Customer Reviews

Advanced Windows Small Business Server 2003 Best Practices

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As a reader who was generally unsatisfied with the first volume in this series, and not greatly experienced with the SBS product, I had mixed feelings about the book. About half of the content is VERY good. The other half seemed almost trivial and shouldn't have been included, or if it were, should have had far greater depth and specificity. Overall though, the value of the good stuff, FAR outweighs the fluff and makes this book a very valuable resource. If this book doesn't save you at least one call to PSS, I'd be very surprised.

PRO
Several chapters stood out for both the excellent content and clear writing. Andy Goodman's Advanced Setup and Deployment, Michael Klein's explanation of Exchange Server 2003, Wayne Small's RWW coverage, Alan Shrater's coverage of the use of SQL, Susan Bradley's Advanced Security and Jeff Middleton's Disaster Recovery really make this book a valuable addition to the industry.

CON
Several reviews of additional software didn't do a good job of describing the need for the software and in many cases didn't even mention how much the software would cost. Blatant plugs for Mr. Brelsford's sponsor HP seemed misplaced and contributed to my dissatisfaction with the book. Too many NOTES boxes deprive the reader of content. Coverage of the ISA Server 2004 which hasn't even been released should have been held for the upcoming "Extending SBS" which was mentioned several times in the book.

Here's how it breaks down.

Intro and Bio's
Section 1: SBS 2003 Deployment
Chapter 1 Introduction and Planning Harry Brelsford
Chapter 2 Understanding Hardware in the SBS Environment Chris Angelini
Chapter 3 SBS Licensing Harry Brelsford and Steven Banks
Chapter 4 Advanced Setup and Deployment Andy Goodman
Chapter 5 Using 3rd Party Tools to boost SBS Performance Frank Ohlhorst

Section 2: SBS 2003 Utilization
Chapter 6 Exchange Server 2003: Advanced Topic Michael Klein
Chapter 7 Windows SharePoint Services: Advanced Topics Jonathan Hassell
Chapter 8 Remote Web Workplace: Advanced Topics Wayne Small
Chapter 9 Using MS SQL Server 2000 with SBS 2003 Alan Shrater
Chapter 10 Fax Server: Advanced Topics Kevin Royalty

Section 3: SBS 2003 Security
Chapter 11 Advanced Security: Part 1 General Susan Bradley
Chapter 12 Part 2 ISA Server 2004 Beatrice Mulzer and Dr. Tom Shindler

Section 4: SBS Advanced Topics
Chapter 13 System Monitoring Lawrence A Rodis
Chapter 14 SBS Disaster Recovery Jeff Middleton
Chapter 15 Migration Jeff Middleton

Chapter 1 Introduction and Planning by Harry Brelsford

This is a broad and very general overview of the SBS world. It was noted that another book is in the works on expanding your SBS Premium which will include both BizTalk Server 2004 and CRM 1. Besides these things, I don't know that there was much of great value in this chapter to me.

Chapter 2 Understanding Hardware in the SBS Environment by Chris Angelini

This chapter was more interesting. There is an interesting compare and contrast between AMD's server line of chips and Intel's server line of chips. Tape versus HD backup are discussed, SAS and SATA, workstation requirements and server requirements. Wireless and Gigabit networking is briefly discussed. There is a discussion about "right-sizing" hardware for a client based on what the consultant knows about their business and their knowledge of hardware. Little firm guidance is given here and this is one of the areas I think needs to be SIGNIFICANTLY documented by the industry.

Of some interest to me was the brief description of the iLo and RILOE II capabilities for remote control of a server at the hardware level. Though the capabilities are described, there is not much mention about how these could be used in a real-world support way. Perhaps I just don't have enough experience to understand this, but then that's what the book is for right? If you're going to market someone's product, one of the best ways is to describe a pain point and then detail how your product alleviates that. I didn't get it.

The last 15 pages of the chapter is a walk-through of the HP Proliant HL 350 G4. Harry does a very good job of plugging his sponsors. However, the same information could be conveyed in a similar way without specifically plugging this machine. I failed to glean anything useful from this material. These blatant product plugs help reinforce my opinion that the book's asking price is too high. If HP is going to sponsor the book, and I am expected to read it, my compensation should be a lower sticker price.

