Understanding Microsoft Windows 2000 Distributed Services (Developer Technology) [Paperback]

David Chappell (Author), Don Box (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: Developer Technology | Publication Date: May 14, 2000

Programmers and technical managers get a clear overview of Microsoft Transaction Server, the keystone to the service technologies that Microsoft is developing on top of Windows 2000. This readable, cogent overview of MTS architecture and related services also provides a clear understanding of how these technologies fit together in an enterprise's application strategies.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Microsoft Windows architecture has changed a lot recently. Understanding Microsoft Windows 2000 Distributed Services explains the big picture in its latest Windows DNA and Windows 2000 incarnations. This isn't strictly a programmer's text (it doesn't give recipes for building distributed applications), but neither is it just an administrator's guide (instructions for configuring Active Directory appear in other books). Instead, it's a thorough and carefully written explanation of how Windows 2000 and its applications run in a distributed environment, and how Windows supports distributed software and data in a secure way.

The didactic style of the book is exemplary, and it succeeds in unraveling complicated, extensively interlocked technologies for readers. It gives the experience of watching a good presentation: author Chappell explains concepts in text, which he then backs up with excellent conceptual diagrams. Typically, he's good about referring to other technologies; explaining, for instance, Active Directory in terms of its similarities and differences to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). Although there's no code in these pages, those readers who are programmers will be glad to find discussion on APIs and services. Altogether, this is a fine account of the latest Windows technologies. --David Wall

Topics covered: Windows 2000 and the Windows DNA distributed computing technologies, including Active Directory, the Component Object Model (COM), COM+, ActiveX Data Objects (ADOs), Distributed Transaction Services (DTS), and Microsoft Message Queuing Services (MSMQ). Also, there's in-depth discussion of how they all fit together.

About the Author

David Chappell BA(Hons Arch), MA(Arch), MA(Law), PhD, RIBA has worked as an architect in the public and private sectors and is currently the Director of David Chappell Consultancy Ltd. He frequently acts as an adjudicator and is author of ten books on construction law for Blackwell Publishing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (May 14, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157231687X
• ISBN-13: 978-1572316874
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,581,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Superb, July 19, 2000

By 

Richard Monson-haefel (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Microsoft Windows 2000 Distributed Services (Developer Technology) (Paperback)

I am the author of the book Enterprise JavaBeans, 2nd Edition (O'Reilly). As an author I was impressed with Chappell's ability to communicate very complex concepts with elegance, depth and clarity. David Chappell is clearly one of the best writers in the industry. As a distributed computing architect I found Chappell's coverage of the entire Windows 2000 distributed computing platform to be outstanding. Every architect, developer, and manager worth their salt should own a copy of this book. I give it my highest recommendation -- it's one of the best technical books I have ever read.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Definitive Guide, May 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Understanding Microsoft Windows 2000 Distributed Services (Developer Technology) (Paperback)

Ever since Microsoft launched the DNA initiative, I have all along looked forward to a book that can give a good overview of it. I especially want to know more about Active Directory Services available in Windows 2000. I have bought a book on DNA but was disappointed with the content (not least is the lack of coverage on Windows 2000) and writing style of the authors.

I did not hesitate to buy this book since it is by David Chappell, the author of Understanding ActiveX and OLE, which I bought and read a few years back.

The author shows again that he is a good writer. He knows how to present things in a simple way. For example, in a few pages, he can illustrate the relationship between DNS, LDAP and Active Directory. He leaves the details in later chapters but has enabled you to grasp the essential concepts. Another book on Active Directory Services starts with a lot of history and details of DNS, X.500 and LDAP up front and you end up losing sight of the big picture.

Likewise he has treated other complex subjects like COM and COM+ well. The ample number of diagrams throughout the book really helps the readers to understand the concepts.

I am not a developer but I would also recommend this book to them since it paints a good big picture of DNA. In fact my company is a competitor to Microsoft. I find this book useful as I can find out more about the technology of Microsoft.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise Description of Distributed Services, August 23, 2000

By 

Joshua Konkle "JKonkle" (Georgetown, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding Microsoft Windows 2000 Distributed Services (Developer Technology) (Paperback)

David Chappel deserves a standing ovation for this book. As a speaker, author, editor, teacher, consultant and architect I find this author of this book informative, enjoyable, insightful, educating, knowledgeable, and original. If you are trying to figure out how your enterprise architecture fits into Windows 2000 directory services, COM+, Transaction Server, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), etc - then this is your book. If it's not on your shelf, then you are missing a key to unlock the potential of Windows 2000.