Microsoft® Windows Server(TM) 2003 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) [Paperback]

William R. Stanek (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0735620482 | ISBN-13: 978-0735620483

Dig in—and discover how to put the reliability, scalability, and security enhancements in Windows Server 2003 to work! This supremely organized reference packs all the details you need to plan and manage a Windows Server 2003 implementation and handle everyday administration. You’ll gain hundreds of timesaving solutions, troubleshooting tips, and workarounds, along with more than 100 tools and scripts on CD. Find the best and fastest ways to perform everyday system administration tasks, and challenge yourself to new levels of Windows Server mastery!

• Plan, prepare, and install Windows Server 2003 interactively or remotely
• Identify clear upgrade and migration paths, including incremental adoptions
• Design, manage, and maintain Active Directory sites, domains, and forests
• Manage storage, file systems, network resources, and print services
• Plan for and implement high availability with clustering and load balancing
• Set up and troubleshoot TCP/IP networking, DHCP, WINS, and DNS
• Configure security settings and manage critical updates and service packs
• Exploit command-line tools and scripts for simple to sophisticated tasks
• Perform backups and restoration and tune performance
• Get “insider secrets” and exclusive tips from the author!

CD features:

• Complete eBook in PDF format
• Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools—100+ tools and scripts for managing Active Directory operations, group policy, TCP/IP networks, the registry, security features, and more
• Extensive catalog of resources—with links to Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Resource Kit tools, File Replication Services (FRS) tools, Management Pack tools for Microsoft Operations Manager, Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 1.2, and more
• Microsoft Systems Architecture 2.0 documentation—enterprise-class architectural blueprints and implementation guidance
• Insider Extras—including documentation on FRS, Emergency Management Services, certificates, and clustering

A Note Regarding the CD or DVD

The print version of this book ships with a CD or DVD. For those customers purchasing one of the digital formats in which this book is available, we are pleased to offer the CD/DVD content as a free download via O'Reilly Media's Digital Distribution services. To download this content, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to [e-mail].

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William R. Stanek is a Microsoft MVP with 20+ years of experience in systems management and advanced programming. He is an award-winning author who’s written more than 100 books, including Windows 7 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant and Windows Server 2008 Inside Out. He is the series editor for the Pocket Consultant line of books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1488 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (July 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735620482
• ISBN-13: 978-0735620483
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William has over 20 years of hands-on experience with advanced programming and development. He is a leading technology expert, an award-winning author, and a pretty-darn-good instructional trainer. Over the years, his practical advice has helped millions of programmers, developers, and network engineers all over the world. He has written more than 100 books. Find William on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WilliamStanekAuthor.

William has been involved in the commercial Internet community since 1991. His core business and technology experience comes from over 11 years of military service. He has substantial experience in developing server technology, encryption, and Internet solutions. He has written many technical white papers and training courses on a wide variety of topics. He frequently serves as a subject matter expert and consultant.

William has an MS with distinction in information systems and a BS in computer science, magna cum laude. He is proud to have served in the Persian Gulf War as a combat crewmember on an electronic warfare aircraft. He flew on numerous combat missions into Iraq and was awarded nine medals for his wartime service, including one of the United States of America's highest flying honors, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross. Currently, he resides in the Pacific Northwest with his wife and children.

William recently rediscovered his love of the great outdoors. When he's not writing, teaching, or making presentations, he can be found hiking, biking, backpacking, traveling, or trekking in search of adventure.

Follow William on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WilliamStanek. William also writes as Robert Stanek. To learn more about Ruin Mist, Magic Lands, Bugville Critters, visit http://www.bugvillecritters.com/.

William R. Stanek (www.williamstanek.com) lived in Japan from 1985 to 1989. He traveled extensively and made many friends. While living in Japan, he spent much of his free time in Aomori (青森), Hachinohe (八戸), Misawa (三沢), and Tokyo (東京). He misses the wonderful food and drink and the good friends he made. He says, "On break, I traveled all over. On the island of Hokkaidô in Sapporo they have these wonderful Ice Festivals. My favorite thing about spring was the Cherry Blossom Festival. I'd take day trips to Aomori (青森) and Hachinohe (八戸) all the time. While in Japan, I studied kendo, the Japanese language, and Buddhism."

William lived in Europe from 1989 to 1991. During that time, he lived in Germany (mostly) and had several extended stays in the UK and Scotland including deployments to Mildenhall, UK. He spent his time in the UK travelling, and especially enjoyed his visits to Cambridge and London. He's been a football (soccer) fan since he was old enough to kick a ball and especially enjoyed being in Kaiserslautern for the championships. He misses the wonderful food and drink and the good friends he made. He says, "There's nothing like Fridays at the pub or Saturday market."

