Unix or Linux or CCNA?

Which to get first? I'm currently studying for my CCNA but it will still be a while before I can take that test. However in looking for a new job most people seem to want linux or unix more so than ccna. I mean how hard is it to get experience with unix or linux in a home lab type setup?

I know ccna would more so be for networking and unix/linux sys admin type stuff but the job i'm looking for would be for kinda both.

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Comments

varelg

it_consultant wrote: »

I wish I new more about UNIX but every time I try to learn to do something, I have to BASH something or modify a text file with vi. To Windows guys it is maddeningly complex to do simple tasks in Linux. Of course, in Windows if you try to troubleshoot a problem you can end up 15 layers deep when in linux it would have taken three commands. I guess its about which OS you are willing to take more abuse from.

If you aren't a fan of emacs/vi editors (or any other editor for which you need to learn a programming language to be able to use that editor) you can use nano, just plain simple text editor on the CLI.
"To Windows guys it is maddeningly complex to do simple tasks in Linux."
If you meant desktop tasks, yes. It can get rough depending on the distro you picked. Server however is a different story.

Paul Boz

varelg wrote: »

If you aren't a fan of emacs/vi editors (or any other editor for which you need to learn a programming language to be able to use that editor) you can use nano, just plain simple text editor on the CLI.
"To Windows guys it is maddeningly complex to do simple tasks in Linux."
If you meant desktop tasks, yes. It can get rough depending on the distro you picked. Server however is a different story.

Nano and Pico are excellent. If you're trying to Learn Linux it can become very discouraging to be both on a new platform with no idea what to do, but also have to learn how to basically "program" the configs.

it_consultant

stuh84 wrote: »

I prefer VI to configure rather than checkboxes that I HOPE are there, but half the time are nowhere to be seen.

I dont see how knowing Linux and other *nix based OS's can hurt anyone, I wouldn't be in my current job doing what I do without it, and I'm a networking guy.

Truth is, I ought to know more about linux then I do, but none of my clients use linux and most of the solutions they look for run on Windows or a pre-installed linux in an appliance.

Linux admins probably feel more 'at one' with their systems as they control every minute detail if they wan't too. At some point Windows admins develop a weird conflation of GUI and command line skills. For example, I know the command to change an IP of a card, change the order of DNS servers, etc, but its just as quick to do it through the GUI and I don't need a reference to remember all the required netshell commands. Netshell is great, you can apply the settings without rebooting or restarting any services.

However if I want to edit the hosts file its notepad -C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts - launches the host file in notepad and I am good to go.

Now Windows is getting silly with Powershell, all the "break me" commands in Exchange can only be accessed through the shell, which forces me to make sure I know what I'm doing before I try anything crazy. I assume powershell is specifically targeted to *nix people to make them feel more comfortable. I don't know too many Windows admins who were lining up to get more command line options.

dynamik

it_consultant wrote: »

I don't know too many Windows admins who were lining up to get more command line options.

¿En serio?

Good Windows admins have always been proponents of scripting and shell commands.

RobertKaucher

dynamik wrote: »

¿En serio?

Good Windows admins have always been proponents of scripting and shell commands.

Falou a verdade aqui!

MS has been promising something like PowerShell since the days of NT. Windows admins have been crying and begging for this for years.

It's not targetted towards *nix people at all. It has become a standard for Microsoft server administrative automation. It is now a fundamental aspect of SQL Server, SharePoint, and Exchange Server.

If you are a Windows Admin and you have not learned PowerShell you are already behind the curve.

Bl8ckr0uter

RobertKaucher wrote: »

If you are a Windows Admin and you have not learned PowerShell you are already behind the curve.

And there it is.

dynamik

knwminus wrote: »

And there it is.

*BOOM* Headshot!

If it's any consolation, I'm pretty terrible with it at the moment. It's one of the things that are at the top of my to-do list once I finish up a couple of classes.

docrice

As someone who's been slowly migrating away from the Windows skillset for a little while, I'm getting behind the curve. But yes, PowerShell is much nicer than using batch or VBScript.

it_consultant wrote: »

However if I want to edit the hosts file its notepad -C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts - launches the host file in notepad and I am good to go.

Script nerds would rather do: notepad %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Heh. Or perhaps break out the old edit command.

From an administration standpoint, GUIs are slowly eroding in some ways. Take a look a Server Core. That's practically all CLI (unless you're administering remotely with GUI tools). I'm not much of a scripter by any means, but I will say that Unix has always been more favorable in this regard given the kinds of tools that comes with the system.

tiersten

docrice wrote: »

Or perhaps break out the old edit command.

It got removed in 64 bit versions of Windows. It also used to have a nasty habit of mangling files but I think they fixed that...

veritas_libertas

dynamik wrote: »

*BOOM* Headshot!

If it's any consolation, I'm pretty terrible with it at the moment. It's one of the things that are at the top of my to-do list once I finish up a couple of classes.

I have the same problem. Can't wait to get to Powershell after graduating

earweed

dynamik wrote: »

*BOOM* Headshot!

If it's any consolation, I'm pretty terrible with it at the moment. It's one of the things that are at the top of my to-do list once I finish up a couple of classes.

I'm clueless at it now but it's on my "to do" list.

TheShadow

phoeneous wrote: »

Ive seen parts of this, it is good.

CBT Nuggets

Yes a very decent CBT

Powershell == Bankai

Bl8ckr0uter

TheShadow wrote: »

Yes a very decent CBT

Powershell == Bankai

Bleach for the win!

it_consultant

docrice wrote: »

As someone who's been slowly migrating away from the Windows skillset for a little while, I'm getting behind the curve. But yes, PowerShell is much nicer than using batch or VBScript.

Script nerds would rather do: notepad %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Heh. Or perhaps break out the old edit command.

From an administration standpoint, GUIs are slowly eroding in some ways. Take a look a Server Core. That's practically all CLI (unless you're administering remotely with GUI tools). I'm not much of a scripter by any means, but I will say that Unix has always been more favorable in this regard given the kinds of tools that comes with the system.

As an Exchange Admin, I have had to conform to powershell very quickly, otherwise I would be useless. PowerGUI is useful when creating and editing PS scripts - which makes my job slightly easier. Between Exchange 2007 and 2010 some cmdlets have been moved to the GUI (like certificates) and others have been moved strictly to the shell. Shell commands between 2010 RTM and 2010 SP1 (import-mailbox as opposed to new-mailboximport request) have changed for no apparent reason. Of course there is a technical difference between mailbox imports between RTM and SP1 but thats all under the hood, they could have kept the old command. This illustrates my irritation with using powershell. In Cisco devices I can use most of the same commands in any switch or router produced since Cisco swallowed Catalyst.

One of my best servers is a server core DNS and Domain Controller which forced me to remember all my netsh commands when I set it up. Oddly enough the interface is the old command line, I would like it better if it were a powershell prompt instead.

Having said that I have a standard installation of Server 08 R2 at another client which is performing the same role and has been just as reliable. Server core is great because it prevents people from loading silly things on servers that should be dedicated.

I stand by my previous statement, the number one complaint I have heard from Windows and Exchange admins over the last two years is the shell. My sample may be made up entirely of cranky sticks in the mud but I doubt it.