Headfirst into an empty pool...

[headsplice]

...there's just enough water for me to drown.
I probably should have been somewhat more specific in my smashing about: I don't have to build the business system, just the server to host it. Plus, I have to be able to administrate el boxo once the OS is up and going (possibly important note: RH is the distro of choice, and is already running on a couple of diff. servers right now, nominally but not practically [yet] my responsibility).
Thus, what I'm really looking for is something that will help me dig into the nuts and bolts of the OS and figure out how to do things like recompiling the kernel. Stuff that, once you do it, isn't that hard; figuring out how to do it when you have no frame of reference is a little more difficult.
Thanks for the help folks!

p.s., sorry UT, I don't think my bosses will spring for another remote admin (my technical super is off-site already). Plus, how am I supposed to learn this stuff if you do it all!