What Does This Book Cover?

This book provides details to help you learn about the Solaris 9 Operating Environment and to help you pass two exams: Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment, Part I (CX-310-014), and Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment, Part II (CX-310-015). After passing both exams, you will be a Sun Certified System Administrator for the Solaris 9 Operating Environment. This book starts with the basics of Solaris and dives into detail very quickly. Because there are two exams, this book has two parts. Chapters 1 through 9 cover the Part I exam, and Chapters 10 through 16 cover the Part II exam. Each chapter begins with a list of exam objectives.

Chapter 1. Starts with the basic fundamentals and concepts central to the Solaris 9 Operating Environment.

Chapter 2. Covers installations, including installing the entire operating system, software packages, and software patches.

Chapter 3. Describes how to properly boot and shut down a Solaris computer, including using the OpenBoot PROM.

Chapter 4. Explains how to manage user accounts and groups.

Chapter 5. Explores file and directory structure, as well as Solaris file system security.

Chapter 6. Examines the management of system devices and hard disks.

Chapter 7. Provides details on file system management, including the types of file systems available in Solaris.

Chapter 8. Discusses the management of printers and processes.

Chapter 9. Explains the processes for creating system backups and restoring those backups.

Chapter 10. This begins the second part of the book, covering the second exam, and discusses the Solaris networking environment.

Chapter 11. Examines details about virtual file systems, NFS, and core dumps.

Chapter 12. Covers storage volumes, including RAID and the Solaris Volume Manager.

Chapter 13. Introduces advanced security concepts such as Access Control Lists and role-based access control.

Chapter 14. Explores auditing and system messaging.

Chapter 15. Describes naming services such as local files, NIS, NIS+, DNS, and LDAP.

Chapter 16. Explains the custom JumpStart and Web Start Flash installation methods.

Each chapter ends with Review Questions that are specifically designed to help you see what you remember and to retain the knowledge presented. To ensure that you understand the material, read and answer each question carefully.

How to Use This Book

This book can provide a solid foundation for the serious effort of preparing for the SCSA certification. To best benefit from this book, use the following study method:

1. Take the Assessment Test immediately following this introduction. (The answers are at the end of the test.) Carefully read over the explanations for any questions you get wrong and note which chapters the material comes from. This information should help you plan your study strategy.

2. Study each chapter carefully, making sure that you fully understand the information and the test objectives listed at the beginning of each chapter. Pay extra close attention to any chapter related to questions you missed in the Assessment Test.

3. Work through all procedures detailed in the chapter, referring to the chapter so that you understand the reason for each step you take. If you do not have a Solaris 9 installation available, you will be at a disadvantage, so be sure to study all procedures and screen output carefully. Answer the Review Questions related to that chapter. (The answers appear at the end of each chapter, after the "Review Questions" section.)

4. Note the questions that confuse or trick you, and study those sections of the book again.

5. Before taking the exam, try your hand at the two Bonus Exams that are included on the CD that comes with this book. There are two Bonus Exams for both Part I and Part II. The questions on these exams appear only on the CD. This will give you a complete overview of what you can expect to see on the real test.

6. Remember to use the products on the CD included with this book. The electronic flashcards exam preparation software has been specifically designed to help you study for and pass your exam. The electronic flashcards can be used on your Windows computer or on your Palm device.

To learn all the material covered in this book, you'll need to apply yourself regularly and with discipline. Try to set aside the same time period every day to study, and select a comfortable and quiet place to do so. If you work hard, you will be surprised at how quickly you learn this material. All the best!

What's on the CD?

We have worked hard to provide some really great tools to help you with your certification process. All of the following tools should be loaded on your workstation when you're studying for the test.

Interactive Testing Software with Hundreds of Sample Questions

You will find all of the questions from the book, plus two Bonus Exams that appear exclusively on the CD. You can take the Assessment Test, test yourself by chapter, take one or both of the Bonus Exams, or take an exam randomly generated from all of the questions.

Electronic Flashcards for PC and Palm Devices

After you read the Solaris 9: Sun Certified System Administrator Study Guide, read the Review Questions at the end of each chapter and study the Bonus Exams included on the CD. But wait, there's more! Test yourself with the flashcards included on the CD. If you can get through these difficult questions and understand the answers, you'll know that you're ready for the exam.

The flashcards include 150 questions specifically written to hit you hard and make sure you are ready for the exam. There are separate flashcards for the Part I and Part II exams. Between the Review Questions, Bonus Exams, and flashcards, you should be more than prepared for the exam.

Solaris 9: Sun Certified System Administrator Study Guide in PDF

Sybex is now offering this Solaris certification book on the CD so you can read the book on your PC or laptop. It is in Adobe Acrobat format. Acrobat Reader 5 is also included on the CD. This will be extremely helpful to readers who fly or commute on a bus or train and don't want to carry a book, as well as to readers who find it more comfortable reading from their computer.