Cheapest way to set up a UNIX environment?

N2IT

I wanted to get a server / desktop and install Unix on it. I was wondering in order to get the true understanding of how to adminster the server, would I need to network other machines into it?

I am not a server guy so please forgive me for any stupid questions. I deal with Windows server 2003, that is it.

Any recommendations. I would like to pick up a UNIX book and go through installation to creating directories and then doing higher end adminstrator. Creating batch jobs and automation.

Slowhand

I'd imagine setting up a virtual machine of FreeBSD is your best bet, unless you have an old PC sitting around to install it on. FreeBSD is pretty widely used, it's a bit more "Linux-like" than something like Solaris, so you wouldn't be completely alienating yourself from other *NIX distributions, and there's LOTS of books out there on it. (I picked up FreeBSD Unleashed, I really liked it.)

Good luck with your studies, I'm sure you'll enjoy learning more about Unix.