Customer Reviews

Inside Windows 2000 Server (Inside Windows Guides)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a Technical Trainer and this is the only book I always take on the road with me for W2K reference (I have over 10 W2K reference books in my library, so I know whats out there). It is how things "actually are", rather than just how they are "suppose to be". Very practical knowledge, especially in the hardware/software interaction area, but you can get into subjects (like Active Directory) in greater depth if you need to. Have recommended it to my fellow trainers. Can't wait for the second edition.

I'm about 3/4 through the book but love it. Very well written and logically organized. The networking and DNS chapters gave me a much better understanding of NT-TCP/IP concepts - cleared up many misconceptions for me. My main focus when buying the book was for Active Directory and VPN but the book is so well designed I'm giving it a thorough reading from beginning to end. The author points out certain areas where functionality has changed between NT4 and W2K so the reader can avoid erroneous assumptions. All in all a very complete source.

It's one thing to find a book whose scope and depth are appropriate to a subject, and wherein the technical details don't seem merely pasted from an RFC or help documentation. It's another to find this sort of uncommon quality coupled with a lucid and engaging writing style. No, I'm not implying that this is would be the equivalent of a "Windows 2000 for Dummies." Far, far beyond that. This book covers the details more than the generalities, and the prose is two notches above that of nearly any other technical reference I've used, and is matched by well-detailed coverage of all the major areas that an administrator will have to engage Windows 2000. The text is written from the perspective of a seasoned pro who's standing beside you with commentary on practical implementation details, not a fresh-faced technical trainer who's walking you through all the common GUI's. If you REALLY want to know how to approach administering Windows 2000 enterprise, and appreciate good writing, get this book. It's not geared toward certification, it's geared toward real-life issues.

There are a disturbing number of misprints. The section on Active directory is excellent and if you have a very good understanding of AD, you can read through the mistakes and misprints. The book contains some step-by-step procedures for demonstrating a successful administrative chore - a feature which will prove invaluable.

It is only the misprints cause this book to be 4 stars rather than 5.

In general I don't like technical bibles like this one. If it's possible I avoid thick technical books with more than 1000 pages or so because I simply don't have time and discipline to stick with such book. Despite of my habit I bought this book thinking that a good reference guide will at least come handy in the following months. But...after reading first few chapters I was surprised how readable this book is and now I'm reading it from cover to cover. The amount of technical details covered in this book is amazing. Author definitely knows what he's writing about from his own experience. You'll find description and precautions about (almost) every item from Windows 2000 arsenal; Installation, DNS, Active Directory, Data Storage, Security, Kerberos, Group policies, Remote Access, Recovery...you named it. The structure of the book is straightforward and the number of typos is minimal considering the size of the book, thanks to excellent job done by technical reviewers! You can choose your own path of reading or follow the author like me. One last reminder to those of you who are searching for definitive Inside Windows 2000 book. If you are network administrator then this is the book to start with (it's also more than excellent starting point for all MCSE's out there preparing for upgrade exams), on the other hand I found David Solomon and Mark Russinovich book "Inside Windows 2000 Third Edition" invaluable for application developers or network administrators curious about OS internals.

I used it for 70-215 Windows 2000 Server Exam and it complimented Exam Cram2 and Sybex excellently. It has more information than you'll need for the test but just enough for the job. Humorus and witty writing that doesn't insult your intellegence like Mike Meyers' Passport's or bored and perplexed like Micro$oft. It has quite a few chapters devoted to Active Directory so it also makes a great introductory to the 70-217 (which you should pass before you take the 70-216, 70-216 is a killer). I don't know how it holds up to Server 2000 by Mark Minasi but it surpasses all the other books on server (and I've read them all). It's only has two faults.

One: It is not an introductory book, it require a fair amount of survey knowledge. I recommend Reading Sybex's 70-215 book first.

Two: Is that it was written just as 2000 came out and has yet to be updated (still contains practical knowledge).

If Boswell came out with a 2nd edition, I'd buy it full price and have it shipped overnight. But even as a 1st edition, it far out paces most server books that are even in their 3rd edition. You can't beat it a it's price.

This book is a great addition to any W2K networker's library. It provides real-world examples, helpful troubleshooting tips, and is written in an easy to read format.

It is also helpful as a review and technical resource for those individuals working on their MCSE's in W2K. It provides a good background, and many of the screen shots and menus that (unfortunately) must be memorized in order to pass the MCSE exams. It's not designed as an MCSE study book, but nonetheless it is useful and necessary information.

I have seen and read many books on the subject, this is the best. The in-depth coverage is impressive, the writing style is pleasant and keeps the reader engaged. I enjoyed the examples and metaphores,though, at times, the author gets carried away - he gives a 2 page storey from a spy novel (a la John leCarre) to illustrate how Kerberos authentication works. For some, it may not be an easy reading, but if you can read and understand, it is a rewarding experience. I read it twice, plan to read it a few more time before I pass my MCSE 2000. My only complaint is the binding, it is too big for soft binding.

I purchased this book to supplement my MCSE training- After finding several large discrepancies with Microsoft's recommendations, I returned the book. For example, I believe it is on page 150 where the book states to use Uptomp.exe from the W2K resource kit after adding a processor. This goes against Microsoft's recommendation (see Q234558). In fact, I couldn't even find this utility on the W2K resource kit. Uptomp.exe was a utility used for NT. After missing a practice test exam due to this, I felt like I couldn't trust the materials in this book any longer and took it back.

As a Microsoft Certified Trainer I often need reference materials to nail down a detail in answer to a student's question. After TechNet, my next stop is Mr. Boswell's excellent book. Either he covers the subject in marvelous detail, or not at all. This is as it should be since a single paragraph on a complex topic is often worse than no coverage at all. I have been over and over DNS many times, yet I found a few good nuggets in my most recent review of Mr. Boswell's coverage of DNS.

There are some nice touches of humour along the way to further delight the reader. I am constantly skimming through books, looking for good ones to put on the shelf as a definitive reference and this is at the top of the heap. Many others I have read have been riddled with errors on points of fact, as well as spelling and typographical errors. This book is impressively well-edited. At fifty U.S. dollars, this book is a steal compared with most of the Windows 2000 books out there. I eagerly await Mr. Boswell's next endeavour.