Section 4.1. Hacks 2945: Introduction

4.1. Hacks 2945: Introduction

Behind the calm, collected exterior of the seasoned system administrator is a mad scientist who lives and breathes only to be the first to discover the next esoteric hack that will provide information, or a way to act on it, that was previously unknown to all but a very small contingent of tireless caffeine-swigging hackers.

The reason for this unquenchable thirst goes beyond bragging rights to something more practical than you might imagine: efficiency. If there's a way to do something better, faster, or in a way that doesn't require any human intervention, the system administrator will be on constant lookout for a way to implement that solution.

In this chapter, we're going to take a look at some tools and techniques that we hope are new to most readers, and that will greatly enhance your productivity. Whether it's a desktop shortcut for connecting to your hosts, a way to run commands on multiple hosts at the same time, or a way to type fewer commands at the command line or fewer characters in Vim, we'll show you the tools and techniques that will enable you to cross the border from system serf to Bitmaster General in no time.

Technical prowess is great, but "soft skills" such as communicating with people and multitasking count for more and more in today's competitive job market. For that reason, we'll also have a look at hacking the softer side of system administration, covering areas ranging from time management to talking to management!