Who Webmin Is For

While it is probably clear by now that the author of this book is a big fan of Webmin, it is worthwhile to discuss who else Webmin is good for and why. Webmin is unique in the UNIX world, in that it provides a one-to-one graphical interface to nearly every service and action needed to maintain a UNIX system. It is universally accessible, because it only requires a web browser. It can potentially be accessed from anywhere in the world via a network connection. It is simple, concise, and consistent in its presentation across a wide array of differing services, functions, and operating systems. It is predictable, in that it does not modify files unnecessarily or in incompatible ways. Configuration with Webmin does not preclude configuration via other tools or via the command line. Equally importantly, Webmin will not damage files if it doesn’t understand a particular option or directive in your existing configuration. If Webmin does not understand a portion of your configuration, it will simply ignore it and leave it untouched in the configuration file. Webmin is also accessible, in the sense that it can be used successfully from nearly any browser. Text-mode browsers, small screen displays, and nearly anything else can be accommodated through the appropriate use of themes and numerous configurable display parameters.

Webmin is an excellent tool for both novice and experienced system administrators. As a tool for novices, it can provide a means of getting involved in system administration in a very visual way. All of the options available are presented in a clear and complete fashion. For new users, seeing the possibilities laid out so plainly can be a very effective teaching tool, as well as a helpful safety net to avoid many common pitfalls. It is possible to explore the possibilities of a system, without wading through obscure man pages (you only need wade through the pages in this book, which are perhaps less obscure).

For experienced admins, the advantages are less obvious but no less real. An administrator cannot possibly remember every option to every system function that he or she must configure and maintain. With Webmin, an administrator no longer needs to remember complex syntax or the exact directive needed to accomplish some task. Using Webmin may not be as quick or flexible for some tasks and some users as the command line, and it should not be viewed as a complete replacement for study of traditional system administration tools and techniques. But it is an excellent helper for getting your job done without having to experiment with weird configuration file syntax.

I often tell people that Webmin doesn’t make being a good system administrator easy; it just makes the problems more visible and the solutions more consistent. That fact will be a focal point of this book. We will cover precisely how the Webmin interface maps to the traditional configuration files that actually control your UNIX system. UNIX, like any sufficiently powerful and flexible system, is complex, and Webmin doesn’t remove that complexity, though it can make the complexity easier to manage by presenting it in the form of a consistent interface.



The Book of Webmin... or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love UNIX
The Book of Webmin: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love UNIX
ISBN: 1886411921
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 142
Authors: Joe Cooper

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