[SLUG] Breaking into the Linux world

[Rob Hall]

Hi,

Just wondering how people got their break into the world of Linux 
administration. I am an IT technician at a college but all we are 
running is Windows (servers and client) and I would dearly love to break 
into something a bit more challenging involving Linux. Whilst I don't 
have an enorrmous amount of experience administering a Linux system (I 
run a small Linux based home network!) I do pick stuff up very quickly 
and I have been "tinkering" with computers (hence my liking for Linux) 
for years.

Most of our machines now have three year warranties so the interesting 
(hardware diagnostics) bit has gone now and we don't spend much time 
repairing Windows installations (which can be interesting!), we just 
re-ghost the machines. YAWN!!!!!!! I quite enjoy the networky stuff and 
I even quite like Server 2003 but I'd really like to get into a world 
where Linux was being used.

I have a technical degree (Electronic Engineering) and an open mind but 
no formal qualifications in IT (merely 1 Microsoft training course under 
my belt)

Can anyone recommend any ways I can train or where I might best look for 
a break into the world of Linux. I'll probably go mad if I have to do 
too many more Ghost sessions!!!!

Rob Hall