was (last time I checked) a FREE download at sun.com, but it was a few CD's worth of data you had to get, you maybe able to get a copy on disc some where.

 

[bousozoku]

Re: Ok Ok...

Originally posted by frescies
Now I need some hands on equipment!

What software do you suggest I install on a PC for me to work with.

I would install something on my Mac but that would probably be a bad idea, considering the PC will emulate what I will be working on more closely.

SHould I use Linux? Something else?

I've worked on 3 or 4 different dialects of UNIX and Mac OS X is good enough at the command line that you don't need anything else.

Where you're going to find difficulties is in administrative utilities. None of them work the same and few are similar, so it doesn't matter what you have--it's going to be different.

 

[frescies]

Wow

Great suggestions.....

I think I will find them all.

That OPENBSD someone mentioned.... sounds very interesting. Is that the same as "FreeBSD"? If not, then where can I find it?

 

[zimv20]

Re: Wow

Originally posted by frescies

That OPENBSD someone mentioned.... sounds very interesting. Is that the same as "FreeBSD"?

they're all based on the same thing, but different factions have produced different distributions of *nix (c.f. netbsd, picobsd, et. al.).

openbsd is arguably the most secure of the lot. though if you want SMP support, look at freebsd. it seems to have better third-party support, too.

iirc, netbsd runs on the widest range of h/w.

 

[NavyIntel007]

Congradulations on the job. OS X would do fine for alot of the command line stuff but go the *BSD route if you want a more pure education. Pick up one of thse laminated permachart Quick references too. They're pretty thorough and will help you out if you get stuck and are too embarrassed to ask anyone for help.

 

[Doctor Q]

I work with HP-UX and get a regular newsletter from HP. I skim it but don't keep it, so I don't have one on hand. If the next one comes soon, I'll post the name and contact info for you here.

 

[frescies]

God you guys are great!

Apparently OpenBSD is available for PPC.

Do any of you know if installing a bootvolume of BSD on my imac will complicate things? Or does it work well with Mac OS on the same Hard drive (I would DEFINATELY install on separate partitions).

I dont want to get the boot ROM lost between OSes and have to pull out the Jag CD all the time (as I have done before with different OSes). Also will the "Startup Disk" Prefference pane in OS X (and panel in OS 9) recognize the operating system?

Can you even Run a Dual boot of BSD on a mac the way OS X and 9 are set up?

You guys are so helpful!
THanks very much.