Table of Contents About the Author Jonathan Feldman works with UNIX, NetWare, Windows NT, and a whole team of networking propeller-heads for the Chatham County Government in Savannah, Georgia. A multi-disciplinary troubleshooting expert, Jon has also programmed everything from medical office applications to video games. He is a Level II Certified NetAnalyst and writes regularly for SysAdmin and Network Computing magazines. He has also contributed to SCO Magazine, and The Guru. Network and system tools that he's written have been downloaded by the likes of SCO, Cisco Systems, BellSouth, and NASA. He has two overly energetic and cheerful kids, Leo and Moshe, and is married to his pal Stacy Feldman. In his spare time he likes to cook, play guitar, and run, but not all at the same time. Dedication For Jim Reich: rocket scientist, GM, best man, friend, partner-in-crime, and always! co-hacker. Acknowledgments I could not have finished this book in the time frame that I did without the encouragement, intelligent advice, friendship, and love of my partner and best friend, Stacy Feldman. I am more fortunate than I deserve to be married to such a level-headed and giving person. My Pop is largely responsible for attempting to beat good, diagnostic techniques into my head at an early age; my hat is off to him. He is one of the best diagnosticians that I have ever met. In particular, I thank him for teaching me how to write SOAP notes, and I thank both of my folks for teaching all seven of us to think and fend for ourselves at an early age, both of which come in handy when troubleshooting anything. I'm grateful to the entire Reich family, notably Jim and his mom Mary, for allowing me to be a teenage computer (and cookie) parasite decades ago. I probably wouldn't be in this profession today but for the hours I spent in their home hacking away on the Trash-80 and the good old Apple. (Not to mention the fact that I probably owe them thousands of dollars for groceries.) The long-ago advice of two mentors has helped me immeasurably, both with this book and with my career in general. Harold "Reb" Carter from SUNY Buffalo gave me my first IT job, and showed me the differences between hobbyist computing and professional information technology. John Esak of The Valar Group showed me how much fun technology writing can be, and spent lots of time talking shop with me when I was first getting started. I'm also indebted to my current employer, the Chatham County Government, particularly my direct supervisor, Renee Bridges, for letting me take vacation time so that I could finish the draft of this book. I feel very lucky to be in a very humane and professional work environment-and to be able to work in a place where I can both learn and teach every day. (Speaking of work environment, Cafe Metropole in Savannah deserves a big thanks for letting me take up their table real estate for the past months!) Every journey begins with a single step. I'm glad that my agent, Martha Kaufman Amitay, took the first, or you wouldn't be holding this book in your hands. Thanks, Martha! Finally, I thank Kate Shoup Welsh, Scott Humphries, and Chris Will at Macmillan for their collective professionalism, sense of humor, and hard work on the editing of this book; the end product was much enhanced by the efforts of this team! Jonathan Feldman October 1998, Savannah, Georgia Table of Contents