At 3/12/2010 10:13 AM, Matthew F. Unger wrote: >I'm looking for some Linux training and am looking for some >advice. ... Hire a Linux consultant -- perhaps with expertise in your core applications -- to help fix your system, but with the understanding that part of the job is to teach you what you need to know. Have him or her explain what s/he's doing, and let you do as much of the "driving" as possible. After your systems are back up and running, work out an ongoing partnership, so you can phone someone with small problems as they come up. Bring the consultant in once or twice a month, to review your operations and suggest ways you can improve, or coach you with tips and other reading. Float wild and crazy ideas you have for your company's business, and work shoulder by shoulder with the consultant(s) to implement the workable ones. Such a hands-on, business-focused apprenticeship will rapidly develop your own expertise, and will cost about the same as a formal training program. Before long, you'll outgrow the need for the consultant's "training wheels". And your boss will (well, should) happily pay for it all. PS: No, I'm not your guy, but there's plenty of people on this list who might be.