Unix System Management Primer Plus describes in detail the concepts and methodologies that govern Unix system administration. Its focus is both analytical and task-oriented. It covers the entire lifecycle of a system, from design to decommission, and explores the reader's role as an administrator.

Topics not usually covered in more specific books are covered, such as collocation facilities, user communication, and disaster recovery. The focus of the book "how to be a system administrator," not "how to administer your system."