About to begin studying network adminstration at Univ of Phoenix...what OS u recmmend

[shaolin95]

Hi!
I am about to start an online course with the univ. of Phoenix...the Network Administration course.
I got a blank HDD that I can use to install Linux, Unix, Ubuntu or whatever you guys think will help me with my future studies.
I have extremely limited experience with all the Ubuntu, Fedoras of the world. :D

[Uncle]

I haven't gone to University, but wouldn't you know what field of business your getting into and then do some research and find what OS the majority use and go from there. I build and repair computers and I focus on what my main customers use. Understanding networking is your main Priority after that you transfer your knowledge of networking to the OS that's involved in your field.

[Ur_Mom]

If you are going with *nix, go with Ubuntu. It's EXTREMELY easy to use. And you can move at your own pace when it comes to the command line. But, if you are a Windows guy, go with Windows...

[TechieSooner]

Depends what the program requirements are for starters. Use what you need to use to LEARN.

Like others have said, if it's just a personal need to try something new... doesn't really matter.
If your a Windows guy, install Ubuntu and see how you like it.
If you're a Mac guy, install Windows and see how much more actual work you can get done ;) I kid.

[XOR != OR]

Good news! If you are just starting your courses, you have about a year before you start getting into your core courses.

Get ready for "humanities" and "ethic" courses. And of course writing. Lots and lots of writing.

[swatbat]

Really I would just wait and see what they are using. I'd also look at getting one of those cheap dell boxes or build your own as a test box. It will help you in the long run.

[shaolin95]

I was thinking that maybe members that are working on that field may have some suggestions on what the "real world" mostly uses but maybe I am way off. :-)
I am a windows guy btw but I do want to learn Linux, Unix and the likes. Since I have a clean HDD I got tempted to install one.

[XOR != OR]

I was thinking that maybe members that are working on that field may have some suggestions on what the "real world" mostly uses but maybe I am way off. :-)
I am a windows guy btw but I do want to learn Linux, Unix and the likes. Since I have a clean HDD I got tempted to install one.Linux and windows are the two most prevalent out there ( Centos, ask for it by name! ).

I'd pick a project and get to work; Voip is fun to play with, as it a video server of some sort.

[TechieSooner]

I was thinking that maybe members that are working on that field may have some suggestions on what the "real world" mostly uses but maybe I am way off. :-)
I am a windows guy btw but I do want to learn Linux, Unix and the likes. Since I have a clean HDD I got tempted to install one.

It depends what you get into.

If you're like me, you basically get dropped into a propriety server situation (I still use windows and linux though) that most people have never heard of.

But Windows and Linux are your main two you should work with.

[eeyrjmr]

As many as your HD can store virtual machines for
simple as that

Like all good programmers know lots of languages (and thus when faced with a new one doesn't take long to pick up) A good sysadmin is aware of alot of OS's - once you have worked on a few you suddenly see that they all do the same way, just their own twist on it :D


So choose yr OS you want to work in the most (my bias would be to base-install linux :D) then load in VMWare or Virtualbox and start installing loads of different OS's (different windows, couple of linux distro's [an rpm-based, a deb-based, and another just to see that there really isn't any difference :D] as well as OpenSolaris)

[compslckr]

Do redhat / fedora

Ubuntu is nice and easy and all that good stuff, but in the "real world" most places that run *nix use some version of red hat.

I work at amazon.com and they run redhat 3 or 4 on all the servers at my location (except for one server 2003 box for file/print sharing / windows logins)

the recommendation of virtual machines is a good one, you can get hands on experience with any of the operating systems you want without having to reboot or worry about boot loaders.

[Joe Average]

Windows Server 2008 with a bunch of VMs of all the other OSes... tough to beat that much learning potential in a single box.

[xxEIEIOxx]

If you have the HD space and enough RAM, just run a desktop OS (XP, Vista) an install VirtualBox and run whatever you want from there. Windows Server 2003/2008 (2003 is still way more commmon), Ubuntu, whatever you can get your hands on. If you are serious about this you should learn all you can, because if you want to do any of this for a living, there are plenty of other guys that are familiar with all of them.

[gwarren007]

whatever you guys think will help me with my future studies

About 1g a month should do, plus expenses (books, gas, food. time for group studies)
grab a bunch of the *nix OS's use them, understand them, ask questions here. It will be 2010 before you get into any "good computer class".
My .02

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/199035/44/0.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tnum=33&id=199035)

[shaolin95]

All great recommendations guys..I am working on it right now. :-)