Prefer getting your tech through the written word? Consider my books on understanding technology, AWS, and Linux server administration. (As an Amazon Associate I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.)
Contents:
The Complete Obsolete Guide to Generative AI
AI technology moves so fast that this book is probably already out of date! But don’t worry—The Complete Obsolete Guide to Generative AI is still an essential read for anyone who wants to make generative AI into a tool rather than a toy. It shows you how to get the best out of AI no matter what changes come in the future. You’ll be able to use common automation and scripting tools to take AI to a new level, and access raw (and powerful) GPT models via API.
The Complete Obsolete Guide to Generative AI is a lighthearted look at programming with AI, as well as a rock-solid resource for getting the most out of these insanely powerful services. Let it be your guide to analyzing massive data sources, summarize pages and pages of text, and scour the live internet.
Data Analytics
Teach Yourself Data Analytics in 30 Days
Learn to use Python and Jupyter Notebooks by exploring fun, real-world data projects. You know you want to learn how to extract useful insights from all the data around you without having to take years’ worth of courses, right? Sometimes all you need is some quick and direct tools.
Get it done with Teach Yourself Data Analytics in 30 Days.
Books on AWS and Cloud Computing
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Study Guide: CLF-C01 Exam
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification curriculum answers the question: “How do I manage cloud applications?” By contrast, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam expects you to understand “Why is specifically this combination or set of cloud tools going to be exactly right for my cloud application?” This new book by Ben Piper and myself is aimed at C-level team members and project managers who might not need to get their hands dirty with the actual administration duties, but who must understand what’s going on to make smart choices. The book will cover you for this relatively new AWS exam. You can order your copy now.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect Study Guide: Associate SAA-C02 Exam (AWS Certified Solutions Architect Official: Associate Exam) 3rd Edition
From Sybex (Wiley)
This is the third edition of the book, covering the AWS Certified Solutions Architect: Associate (SAA-C02) Exam. It’s your complete and fully updated resource to the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate certification. This invaluable Sybex study guide covers all relevant aspects of the AWS Solutions Architect job role, including mapping multi-tier architectures to AWS services, loose coupling and stateless systems, applying AWS security features, deploying and managing services, designing large scale distributed systems, and many more. Written by two AWS subject-matter experts, this self-study guide and reference provides all the tools and information necessary to master the exam, earn your certification, and gain insights into the job of an AWS Solutions Architect. Efficient and logical presentation of exam objectives allows for flexible study of topics, and powerful learning tools increase comprehension and retention of key exam elements. Practice questions, chapter reviews, and detailed examination of essential concepts fully prepare you for the AWS Solutions Architect – Associate certification.
Learn Amazon Web Services in a Month of Lunches
Work through the process of building a robust and secure web application using the core AWS services you really need to know. Migrate and manage full stack IT infrastructure on the world’s leading cloud compute provider. Go from zero to fully functional in just 300 pages.
Order Learn Amazon Web Services in a Month of Lunches from Manning.com or
Manage AWS Resources Using Ansible: the super short guide to cloud automation
A short read that’ll get you up and running with Ansible for AWS workloads. Learn how to write Ansible playbooks that connect to your AWS account, provision and launch EC2 instances, administrate your AWS infrastructure using Ansible Dynamic Inventory, and build and deploy custom EC2 AMI images using HashiCorp’s Packer.
NEW: Download the Russian translation of the entire Ansible book (Управление Ресурсами AWS с помощью Ansible) for free!
(My thanks to Dmitrii Dmitrenko and Sergei Gubarev for this great public service!)
AWS Data Backup For Dummies: The ultimate guide to AWS data backup
So it turns out that data doesn’t protect itself. And despite providing what might be the most secure and reliable compute platform the Universe has ever seen, Amazon Web Services (AWS) can’t guarantee that you’ll never lose data either. To understand why that is, you’ll need to face your worst nightmares while visualizing all the horrifying things that can go wrong, and then boldly adopt some best‑practice solutions as you map out a plan to protect yourself.
Get this short and free book sponsored by Veeam.
Books on Linux
Ubuntu Linux Bible
Ubuntu Linux Bible (covering Ubuntu version 20.04) gives you what you need for whatever task you throw at Ubuntu. Anyone can benefit: desktop users, server administrators, even someone brand new to Linux looking to set up a desktop or server machine. The book provides complete information presented in such a way that new users have all of the information that they need, while experienced Linux users can skip directly to the details that they require. Covering the recently released 20.04, as well as previous versions, this book will cover Getting Started with Ubuntu, Ubuntu for Desktop Users, and Ubuntu for System Administrators
Linux Security Fundamentals
Understanding Linux Security is essential for administration professionals. Linux Security Fundamentals covers all the IT security basics to help active and aspiring admins respond successfully to the modern threat landscape. You’ll improve your ability to combat major security threats against computer systems, networks, and services. You’ll discover how to prevent and mitigate attacks against personal devices and how to encrypt secure data transfers through networks, storage devices, or the cloud.
Linux in Action
Take your Linux administration from zero to highly productive. This book is organized around projects rather than skills. Need to build a virtualized testing environment? A secure web server? A system recovery took kit? Safe document sharing servers? Linux in Action will cover you for all the skills and best-practices, but within the context of serious real-world use-cases.
Work your way through the book from start to finish and you’ll have a solid grasp of the core Linux administration tool set…and even a first taste of the enterprise server world. Linux in Action is also available from Manning.
Teach Yourself Linux Virtualization and High Availability: prepare for the LPIC-3 304 certification exam
High availability server virtualization currently powers the vast majority of public-facing compute deployments and Linux lies at the heart of nearly all of them. If you aren’t already engaged in a virtualized project that touches some kind of Linux technology, you probably will be soon. What are you doing to build your skills to meet the future?
The Linux Professional Institute’s LPIC-3 304 certification expectations are an excellent, vendor neutral introduction to Linux server virtualization and cluster management. Even if you don’t have plans to take the exam and earn the certification itself right now, using the 304 as a curriculum guide is a smart move. And, one way or another, this book is a great primary resource.
Purchase the print edition
Purchase Kindle edition
Practical LPIC-1 Linux Certification Study Guide
Learn all the basics of Linux administration and prepare for the LPIC-1 certification exams.
See it at Apress Publishers
Books on Technology
Keeping Up: Backgrounders to all the big technology trends you can’t afford to ignore
A quick, fun, and accessible guide to the current state of the tech industry and the big trends that will likely define its future. And it may just be just the short cut you need to get the “keep up with technology” job done.
No time to read? Keeping Up is also available on Amazon in audio format. Naturally, it’s also available on Audible US and Audible UK.
No matter how good you are at what you do today, tomorrow will likely demand a whole new set of skills. Remember Fortran, 32-bit microprocessors, and mainframes? One day, perhaps sooner than we think, JavaScript and Docker might feel just as obscure. How to you plan to keep up?
Well the first step is just that: plan. Start with questions:
Which new technologies will impact your career? Which make the most sense to learn? What tools exist to help you with your learning? What’s the best way to go about it?
Solving for Technology gives you all the background, methodologies, and tools you’ll need to make smart career and educational choices. The tips, tricks, and technology introductions in the book are there to help you manage professional change.
(My thanks to Dmitrii Dmitrenko and Sergei Gubarev for this second fantastic book – see their Управление Ресурсами AWS с помощью Ansible below)