All told, I can't say that I gleaned much of anything new from this chapter. It is a fair review of modern technologies, but not comprehensive enough to be significant for me.

Chapter 3 SBS Licensing by Harry Brelsford and Steven Banks

The example used for the chapter is a creditable one. It is easy to follow and shows the concepts in action.

Since Eric Ligman does an EXEMPLARY job handling licensing questions on the mssmallbiz site, I almost wonder about the inclusion of this in the book. I can't say I got a lot of bang out of this chapter. Well written, not largely needed.

Chapter 4 Advanced Setup and Deployment by Andy Goodman

BOOM!!! Home Run!! This is exactly the kind of information that I would expect to see. How to use GPO to roll out software... How to use GPO to change computer settings... How to set the time to automatically sync with the server... Using partitions during install...

This is the first chapter that I can say that I will use TODAY to get something done.

I also very much appreciated the input on creating multiple partitions and why. Andy's hints are the kind of stuff that I haven't heard before, but that can solve challenges I've got right now. EXCELLENT!!

Incidentally, Andy's recommendations as given in this chapter are far more inclusive even that what is on his web site (I at least when I wrote this.). They are also very similar to those made in the Microsoft Small Business Server Administrator's Companion (though better explained and illustrated.) They also match recommendations by MBS for installing CRM and disaster recovery recommendations by Jeff Middleton. Interesting that these weren't included in the "Basic and Intermediate" book.

Chapter 5 Using 3rd Party Tools to boost SBS Performance by Frank Ohlhorst

This chapter goes over the backup utility from Acronis' True Image Server. There is no pricing information, which is always a bad sign in my book. There was also no discussion about why this is better than the NTbackup that comes with SBS. There was no justification given for why I might need the additional expense of this software.

The next topic covered was hosting with a dynamic IP address. TZO was mentioned and since this often comes in routers as an option, seems a good choice.

The last topic was spam filtering. Mr. Ohlhorst discusses how to use GFI Mail Essentials. I haven't used this, but like the backup solution, I wonder why this would be used instead of Intelligent Message Filter for Exchange? Is there such a performance difference that it makes good sense? $300 for a 10-user license when IMF is free tends to make me think there might at least be some attempt to justify this expense.

Overall, the chapter was a disappointment to me. Spending money is not always a bad thing. The ultimate determinant is VALUE. If I spend "X" amount of dollars I will get "Y" feature which benefits me in "Z" way and makes it all worth while. There was hardly any of this type of information.

Chapter 6 Exchange Server 2003: Advanced Topic by Michael Klein

WOW!! 140 pages on just about anything you could want to know about Exchange. This is a veritable treasure trove of how to install, maintain, troubleshoot, monitor, and enhance Exchange Server 2003. There is actually so much that is covered here that it is difficult to describe it all.

I have found that reading books on Exchange seems to often be a waste of time. So much of the content is based on running in an enterprise environment and thus completely not related to SBS-Exchange at all. This is by far, the best overview of Exchange that I have ever read. The nuts and bolts of how it sends mail and even tools to diagnose problems are discussed.

Given the complexity of this very mature product and the essential nature of e-mail for a business, this chapter alone might justify the cost of the book. Very thorough and well-written. I could easily imagine that this could save the cost of a call to PSS. If this chapter doesn't have the answer to your Exchange question, I'll bet it will have something that will put you on the right track to finding it.

Chapter 7 Windows SharePoint Services: Advanced Topics by Jonathan Hassell

I think this chapter was a disappointment. Almost four whole pages were spent enumerating fixes covered in Service Pack 1. How is this important to me? Post a link, and I'll hit it if I want. Show me how to do NEW stuff. Two of the other examples mentioned are just screenshots of what Microsoft has on their SharePoint spot.

There is good information on linking Access to WSS. Frankly, I agree with Harry's comments from the last book, that SharePoint may well be the greatest reason to upgrade to Office 2003. I am amazed at what this makes possible.

There is also information on backing up and restoring SharePoint via the stsadmin tool, the migrate tool and also the SQL backup tool. This is very timely information. However, I have to wonder why this wouldn't have been presented in the "Basic and Intermediate" book.