William lived in Hawaii from 1991 to 1996. During that time, he worked shift-work at Kunia Field Station, attended Hawaii Pacific University and University of Hawaii, and spent a lot of time at the beach. He and his wife's first child was born in Hawaii. William's writing career began in Hawaii when his first book, Electronic Publishing Unleashed, was published in 1995. The runaway success of that book and it's sequel, Web Publishing Unleashed, helped establish him as a leader and innovator in technical writing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, July 8, 2004

By 

John H (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft® Windows Server(TM) 2003 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) (Paperback)

Had this for about a week now... haven't had a chance to read the whole thing but what I've read has been outstanding. This book is probably best for the Windows Server 2003 admin who wants to get the most out of the OS. You probably couldn't go past this book for its great design, excellent writing style and breadth of advice. The book revealed features I had no idea were present in 2003, and told me enough to begin using them. It's incredible how up-to-date this book is especially when it comes to AD. It covers all the latest.

I also have Minasi's book. I have to say this book is in many ways better. The AD section in this is understandable and extremely thorough. Minasi's is all over the place. This book has better Registry, DNS, networking, RIS, DHCP, printer, storage, and terminal services sections. Overall this is a much better book and I gave Minasi's book a 5 so this has got to be a 6! Stanek's Pocket books are well know for being clear, concise and thorough. This is being more of the same and you get a book packed with nearly 1500 pages! In short I think if you are looking for a complete Windows 2003 reference book this is the one. If you're looking for a quick ref as well pick up Stanek's Windows 2003 pocket admin. I use both all the time now.

What impressed me most about this is the attention to detail. Stanek tells you more than how and why it works. He provides expert advice to make Windows run better with less problems and when you have problems there's complete solutions. Nearly every chapter in the book provides troubleshooting, tips for maintaining it over time, tips for making it work better, tips for working around known issues. When it comes to networking every technology is covered with many security, design and implementation options provides.

For anyone studying for MCSE, this book is a must. I have learned more from this than my MCSE course books plus it covers everything those books cover. Another plus for the book is the CD which comes with an e-book version of the book, the Windows 2003 Resource Kit, and a lot of extras. This book has already made me a better administrator (and I am pretty good). I plan to read the book cover to cover to learn even more. I wouldn't be surprised if the Windows bootcamps start handing this out. It's the one I'd want to get if I was starting out and it's pretty darn good for us pros as well.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent W2K3 Administrators book, September 14, 2004

By 

Scott Rue "Scott" (Blue Springs, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft® Windows Server(TM) 2003 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) (Paperback)

No Windows server book can cover every subject but Windows Server 2003 Inside Out comes close. Stanek's Inside Out is the second big Windows book I purchased (after Minasi's Mastering). In all honesty Stanek's is a more complete book but both are good.

Inside Out covers many topics not covered in Mastering including upgrades, migration, unattended installs (separate from RIS), clustering, DNS architecture, AD architecture, AD design, AD recovery, AD replication, group policy managment, print server migration, and the list goes on and on. Plus where it counts Inside Out is more detailed, accurate, and easy to understand.

With Inside Out, its details, details, details and it makes all the difference. Like when you are installing a domain controller Stanek remembers to tell you how to prepare, what to expect, and what to watch out for. He tells you how to search your entire system with a single command for encrypted files that will get hosed if you don't watch out and do what he says before installing. Stanek points out all the little tips and tricks.

I've always had a hard time learning things but this book made it so easy for me. Pick any subject, look it up in Stanek's book and read it to find out everything you wanted to know. One area of the os I thought I knew was the file system. It was an eyeopener to read Chapter 20. I didn't know you could do half of that with NTFS. Everything I've looked up has been this way so far.

I can't recommend this book highly enough! Microsoft should use this book in their training courses.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best technical book on Windows 2003...Outstanding, October 5, 2004

By 

Benjamin Foster "Ben" (Fayetteville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft® Windows Server(TM) 2003 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft)) (Paperback)

This is better than any other books out there that do nothing more than tell you how things SHOULD work; this tells you how things DO work. Our primary domain controller crashed and resisted all attempts at restores. We continued to have network problems with it out of the chain. I knew pretty much nothing about administering active directory (besides the basics of adding groups, users, etc.) and picked this book up to try to help us. There was a section in it about the first server that gets active directory installed serving as the operations master and how to seize that function to another server. After seizing that and a few others, our domain started behaving itself again. Along the way, I picked up some other useful knowledge and now our domain is actually running faster. The book also showed how to do proper back ups and restores of Active Directory so we never have this problem again.

I would echo what others said that this book will help you with specific problems. I was impressed with the author's use of real-world scenarios and experience as well as the graphics and screen shots to help you.

Highly recommended.