[.ca] Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Resource Kit (ISBN 1572318058)

From Amazon.com:
By volume, topics covered, and the authority of the authors, nothing documents Redmond's new operating system quite like Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit. The kit consists of seven books and a well-organized CD-ROM. Each of the books contains comprehensive information about the respective area that it covers, be it TCP/IP or distributed systems. The kit not only includes essential information but also contains detail and background information for its many subjects in great depth. For example, the book that covers Internet Information Server includes instructions on developing client/server and multitier applications. The Windows 2000 TCP/IP Core Networking Guide also has an outstanding introduction to the core tenets of TCP/IP. Systems administration manuals have come a long way in terms of usability and presentation, but they are still not the easiest to use. Many books (including some from Microsoft) of lesser scope provide information in a format that's easier to follow, and that includes screen shots and step-by-step instructions. The volumes in this kit do not provide as many images, illustrations, or diagrams as other volumes, but the level of technical detail is unbeatable. Many of the volumes could stand alone. The Distributed Systems Guide, which is over 1,600 pages long, contains complete coverage of Active Directory, PKI, Distributed File System, PKI, and much more. Why the set includes the Internet Explorer 5 Resource Kit is unclear--it stands apart from the others in that it covers an application rather than a core piece of the OS. If you have room in your budget and the need for the most comprehensive and authoritative guide available on Windows 2000 Server, this is it. --John Keogh Topics covered: Each book contains a great deal of information on its subject as listed below. The topics show breadth of coverage for each book and the CD-ROM, rather than simply listing all subjects covered. Security is not mentioned specifically since it is addressed throughout the kit. Operations Guide: Disks, storage media, remote storage, types of file systems, network printing, network printing from non-Windows machines, performance monitoring, memory and caching, monitoring processor activity, examining and tuning disk performance, Dynamic Disks, monitoring network performance, measuring multiprocessor system activity, system recovery, designing reliable systems, backups, repair, recovery, restoration, troubleshooting, boot process, troubleshooting boot problems, Windows 2000 Stop Messages. TCP/IP Core Networking Guide: Introduction to TCP/IP, Windows TCP/IP suite, NETBIOS, TCP/IP troubleshooting, TCP/IP tools, DHCP, WINS, Windows 2000 DNS, IPSec, Quality of Service, OSI Model, Windows 2000 Network Architecture, TCP/IP remote utilities, DHCP Options, SNMP. Internetworking Guide: Unicast Routing, Routing and Remote Access Service, unicast IP routing, IP multicast support, IPX routing, Demand Dial Routing, Remote Access Server, Internet authentication service, virtual private networks, L2TP, PPTP, interoperability with IBM Host Systems, services for Unix, interoperability with NetWare, services for Macintosh, ATM, Telephony integration and conferencing, TAPI 3, NetBEUI, data link control, IBM SNA interoperability concepts. Distributed Systems Guide: Active Directory logical structure, Active Directory data storage, name resolution in Active Directory, Active Directory schema, Global Catalogs, service publication in Active Directory, Active Directory replication, LDAP, Kerberos, managing flexible single-master operations, monitoring performance in Active Directory, Active Directory backup and restore, Active Directory diagnostics, troubleshooting, recovery, authentication, public key technology, cryptography, Encrypting File System, EFS administration, Windows 2000 certificate services and public key infrastructure, Distributed File System, file replication service, network load balancing, interpreting the cluster log, introduction to desktop management, group policy, software installation and maintenance, remote OS installation, troubleshooting, change and configuration management. Deployment Planning Guide: Overview of deployment planning, creating a deployment roadmap, planning for deployment, creating a test lab, conducting a Windows 2000 pilot, preparing your network infrastructure for Windows 2000, determining network connectivity strategies, Windows 2000 DHCP, using system management server to analyze your network infrastructure, designing the Active Directory structure, domain naming, domain migration strategies, planning distribution security, planning your public key infrastructure, automating server installation and upgrades, using systems management server to deploy Windows 2000, upgrading and installing member servers, deploying Terminal Services, determining Windows 2000 network security strategies, ensuring the availability of applications and services, determining Windows 2000 storage management and strategies, synchronizing Active Directory with Exchange Server directory service, testing applications for compatibility with Windows 2000, defining a client connectivity strategy, defining client administration and configuration standards, applying change and configuration management, automating client installation and upgrades, tools, accessibility for people with disabilities, sample planning worksheets (included as an appendix). Internet Information Services 5.0 Resource Guide: Overview of IIS, migrating to the new version, migrating a Web server to IIS 5.0, capacity planning, monitoring and tuning your server, developing Web applications, considerations for Unix applications, ISAPI, data access and transactions, administering an ISP installation, security, access to legacy applications and data, ASP best practices, site security planning. Internet Explorer 5: Overview of IE 5, IE 5 components, customization and administration, working with different platforms, understanding related tools and programs, digital certificates, security based on the source of content, security of the Microsoft Java VM, content ratings and user privacy, planning deployment, accessibility features and functionality, setting up and administering a pilot program, Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit, setting up connections, connection management, running the Internet Explorer customization wizard, customizing setup, automating, working with .inf files, deploying Microsoft Internet Explorer 5, implementing the signup process, using automatic configuration and automatic proxy, keeping programs updated, supporting users, troubleshooting, batch mode setups, IE 5 options. The CD-ROM: Many tools, including migration tools, network troubleshooting tools, and more.

