Learning SaltStack. Learn how to manage your infrastructure by utilizing the power of SaltStack

Colton Myers

Configuring IPCop Firewalls: Closing Borders with Open Source. How to setup, configure and manage your Linux firewall, web proxy, DHCP, DNS, time server, and VPN with this powerful Open Source solution

Barrie Dempster, James Eaton-Lee

IPCop is a powerful, open source, Linux based firewall distribution for primarily Small Office Or Home (SOHO) networks, although it can be used in larger networks. It provides most of the features that you would expect a modern firewall to have, and what is most important is that it sets this all up for you in a highly automated and simplified way.This book is an easy introduction to this popular application. After introducing and explaining the foundations of firewalling and networking and why they're important, the book moves on to cover using IPCop, from installing it, through configuring it, to more advanced features, such as configuring IPCop to work as an IDS, VPN and using it for bandwidth management. While providing necessary theoretical background, the book takes a practical approach, presenting sample configurations for home users, small businesses, and large businesses. The book contains plenty of illustrative examples.

System Programming Essentials with Go. System calls, networking, efficiency, and security practices with practical projects in Golang

Alex Rios

Alex Rios, a seasoned Go developer and active community builder, shares his 15 years of expertise in designing large-scale systems through this book. It masterfully cuts through complexity, enabling you to build efficient and secure applications with Go's streamlined syntax and powerful concurrency features.In this book, you’ll learn how Go, unlike traditional system programming languages (C/C++), lets you focus on the problem by prioritizing readability and elevating developer experience with features like automatic garbage collection and built-in concurrency primitives, which remove the burden of low-level memory management and intricate synchronization.Through hands-on projects, you'll master core concepts like file I/O, process management, and inter-process communication to automate tasks and interact with your system efficiently. You'll delve into network programming in Go, equipping yourself with the skills to build robust, distributed applications. This book goes beyond the basics by exploring modern practices like logging and tracing for comprehensive application monitoring, and advance to distributed system design using Go to prepare you to tackle complex architectures.By the end of this book, you'll emerge as a confident Go system programmer, ready to craft high-performance, secure applications for the modern world.

Delphi High Performance. Master the art of concurrency, parallel programming, and memory management to build fast Delphi apps - Second Edition

Primož Gabrijelčič

Performance matters! Users hate to use programs that are not responsive to interactions or run too slow to be useful. While becoming a programmer is simple enough, you require dedication and hard work to achieve an advanced level of programming proficiency where you know how to write fast code.This book begins by helping you explore algorithms and algorithmic complexity and continues by describing tools that can help you find slow parts of your code. Subsequent chapters will provide you with practical ideas about optimizing code by doing less work or doing it in a smarter way. The book also teaches you how to use optimized data structures from the Spring4D library, along with exploring data structures that are not part of the standard Delphi runtime library.The second part of the book talks about parallel programming. You’ll learn about the problems that only occur in multithreaded code and explore various approaches to fixing them effectively. The concluding chapters provide instructions on writing parallel code in different ways – by using basic threading support or focusing on advanced concepts such as tasks and parallel patterns.By the end of this book, you’ll have learned to look at your programs from a totally different perspective and will be equipped to effortlessly make your code faster than it is now.

Python Architecture Patterns. Master API design, event-driven structures, and package management in Python

Jaime Buelta

Developing large-scale systems that continuously grow in scale and complexity requires a thorough understanding of how software projects should be implemented. Software developers, architects, and technical management teams rely on high-level software design patterns such as microservices architecture, event-driven architecture, and the strategic patterns prescribed by domain-driven design (DDD) to make their work easier.This book covers these proven architecture design patterns with a forward-looking approach to help Python developers manage application complexity—and get the most value out of their test suites.Starting with the initial stages of design, you will learn about the main blocks and mental flow to use at the start of a project. The book covers various architectural patterns like microservices, web services, and event-driven structures and how to choose the one best suited to your project. Establishing a foundation of required concepts, you will progress into development, debugging, and testing to produce high-quality code that is ready for deployment. You will learn about ongoing operations on how to continue the task after the system is deployed to end users, as the software development lifecycle is never finished.By the end of this Python book, you will have developed architectural thinking: a different way of approaching software design, including making changes to ongoing systems.

Unlocking Data with Generative AI and RAG. Enhance generative AI systems by integrating internal data with large language models using RAG

Keith Bourne, Shahul Es

Generative AI is helping organizations tap into their data in new ways, with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) combining the strengths of large language models (LLMs) with internal data for more intelligent and relevant AI applications. The author harnesses his decade of ML experience in this book to equip you with the strategic insights and technical expertise needed when using RAG to drive transformative outcomes.The book explores RAG’s role in enhancing organizational operations by blending theoretical foundations with practical techniques. You’ll work with detailed coding examples using tools such as LangChain and Chroma’s vector database to gain hands-on experience in integrating RAG into AI systems. The chapters contain real-world case studies and sample applications that highlight RAG’s diverse use cases, from search engines to chatbots. You’ll learn proven methods for managing vector databases, optimizing data retrieval, effective prompt engineering, and quantitatively evaluating performance. The book also takes you through advanced integrations of RAG with cutting-edge AI agents and emerging non-LLM technologies.By the end of this book, you’ll be able to successfully deploy RAG in business settings, address common challenges, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with this revolutionary AI technique.

Instant Edmodo How-to. Implement a learning management system in your classroom environment seamlessly and engage students in their own learning with Edmodo

Dayna Laur

As classrooms make the push toward a paperless environment, Edmodo provides you with an easy-to-use system to manage your classes, and creates an opportunity for you to participate in and create a space for your own personal learning network.A practical, guided instructional set to implement the full capabilities of Edmodo in a more engaging and connected online classroom environment. Whether you are a new or veteran Edmodo user, this guide will provide the instructions necessary to navigate the simplest and most advanced features of this system.You will learn how to turn your classroom into a paperless environment that can be managed from anywhere and at anytime. The space that you create for your students on Edmodo will provide you and your students with the ability to access class content and engage in online discussions long after the bell rings.Instant Edmodo How-to will help you establish a more connected classroom that links your face-to-face environment with a more global personal learning network that challenges you to grow as an educator.

Building CLI Applications with C# and .NET. A step-by-step guide to developing cross-platform CLI apps—from coding and testing to deployment

Tidjani Belmansour, Damian Brady

Developers and system administrators often face challenges like inefficient workflows, complex system operations, and the growing demand for robust automation tools. CLI applications provide a powerful solution by enhancing flexibility, efficiency, and productivity in various environments. This book will guide you through mastering the development of robust command-line tools using .NET.Written by a Microsoft Azure MVP, the book’s hands-on approach ensures practical experience with real-world projects. You’ll start with an overview of foundational principles, essential concepts, and best practices for CLI application development. From there, you’ll advance to creating interactive interfaces, integrating with external APIs and services, and implementing security measures to safeguard your applications. Each chapter will build progressively from basic to advanced topics.Beyond development, you’ll learn how to enhance application quality through testing, package for efficient distribution, and deploy effectively. The book also teaches strategies to optimize performance to ensure your applications run efficiently under heavy usage.By the end of this book, you’ll have gained a deep understanding of CLI application development with .NET to build modular, extensible, and easy-to-maintain applications.