Customer Reviews

Windows Server 2008 Inside Out

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Stanek once again is able to take technical topics and make them understandable. I have been running WinServer08 since beta one, and this book is an excellent reference for those of us already familiar with the Windows operating systems and newcomers alike.

It's written like all Stanek's others to deliver what I needed. It's so good I read the first few chapters straight through.

I have enjoyed reading Stanek's books for years. My understanding always has increased while reading his books. He understands practical IT in the real world and writes from experience and with a goal to increase our understanding.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone upgrading from previous versions and any current administrators.

I would give this book five stars except it is missing two very key features in 2008; information on Server Core and Hyper-V. When I read all of the reviews saying how great the book is, I expected all of the newer features to be covered but to my dismay the two areas I am working in are not covered at all! So folks beware, if you want information on Server Core or Hyper-V do not buy this book. The AD content is very good and very helpful and overall the book is well written and so far I have not found any mistakes. Good read other than what I mentioned. I recently bumped up my review to four stars since it helped me learn how to cluster with 2008. Still wished it covered server core but then it would be to big to carry around. :-)

This manual is cleary written and organized. Everything you should know about Windows Server 2008 is here. Stanek has a good sense about what's important and does a great job pointing out the features of the OS. With almost 20 years of Win experience under my belt, I got this book to keep me skills sharp. I've learned a lot of new tricks from this book. Nothing escapes the author's eye, every section clears up something or gives expert insights in ways I wouldn't have thought of myself.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone upgrading from previous versions and any current administrators. As a detailed reference it can't be beat. Great work, William!

As an admin, I've used this book since I bought it last year and it's answered my every question. Stanek's books are the benchmark of quality for computer manuals. He knows Windows and Microsoft products better than anyone else and he's both an actual writer AND a technical guru, giving us readers the best of both worlds- books that are readable, relavant and right on target. In the introduction William states he started working with Windows Server 2008 over when it was first being developed at Microsoft over six years ago and his intensive experience with the OS truly shows in every page. When you're reading it you feel you have a world class expert at your side - because you do.

This Inside Out uses every bit of its 1482 pages to provide clear, concise, accurate and descriptive information. The author notes the options a user has and provides an expert's perspective on their value and use. Beyond mere description of features and functionality, the book digs into the hows and whys and whens to use. The introductory chapter gets right into architecture changes, 64-bit computer, virtualization. It also highlights new diagnostic features and changes.

There is good reason that Stanek has been described as one of the "world's best technical writers." He is the best at providing an expert's perspective on working with the operating system efficiently. The book is written so that one almost feels that you are getting a hands-on lesson in using Windows Server 2008 straight from the author.

Beyond all of the information, advice and real world extras, Stanek has a great writing style. The writing is clear, concise and well organized, extremely rare for a computer related book. Stanek writes for multiple levels of need and understanding. He details the essentials for beginners, provides deeper material for intermediate admins, and digs in deep with extra material useful for advanced admins. There are many notes, tips and sidebars throughout which offer more technical tips, shortcuts, and expert insights. If you're an admin in small, medium or large business this is probably the only reference source you'll need to learn Windows Server 2008. Covers the core features, roles, services extensively.

I bought this book back in April to help me learn Windows Server 2008. At first I was somewhat overwhelmed as this is a monster book at nearly 1500 pages. I hung in there and read through Chapters 1, 2 and 3. Those chapters introduce new features, provide advice for planning and give specific instructions for installing Windows Server 2008. They are so well organized and so well presented that I felt better about making the move to Windows Server 2008.

In the acknowledgements, William states he has been working with Windows Server 2008 for six years (since 2002). After reading almost every chapter and page in the book over the past 4 months, it is clear that he knows Windows inside and out --- and probably better than anyone else in IT.

With what I learned from this book, I was able to help plan the migration of our network and directory services to Windows Server 2008. My manager selected me to perform the migration in our test lab. This was such a success I was selected to lead the deployment team, and our deployment is proceeding without a hitch!

The book is so packed with useful information I feel I got my money's worth and then some. I've bought several of Stanek's books in the past and they've never let me down. His writing style is top notch --- clear, concise and no nonsense.

I like this book, but what's with the draft-mode printing? The text is so light compared to my other "Inside Out" books, I wonder if this is Microsoft's way of trying to save some money by printing in what looks like draft mode? I study late at night by a lamp, and I have to strain sometimes to continue reading hours at a time with this light print.

My other issue is the ebook, the font doesn't really resemble the book. It seems like the book is printed in Times New Roman (I could be wrong), but the ebook is printed in...something else that's not too easy on the eyes.

However, the content is excellent, and other than the printing of the book and ebook, I'm glad I made this purchase.

This book was my "go-to" book when I was taking my many Windows Server 2008 classes. The book is fairly big, but has great information and fully explains everything you need to know along with screen shots of the actual program itself so it is easy to follow and you won't get lost. The index makes it easy to find things quickly. This has everything you could ever need and want to know about Windows Server 2008.

What more is there to say that hasn't already been said. If you are new to Windows Server, this is a great place to start.

Perfect book for all levels of IT. The amount of information the author placed on this book will justify any price tag, making it one of the first books I recommend for those who want to deploy, refresh, or learn the new platform that is Windows Server 2008.

I have only had this book for a couple of weeks and have already used this book a couple of times for my job, and so far, so good. I needed some information on hyper v and it got me through just fine. If you are looking for a great Windows Server 2008 guide, this one should fit the bill just fine.