Is C programming neccesary to be UNIX Admin

[Allen DuBeau]

Hi folks -

I am curious to know if you feel C programming is neccessary to be a UNIX Admin? I know shell scripting is (basically, I can read it.. writing becomes a problem)....

And is there any good method to start "re-learning"

also I would like to compliment this forum, out of all the ones a frequent this is by far the best one... I may not post to often but I know I can always find answer here for most of the issues I have come across.

I have learned quite a bit just by reading the post..

and I would like to say Thank You for what I have learned and for what your experiences have taught me, the time it has saved me and even for saving me from support calls...

Sincere Regards,

Allen DuBeau...

P.S -

I wish I had an award to give for best UNIX forum, this one would win hands down!

[Pete Randall]

Allen,

I would say it's not necessary. I'm sure it would be a nice skill to have but not absolutely necessary.

And you're right about this forum - it's the best!!!


Pete

[Marvin Strong]

Its not required, but it is helpful.

I learned C after I had already been an admin for a few years.

[Patrick Wallek]

I don't think it is an absolute requirement. I don't do much C coding, BUT I generally can look at C code and figure out what it is doing. If need be, I can usually make modifications if they are minor. I don't know that I could write a C program from scratch though.

As far as shell scripting goes, HP does offer a class or two on POSIX shell scripting. I would start with that if possible. There are numerous online resources for scripting as well.

[Geoff Wild]

I don't do any C programming at all (some compiling) and have been an Unix Admin for over 11 years now...

Shell scripting and Perl is where you should focus on. Again, this is one of those questions that depends on what you are comfortable with.

As far as learning - either pickup a book and/or take a course. I just finished "Perl Scripting" - online via RAIL:

http://www.hp.com/education/courses/h4311s.html

You get the latest O'rielly "Programming Perl" book when you register.

Rgds...Geoff

[Mark Grant]

As a Unix admin for far too many years and an on and off C programmer for almost as long, I think it's safe to say that C isn't required.

However, learning C gives you an insight into how so much of Unix actually works. It helps you understand some of the gibberish that goes on on the Linux kernel mailing lists too :)

It is a useful string to your bow but it's relevance to administration is far diminished these days.

Scripting is far more useful, especially perl. There are very few systems tasks where perl isn't a first choice over C these days.

[Jeroen Peereboom]

No, C is not necessary.

You do need to know shell scripting, sh or ksh or posix shell. Read a good book about the shell, especially quoting ;-).

Perl becomes more important. Unfortunately some perl programs are hard to read and perl is a more complete and complex programming language.
I think one needs a training / course to learn perl.

JP.

[Allen DuBeau]

I read on line the some of the best UNIX admins know C because of the reason stated, you get to understand the workings of the OS better. I also heard that alot of collages that teach programing are making assembler a required course -- I would hate to tackle that one....

I will assign points based on the shell scripting answers and/or suggestions....

How about this question, is it possible to be a very good administrator without being a shell scripting expert?

Thanks again...

[Mark Grant]

Allen,

I know some extremely good administrators who wouldn't know a shell script from a packet of mixed nuts. However, they will always be slightly less useful than one who knows scripting. Administration is not just about understanding the OS. You need to maintain environments for applications too. Apps like backup software or some weird app somebody threw on the machine three years ago. Often Scripting is nearly always required to keep these things going. From pre-exec and post-exec backup scripts to funky monitoring solutions, through to converting data from an old app to fit some hair brained new app, scripting makes you more complete.

[Hein van den Heuvel]

> How about this question, is it possible to be a very good administrator without being a shell scripting expert?

Only if you know PERL very well!

Mind you, supposedly there are lots of good windows administrators out there that never use a script... but I can not live without my commandlines and scripts myself.

The relation C - Perl is not too clear in my mind. On the one hand, knowing C first made it easy for me to work with printf and loop constructs and so on. On the other hand, knowing C you are tempted to _think_ you know perl already but end up writing C program using perl. It is probably better to learn Perl without knowing C, to have an open mind about perl's many feartures and powerful build-ins.

fwiw,
Hein.