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Hidden Benefits of Knowing Even "Just A Little" About Linux

I stumbled across a light, but thoughtful post by David Williams over at ITWire. Williams recounts a situation where he used a Linux distribution on a liveCD (Ubuntu in this case, but there are countless others that can do the job) to rescue files from an ancient machine that was fading fast.

Using live Linux distributions to rescue and reset machines is nothing new, of course. Take KNOPPIX, for instance. The Debian based distribution got its (well-deserved) name by developing a user-friendly way to carry around a robust Linux desktop. While that's a great use for a live Linux distro, nothing garners appreciation from tech users of all walks of life quite like using a live distribution to rescue data from an errant machine does.

It might not be new technology, but Williams is correct when he says every IT department should have some sort of Linux live media handy. Windows recovery utilities do exist, but using them might not always be feasible. At the very least, live Linux distributions can get sensitive data from an afflicted machine quickly so further rescue efforts can safely move forward.

I'd go as far as to say that IT departments should have a few live distributions (in different physical formats -- flash drives, CDs or DVDs) to ensure that every machine in house can be recovered in a timely fashion (using an Ubuntu liveCD could slow down rescue efforts on old hardware, where a smaller distribution like Damn Small Linux could prove less time consuming). Having a few live distributions in your toolbox only costs as much as the storage media, and that cost is more than covered after just one use.

There's an additional benefit, though, to having a live Linux distribution around. It's got really very little to do with file recovery or troubleshooting, but it's an important one. Even if you are an IT professional who works exclusively with Windows systems -- even if you foresee yourself working with Windows environments for the long term -- a passing familiarity with open source tools, Linux systems, and how they work is a strong career advantage. Using a live image to rescue a system on your network here and there certainly doesn't mean you'll get your Red Hat Certification without additional training, but seeing alternative systems at work with ones you're already familiar with, and being able to effectively use them together, is a skill that can give you the edge, even if it can't be put on a resume.

• Windows
• open source
• ubuntu
• linux
• livecd
• rescue
• liveUSB
• KNOPPIX
• Damn Small Linux

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