Recommended reading: FreeBSD for production server use

[Nico Meijer]

Hi all,

Since my "Absolute OpenBSD" book has yet to arrive, I've set myself to
getting to know FreeBSD. Liking 4.8 so far, btw. :-)

After reading large parts of the Handbook and subscribing to among
others -newbies, -questions and -isp (and searching the archives),
installation was a complete breeze and the initial setup mainly trivial
(I'm getting to the 'hard' parts ;-).

Initially getting and updating the src and ports tree, rebuilding kernel
and world have yet to fail on me, so all is well. :-)

Now comes the harder part. Most resources talk about setting stuff up,
as they should. The question that creeps in my mind immediately is how
to actually maintain a FreeBSD machine: how to keep it running "stable"
(not -STABLE per se) and up-to-date. My main purpose would be running
servers (as in: web, mail, database, ftp, shell, samba, you name it).

I'm currently on the prowl for documentation regarding this matter. Be
it online references, off and on line books, magazines: I'm game.

I've heard great things about Mr. Lucas' "Absolute BSD", but then again
there are "FreeBSD Unleashed" and "The Complete FreeBSD", which are both
regarded highly aswell. daemonnews.org, freebsddiary.org and such are
bookmarked.

I'll keep my questions on this matter for -questions, as I've seen
advised here; there are many, of course. :-)

Thank you all... Nico