Perhaps the author had a conflict of interest in writing this chapter as it looks like he charges a lot of money for training sessions on customizing SharePoint. I was surprised to see that he mentions an application of SharePoint and the screenshot didn't seem to have anything to do with the functionality he mentions.

Chapter 8 Remote Web Workplace: Advanced Topics by Wayne Small

Ah, refreshing detail here. Wayne does a great job of identifying what functionality is needed, by whom and with which devices. He covers RWW in excellent detail along with extensive troubleshooting. His coverage even includes editing the registry to change details which may be significant to your RWW setup. This chapter is the first to really earn the "Advanced" label.

This chapter is very well written and provides significant value for the reader. The troubleshooting tips and the website he has which can help would be a great way to justify this book. Having all of this information in an easy to access place is greatly helpful. The detail in the troubleshooting part could be sufficient to save a call to PSS.

Chapter 9 Using MS SQL Server 2000 with SBS 2003 by Alan Shrater

This is a breakthrough chapter. I think the content is sufficient to allow one to conceive of other uses, but not so thorough that it is all inclusive.

This section of the book is well written. It encourages the reader to think more outside of the box as far as how to use SQL and its benefits over just Access. This is one of the few places so far in the book, where there has been an effort made to justify the additional cost of the upgrade. I think the Mr. Shrater succeeds admirably. I thought he did a really good job of describing how SQL and Access can co-exist happily.

One of the other excellent resources is the listing of recommended reading. I think this article will really help implementation of Premium installations and help people see a bigger picture than previously.


Chapter 10 Fax Server: Advanced Topics Kevin Royalty

I may not be a good judge for this chapter. I don't use fax much, and am frankly surprised that it persists as much as it does, given how much more flexible e-mail is.

I will say that the chapter flowed well and seemed to make sense. After a review of hardware that seems to be a listing of the most expensive faxes available, the process of setting up different fax configurations was gone over. Dealing with 10 digit dialing and 7 digit dialing in the same environment is also covered.

Chapter 11 Advanced Security: Part 1 General by Susan Bradley

Wow! I have had the opportunity to listen to Susan Bradley before. She has a website at www.sbsdiva.com and I've been there many times looking for answers.

I'd bet that I've read or heard of 60% of the security stuff that she talks about in this chapter. This is the first time I've seen so much of it in so coherent a presentation.

The chapter is largely generalities: assessing risk, mitigating risk, implementing a defense, evaluating and even recovering. There are a wide array of security tools mentioned, sites to reference, procedures to understand.

This is a very well presented writing on the subject. I think it is a useful reference for anyone using SBS. Her thinking is very much based on handling real world situations and protecting the digital assets of a company.

This chapter alone may well be a good reason to buy this book. You can probably find all of the information she presents somewhere else, but having it all right at your fingertips is a very good thing and a GREAT time saver.

I was particularly impressed with the discussion about changing permissions to allow programs which profess to require the "Administrator" role to run safely in lower permission levels.

The large number of third party tools listed along with other websites to go to for more information will also be very valuable to the reader.

I hesitate to say that I enjoyed this chapter, because I didn't. Security and all of its inherent pains is one of my least favorite aspects of the computing world. However, it is the state of the world today and having read this, I am better equipped to deal with it.

Chapter 12 Advanced Security: Part 2 ISA Server 2004 by Beatrice Mulzer and Dr. Tom Shindler

This chapter was written without the benefit of having seen even the beta for the SP1 implementation of ISA 2004 for SBS 2003 Premium customers. You'll see this phrase often: Visit http://www.smbnation.com/isaupdates.html for when an updated version of this chapter is available.

There are some examples of tasks and screenshots, but as the software hasn't been released yet, it seems that this would have been a good candidate for the next volume.

Chapter 13 System Monitoring by Lawrence A Rodis

This chapter is well written and easy to follow. References are given for further research. Both Microsoft and non-Microsoft tools are mentioned, and many of the third-party tools are free for small networks. There was no pricing information given on the other tools which is a pet peeve of mine.

