[TriPython] Recommendation for Python programming for System Administrators

Errol Casey errol at askerrol.org
Fri Jul 10 01:03:06 CEST 2015


I came across the "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python"  book, after
posting to the list :-)
I've been reading through the online version, and watching the youtube
videos.

Biggest challenge right now, is parsing sudoers files. I posted a related
email this week.

I've been able to get parts done with ksh and PERL, but not a complete
solution. So, after watching
the videos, I'm going to try and use regex in python. should be able to do
the same thing in PERL -- but
wasn't able to master the pattern to get just what I want. I was creating
to many false positive matches.

I'm working on a number of tasks dealing with collected password , shadow ,
sudoer, groups, and other files
for auditing expiration, users,and privileges.

So, I think I need to study and try and apply the reexp examples from
"Automate the Boring Stuff with Python". As well, as dig into the
documentation for re module.

Any other suggestions appreciated. I'm glad this new python text came out.
I'm really impressed with it. Surprised, a beginning book can go into
regex. But, Al, does a great job.


On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 9:27 AM, Jeff Trawick <trawick at gmail.com> wrote:

>    On 07/08/2015 07:13 PM, Errol Casey wrote:
>
>     I'm interested in getting recommendations for learning/using python as
> a
>     system administrator.
>
>    Can you provide some ideas about what you might want to do with Python
> in
>    the area of system administration?  I suspect that you'd be better off
>    learning generic Python then searching out specific help (questions here
>    or on another list, blog articles, existing libraries on
> pypi.python.org
>    that handle much of your problem, etc.; probably not books) for system
>    administration problems you need to solve.
>
>    A possible compromise:Â  "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python" is a
> new
>    book "for total beginners" that teaches Python and guides the reader
>    through a number of "task automation" topics.  Many but not all of the
>    topics are relevant to system administration.  However, they might not
> map
>    closely to anything specific you might have in mind.
>
>
>     I have found to books but both are a few years old, so thought I would
> ask
>     the group if
>     there were others that are more recent, or if there are good examples
>     online for admins.
>
>     I support AIX, Solaris, and Linux systems.
>
>     The books I've found but fear are two old are :
>
>     [1]Python for Unix and Linux System Administration
>
>    Pro Python System Administration (Expert's Voice in Open Source)
> Paperback –
>                                   July 25, 2010
>
>     --
>     Errol Casey
>     [[1]2]errol at askerrol.org
>
>  References
>
>     Visible links
>     1. [2]http://filepi.com/i/ZeYHxM4
>     2. [3]mailto:errol at askerrol.org
>
>
>  _______________________________________________
>  TriZPUG mailing list
>  [4]TriZPUG at python.org
>  [5]https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
>  [6]http://tripython.org is the Triangle Python Users Group
>
> References
>
>    Visible links
>    1. mailto:2]errol at askerrol.org
>    2. http://filepi.com/i/ZeYHxM4
>    3. mailto:errol at askerrol.org
>    4. mailto:TriZPUG at python.org
>    5. https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
>    6. http://tripython.org/
>
> _______________________________________________
> TriZPUG mailing list
> TriZPUG at python.org
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
> http://tripython.org is the Triangle Python Users Group
>



-- 
Errol Casey
errol at askerrol.org
-------------- next part --------------
   I came across the "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python"  book, after
   posting to the list :-)
   I've been reading through the online version, and watching the youtube
   videos.
   Biggest challenge right now, is parsing sudoers files. I posted a related
   email this week.
   I've been able to get parts done with ksh and PERL, but not a complete
   solution. So, after watching
   the videos, I'm going to try and use regex in python. should be able to do
   the same thing in PERL -- but
   wasn't able to master the pattern to get just what I want. I was creating
   to many false positive matches.
   I'm working on a number of tasks dealing with collected password , shadow
   , sudoer, groups, and other files
   for auditing expiration, users,and privileges.
   So, I think I need to study and try and apply the reexp examples from
   "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python". As well, as dig into the
   documentation for re module.
   Any other suggestions appreciated. I'm glad this new python text came out.
   I'm really impressed with it. Surprised, a beginning book can go into
   regex. But, Al, does a great job.
   On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 9:27 AM, Jeff Trawick <[1]trawick at gmail.com> wrote:

        On 07/08/2015 07:13 PM, Errol Casey wrote:

         I'm interested in getting recommendations for learning/using python
     as a
         system administrator.

        Can you provide some ideas about what you might want to do with
     Python in
        the area of system administration?  I suspect that you'd be better
     off
        learning generic Python then searching out specific help (questions
     here
        or on another list, blog articles, existing libraries on
     [2]pypi.python.org
        that handle much of your problem, etc.; probably not books) for
     system
        administration problems you need to solve.

        A possible compromise:  "Automate the Boring Stuff with Python" is a
     new
        book "for total beginners" that teaches Python and guides the reader
        through a number of "task automation" topics.  Many but not all of
     the
        topics are relevant to system administration.  However, they might
     not map
        closely to anything specific you might have in mind.

         I have found to books but both are a few years old, so thought I
     would ask
         the group if
         there were others that are more recent, or if there are good
     examples
         online for admins.

         I support AIX, Solaris, and Linux systems.

         The books I've found but fear are two old are :

         [1]Python for Unix and Linux System Administration

        Pro Python System Administration (Expert's Voice in Open Source)
     Paperback –
                                       July 25, 2010

         --
         Errol Casey
         [[1]2][3]errol at askerrol.org

      References

         Visible links
         1. [2][4]http://filepi.com/i/ZeYHxM4
         2. [3]mailto:[5]errol at askerrol.org

      _______________________________________________
      TriZPUG mailing list
      [4][6]TriZPUG at python.org
      [5][7]https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
      [6][8]http://tripython.org is the Triangle Python Users Group

     References

        Visible links
        1. mailto:[9]2][10]errol at askerrol.org
        2. [11]http://filepi.com/i/ZeYHxM4
        3. mailto:[12]errol at askerrol.org
        4. mailto:[13]TriZPUG at python.org
        5. [14]https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
        6. [15]http://tripython.org/

     _______________________________________________
     TriZPUG mailing list
     [16]TriZPUG at python.org
     [17]https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
     [18]http://tripython.org is the Triangle Python Users Group

   --
   Errol Casey
   [19]errol at askerrol.org

References

   Visible links
   1. mailto:trawick at gmail.com
   2. http://pypi.python.org/
   3. mailto:errol at askerrol.org
   4. http://filepi.com/i/ZeYHxM4
   5. mailto:errol at askerrol.org
   6. mailto:TriZPUG at python.org
   7. https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
   8. http://tripython.org/
   9. mailto:2
  10. mailto:errol at askerrol.org
  11. http://filepi.com/i/ZeYHxM4
  12. mailto:errol at askerrol.org
  13. mailto:TriZPUG at python.org
  14. https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
  15. http://tripython.org/
  16. mailto:TriZPUG at python.org
  17. https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/trizpug
  18. http://tripython.org/
  19. mailto:errol at askerrol.org


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