Explore the world of systemd—yes, all lower-case, even at the beginning of a sentence— which is the modern replacement for init and SystemV init scripts. It is also much more. It can evoke a wide range of reactions from SysAdmins and others responsible for keeping Linux systems up and running. The fact that systemd is taking over so many tasks in modern Linux systems has engendered push-back and discord among certain groups of developers and SysAdmins.

You will learn systemd’s strengths and weaknesses, and why there’s no truth in the myth that systemd is a monolithic monstrosity.Learn how systemd is the mother of all processes, and is responsible for bringing the Linux host up to a state in which productive work can be done. You’ll learn about the functions assumed by systemd, which is far more extensive than the old init program, and how it manages many aspects of a running Linux host, including:

• Mounting filesystems

• Managing hardware

• Creating new systemd services and understanding existing ones

• Creating timers that trigger system maintenance events

• Starting and managing the system services that are required to have a productive Linux host

• Using the systemd journal to access critical performance and problem solving information.

• Why the systemd plan to take over the world is actually a good thing

systemd for Linux SysAdmins is your one-stop shop, giving you everythiing you need to get started and utilize this software suite for Linux operatiing systems.

David Both, SCSA, RHCT, RHCE is an Open Source Software and Linux advocate, trainer, writer, and speaker. He has been working with Linux and Open Source Software since 1996 and has been working with computers for over 50 years. He is a strong proponent of and evangelist for the “Linux Philosophy for System Administrators.”

He has taught RHCE classes for Red Hat and has worked at MCI Worldcom, Cisco, and the State of North Carolina. He has taught classes on Linux ranging from Lunch’n’Learns to full five day courses.

David has written articles for magazines including, Linux Magazine, Linux Journal, and OS/2 Magazine back when there was such a thing. David wrote for Opensource.com (OSDC) before it was closed by Red Hat. He now writes for Both.org while working with a core group of OSDC alumni to recreate the community that made OSDC so successful.

David has published eight books with Apress, “The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins,” August 2018, and a three volume self-study training course, “Using and Administering Linux — From Zero to SysAdmin,” released in December, 2019, and “Linux for the Small Business,” released in late 2022. The second edition of “Using and Administering Linux — From Zero to SysAdmin,” was released in 2023.

He has found some interesting and unusual ways of problem solving, including sitting on one computer on which he was working.