Windows IT Library UPDATE--September 17, 2003

1. Book Review

Inside Windows Server 2003
Author: William Boswell
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Published: April 2003
ISBN: 0-7357-1158-5
Hardcover, 1376 pages
Price: $53.99

"Inside Windows Server 2003" by William Boswell is no light read, but it's a resource worth having. Written for IT professionals who have a solid understanding of Windows and must deploy Windows 2003 or evaluate its suitability for their company, this book will answer most of your questions about the latest version of Windows. The questions addressed include, "What exactly is Windows Server 2003, and where does it fit into the Windows family of operating environments?"; "What new features and functionality does Windows Server 2003 possess that my current operating environment doesn't provide?"; "What are the criteria for, and ramifications of, upgrading to Windows Server 2003?"; "Where can my company or organization turn for assistance in planning and implementing a successful upgrade to Windows Server 2003?"; and "What sort of companies will benefit from installing and using Windows Server 2003?"

I can't overstate the importance of the two opening chapters of this book; the subsequent chapters assume that you understand the information in Chapters 1 and 2. Chapter 1, "Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2003," offers a brief comparison of the four versions of Windows 2003: standard edition, enterprise edition, datacenter edition, and web edition. Chapter 1 discusses the strengths and limitations, minimum recommended hardware requirements, and installation and configuration procedures for each version. Chapter 2, "Performing Upgrades and Automated Installations," discusses how to upgrade to Windows 2003 from Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 and how to use scripts and Remote Installation Service (RIS) to automate Windows 2003 installations. After reading the first two chapters, you'll have the knowledge you need to install Windows 2003 on a server.

The book's remaining chapters discuss topics such as how to add servers to your Windows 2003 network, how to add hardware components to your servers, how to deal successfully with name resolution, the stages involved in the integration of Windows 2003 DNS, and Active Directory (AD) installation and configuration. Finally, the book explains how to use Windows 2003's new features to recover from system failures.

All the chapters in "Inside Windows Server 2003" begin with a brief overview of the material that the chapter covers, followed by a list of the new, enhanced, or modified features of a particular aspect of Windows 2003. Each chapter presents the design principles that are applicable to the chapter's topic; examines the relevant processes; and discusses the procedures for installing and configuring that particular portion of the OS. You can efficiently use the book by reading only the "Moving Forward" section that appears at the end of each chapter. Each "Moving Forward" section summarizes that chapter and outlines the topics covered in the next chapter or chapters. This book provides two major benefits to readers. The first is that you can use the text to help you decide whether your company should move to Windows 2003. The second benefit is that, if your company decides to deploy Windows 2003, the book serves as a detailed reference for the deployment. Installing a new operating environment can be a daunting undertaking, but Boswell asserts that Windows 2003 deployment is worthwhile. "It takes time and money to upgrade a large infrastructure," he writes, "but with Windows Server 2003, you will be rewarded with a system that is fast, handy to manage, and delivers benefits to your users in the form of speed and convenience."

For more information about "Inside Windows Server 2003," visit Addison-Wesley's Web site (http://www.awprofessional.com). There, you can read the book's table of contents, preface, and a sample chapter (Chapter 6, "Understanding Active Directory Services").

 2. Announcements

New Web Seminars on Exchange, Active Directory, and More. Check out the latest lineup of Web seminars from Windows & .NET Magazine. Prepare your enterprise for Exchange Server 2003, discover the legal ramifications of deterring email abuse, and find out how Active Directory can help you create and maintain a rock-solid infrastructure.

Active Directory eBook Chapter 4 Published. The fourth chapter of Windows & .NET Magazine's popular eBook "Windows 2003: Active Directory Administration Essentials" is now available at no charge! Chapter 4 looks at what's inside Windows Server 2003 forests and DNS.

3. New from Windows IT Library

The Network Management Problem. This chapter discusses all the concerns of managing a large network, including fault detection, upgrades, repairs, scalability, and security. You'll learn about development skill sets, Network Management Systems (NMS) development, components of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), and you'll learn how to maximize Return on Investment (ROI). After you read this chapter, you'll be able to handle any problem you encounter with your network.

Reaping Value from Storage Networks. This chapter covers the cost component of the storage networking layer. After reading it, you'll have an understanding of defensive strategies for storage networking, such as using remote Storage Area Network (SAN) topologies, and you'll know several offensive strategies, such as integrating IP storage networks and network consolidation on IP. You'll also know how to measure returns on networked storage.

4. New Books in Print

Kerberos: The Definitive Guide. This book shows you how to implement Kerberos on Windows and UNIX systems for secure authentication. In addition to covering the basic principles behind cryptographic authentication, the book covers everything from basic installation to advanced topics such as cross-realm authentication, defending against attacks on Kerberos, and troubleshooting.
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/kerberos

Pocket PC Development in the Enterprise: Mobile Solutions with Visual Basic and .NET. This book explains how to develop mobile enterprise solutions based on Microsoft's Pocket PC platform. To begin, the authors discuss the business implications of the mobility boom, then provide the method, the code, and the tools readers need to develop their own mobile solutions. After reading this book, readers will understand the effective client- and server-side components of a successful company and will have an effective mobile system architecture design blueprint and a wealth of sample code.

5. New eBooks

Windows 2003: Active Directory Administration Essentials. Whether you're an expert with Windows 2000 and Active Directory (AD), a Windows NT administrator who has read all the trade journals and has a Win2K test lab, or new to AD, this book is for you. Based on actual product code, the book touches on key topics that many Windows texts fail to mention. This free eBook is delivered as each chapter is written.

The Insider's Guide to IT Certification. This book is a comprehensive how-to manual that will help you conserve your time and money while you become certified. This book helps you choose the right certification to study for, the right materials and methods to study with, and the proper ways to prepare for the exams.

6. Windows IT Library Top Five

A+ Certification: How to Pass Your Exams. This book walks you through all the skills tested in the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) A+ Core Hardware exam and A+ OS Technologies exam.

Microsoft Windows NT Secrets: Option Pack Edition. Packed with the kind of notes, tips, and workarounds that come only from years of working day in and day out with a product, this book will help you optimize the performance, reliability, and security of your network.

Microsoft Windows NT Server Administrator's Bible: Option Pack Edition. This book provides specific coverage of the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack add-ons to help you plan, install, configure, manage, optimize, and connect NT Server 4.0 to the Internet.

The Microsoft Outlook E-Mail and Fax Guide. Written for Microsoft Outlook end users and the administrators who support them, this volume explains all the real-world tasks that you're likely to encounter when working with Outlook and includes many timesaving techniques that take you beyond the basics.

Undocumented Windows NT. This book documents what goes on under the covers in Windows NT. Three experts share what they've dug up on NT through years of hands-on research and programming experience. The authors dissect the Win32 interface, deconstruct the underlying APIs, and decipher the Memory Management architecture to help you understand operations, fix flaws, and enhance performance.