Not just a cookbook

Unlike "JMX in Action" from Manning, this book goes beyond the How To of JMX.
It introduces the reader to the fundamental problems of systems management, before jumping into concrete implementations.
It explains the history of the industry from the days when hundreds of people shared one mainframe and sys-admin was the same as god, to the present days when everyone has access to hundreds of computers.
It also gives an overview of the numerous system management standards and explains why some of them were successful while others were not.
Before I got to the JMX chapters I understood how the veterans in the industry with decades of experience distilled the scope of systems management to a few basic concepts that define it.
It helped me make a better choice when thinking about which parts of an application should be manageable.
Very strong book.
Just be aware that it is not a very fun reading. The book uses a tight, dry and fast style. You better be serious about it before turning the front page.

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• Not just a cookbook