Several charts of events and services to be monitored are given. There is a list for hardware performance, Exchange, and ISA. It is mentioned that other apps that the business depends on also need to be monitored.

Rodis mentions that with some of the tools, the ability to scale up the number of systems has been significantly improved. This is a very good thing as it is exactly where I presume many of the readers of this chapter would like to be.

Chapter 14 SBS Disaster Recovery by Jeff Middleton

Excellent!! Jeff Middleton has done a fantastic job of covering this subject. The beginning of the 110 page chapter covers the boot process, what happens when and how to recover if it goes wrong.

There is extensive coverage of recovering from a problem using various different methods, including ASR, a backup, and a drive image. There is discussion of potential problem areas with specialized applications like SQL and SharePoint and how to work around them.

Different tools are described and how to use them. Exchange and its components and how to fix and recover them are described.

It is difficult to describe all that is described in the process of this chapter. I think Jeff's writing is some of the most clear and concise of the authors included. His experience and confidence are displayed by the easily readable explanations of some pretty technical concepts.

It was interesting to me that Jeff is the only author who refers to the Product Support Services Team as an option in his writing. It is clear that he has been willing to jump in over his head and make things happen. He refers people to his website at sbsmigration.com for further assistance with Disaster Recovery or his Swing Migration method.

His experience with the Disaster Recovery methods he writes about are the inspiration for his Swing Migration method. This method, covered in the next chapter, was highly lauded at the SMB Nation 2004. He was the only author there to get a standing ovation. (That I saw anyway.)

This is another of the chapters which makes this book such a valuable asset to have.

Chapter 15 SBS Disaster Recovery by Jeff Middleton
I didn't read this chapter before getting this done, and haven't gone back to do so.

I'm not one to to get back online to specifically do a review, but in this case I just had to. I've always been a great believer in "googling" and in 99.9% of cases, I'm able to find solutions to problems or answers to issues that arise in the normal course of SBS management (thanks mostly to the contributions of the authors of this book in various newsgroups).

SBS2K3 is a new product to me, and I'm in the throes of upgrading from SBS2K.

I made a conscious effort to setup a test server and use the book as a guide towards an optimum installation. The amount of new information that I came across in the book was really quite amazing. And I'm only 30% of the way through the book!

An absolute must for budding SBSers.

This book is great for installing SBS in a real world environment. Most books I looked at gave you the step by step instructions but were no help in the real world. This book gives you advice on real world situation that I couldn't find in any other book. The most if not all of the authors have real world experience with SBS and help point out areas that need to be patched and other things to look for during your install and setup. The chapters are written so you can read the book from cover to cover, but best of all you can skip to the chapter that you really need. This book will give you examples and solutions that you will not find in most books. This book is a great resource to have in any library.

This is a very good book on SBS2003 for experienced SBSers.
The only draw back are the built in advertisements for the author's other books and services. You'll come across plenty of paragraphs containing sentences like ....but that doesn't need to be covered here, it's covered in my other book yada yada yada...... Still this is a very good book and highly recommended.

This book was based on the very first release of Small Business Server 2003 that was released in 2003, and so is outdated. Despite its title, it is 'advanced' only when compared to its 'beginner' predecessor. There are no 'advanced' Small Business Server (SBS) books.

Typical of this publisher, the lack of editing is evident from the varying quality of the chapters on substance and spelling and grammar. It could have been published in half as many pages were it not for the redundant Notes boxes and poor page layout. Some authors were very detailed and comprehensive while others left much to be desired. A few chapters remain useful, but there are better and more current titles available today.

This book is much better than the first in the series. It contains much less tedious humour and much more substantive content. Partly this is because this book is a collaboration, with each chapter written by a different author, each experts in their own field. But also, even the couple of chapters written by Mr Brelsford himself are much more tightly written and focused than I was expecting. After being disappointed with the first book I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Book goes into much deeper topics such as deploying software via Group Policy. It even discusses modifying the registry keys for how the RWW is built.

Discusses using MS Access with Sharepoint and much more.

This is the best book that I have read on SBS. In fact I would go as far as saying that it is one of the most well written books on windows based software solutions that I have ever read.

This book is a must buy for any SBS Professional