Much of the info can be found over the internet. However, the book format is good for a beginner. All the info in one book can be nice.

The focus in this book is on one of the most common implementations of Linux; as a complete Internet solution with a Linux server, Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP language. This combination is commonly called a LAMP installation. The authors lead the reader through how to pick an appropriate Linux distribution for your needs, install and configure the Apache web server, use MySQL to store data and use PHP to build Web applications.

The authors assume little or no knowledge of Linux and so include a basic introduction to Linux including common daily tasks and administration. Once your Linux server is up and running they also cover how to use various utilities to administer it remotely. Other chapters include information on server security, GNOME, file system, and permissions. This is not a bad introduction to Linux and Apache but it does almost nothing with MySQL and PHP. This is a basic text on how to get a LAMP server up and running. It is not a text on how to program with PHP or how to create and administer a MySQL database. For this information you will need to consult other texts. However, since a LAMP server is one of the most common uses of Linux and there are specific techniques to get the Linux server, Apache, MySQL and PHP all installed and working together seamlessly this book is very valuable for this specific task. Build Your Own Web Server Using Linux and Apache is recommended to anyone who wants to get a LAMP server up and running with a minimum of frustration.

I'm a web developer and bought this book hoping that it would--as advertised--teach me how to setup and install a working LAMP server. I found this book to read more like a checklist than anything. Install this, uncheck that. The book provided little insight as to the reasoning behind these decisions, nor did it provide any detail on how to fine tune or configure some of the more arcane components like email or ftp. It definitely did not teach you anything about how to live and operate in the Linux environment. These I had to figure out on my own. This book reads like a free website article repackaged and bound. Stay clear of this one.

50% of its contents can be found in a general Red Hat Linux book. Most other parts can be found in the web sites of Apache, Webmin and so on. This is the worst book I bought from Amazon.com, the first book from Sitepoint. I wouldn't buy a book from Sitepoint for a long time. I feel sorry for my company which paid for the book.

Are you a systems administrator, but know very little about Linux? If you are, then this book is for you! Authors Tony Steidler-Dennison and Stuart Langridge, have done an outstanding job of writing a practical book that shows you how to build, configure and maintain servers running the LAMP open source Web application platform.

Steidler-Dennison and Langridge, begin by showing you how to install Linux successfully on your server. Then, the authors explain hot to run and how to manage your Linux server on a daily basis. They continue by identifying those extra capabilities, and discuss the command line's advantages over GUI. Next, the authors discuss the lot as they take you on a tour of the Linux system administrator's toolkit. Then, the authors explore some of the basics of Apache itself, including how it works and how it fits into the Linux environment. Then, they focus on a selection of handy tools that will help you to configure your LAMP server and add new packages to it. They also get a feel for working with SSH, which allows command line access to a server across the network , and VNC, which enables you to access your LAMP server's GUI remotely. Next, the authors give you an introduction to backup tools. Finally, the authors set up a firewall on their LAMP server, and install intrusion detection services as a means to identify remote cracking attempts.

This most excellent book gives you the knowledge you need to build, configure and maintain servers running LAMP open source Web application platform. More importantly, this book will show you how to build a Linux server, and help you decide which flavor of Linux best suits your situation.