Scale model of Microsoft market share.:
This set of books is enormous. The sheer quantity of information that Microsoft has made available through this kit is almost overwhelming. If there is anything that you want to know about Windows 2000 server (regular, advanced and datacenter) you WILL find it here. An outstanding reference for system administrators and would be MCSA/MCSEs, this kit gives you incredible detail about the key features of Active Directory, Windows 2000 DNS, and migration planning. The only major draw back to the kit is its haphazard cross-referencing between the books within the set. Expect to do a lot of book switching and index checking. Some of the books also expect that you have read the Windows Help file on your server. This set has made a giant leap in readability. The clean layout and clear writing style keeps you attentive without loading "fluff" into its explanations.

Not Very Practical:
Don't buy this set of books if you are interested in learning how to manage a 2000 server. It is very theoretical and devoid of practical advice. There are much better resources available if you are looking for a "how to" or reference book.

If you are an IT pro in a W2K shop, you MUST HAVE this:
Print this out and take it to your boss. The IT department has to buy a this expensive set of books if you are running Windows 2000 Server. The on-line help is for users. This is the documentation set for professionals. There are the books MS no longer includes with the software. You also need this as a reference if you expect to get a W2K MCSE or if you make a living consulting to W2K shops. This should be a total no brainer. You might be able to administer one or two low usage servers without these, but if you intend to implement the powerful new features of W2K (that's what you paid all that money to MS for, isn't it?) then you simply can't get by without these. While a good deal of this info can be obtained from TechNet or Knowledgebase, you just can't highlight and dogear those resources for future reference. And even those resources are incomplete compared to this. I'm giving this 5 stars not because of outstanding performance on the part of Microsoft Press with these editions, but because of the absolute necessity of having them.

For Microsoft gurus, this is a must-have reference!:
I hate the size of this Resource Kit, the biggest ResKit published by Microsoft so far. But the material more than justifies its size - every thing you need to know about the Windows 2000 platform and Active Directory is in here. I keep coming back to this one from time to time to refer to a lot of stuff that I would've otherwise overlooked. If you hate the idea of carrying or shelving this ResKit, the whole thing's available on the CD as well. I prefer to read long artciles/topics on paper - the CD servers as a Field Reference. Has plenty of tools too - some of them available for free on the Microsoft web site. This Resource Kit is the best investment in a Microsoft Press book i've ever made. Bharat Suneja MCT

A mountain of knowledge:
This set of books contains everything one needs to know as a system administrator working in a Windows 2000 Domain. I've needed to refer to each book SEVERAL times to take care of one problem or another. My only complaint, now, is that it is outdated by design (in other words, it is printed). The withholding of a star may be a statement about Microsoft and their tendency to release buggy software, but as service pack after service pack has been released, I find myself trusting this information less and less. I always read from the reference books and then double check online to make sure it hasn't changed, as that has happened on occassion. If you are getting these books, I would advise you to do the same. Microsoft's support page should be bookmarked in your browser.