This book describes the best practices of system and network administration, independent of specific platforms or technologies. It features six key principles of site design and support practices: simplicity, clarity, generality, automation, communication, and basics first. It examines the major areas of responsibility for system administrators within the context of these principles. The book also discusses change management and revision control, server upgrades, maintenance windows, and service conversions. You will find experience-based advice on topics such as: The key elements your networks/systems need that will make all other services run better Building and running reliable, scalable services, including email, printing, and remote access Creating security policies and enforcing them Upgrading thousands of hosts without creating havoc Planning for and performing flawless scheduled maintenance windows Superior helpdesks, customer care, and avoiding the temporary fix trap Building data centers that prevent problems Designing networks for speed and reliability Email scaling and security issues Why building a backup system isn\'t about backups Monitoring what you have and predicting what you will need How to stay technical and how not to be pushed into management And there\'s more!