Book details of 'Special Edition Using Windows NT Server 4 (2nd Edition)'

Title	Special Edition Using Windows NT Server 4 (2nd Edition)
Author(s)	Roger Jennings, Donald B. Benage, Steve Crandall, Kate Gregory, Darren Mar-Elia, Kevin Nikkhoo, Michael Regelski, J. Brad Rhoades, Alan Simkins, Robert Bruce Thompson, Paul Thomsen, Stephen Wynkoop
ISBN	0789713888
Language	English
Published	September 1997
Publisher	Que

---

Back to shelf Computer
Amazon.com info for Special Edition Using Windows NT Server 4 (2nd Edition)

Score:

Vote for this book

The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Special Edition Using Windows NT Server 4 (2nd Edition)':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Many parts of this book fail to provide a thorough understanding of the use of Windows NT Server, falling back on the easier task of supplying a sequence of screen shots and dialogue boxes in a reproduction of program documentation. It also feels "preachy" at times. That the book is biased towards Microsoft products can be accepted. However, the bias tends to be more chauvinistic than informed. Part one concentrates on networking. Chapter one is an introduction to what's new in Windows NT Server 4.0. Unfortunately, it doesn't really provide the stated overview of NT 4.0: you need to be familiar with previous versions to NT to get the most out of the contents. Development of a network implementation plan is the objective of chapter two, but the material, while it raises good questions, fails to provide answers or direction. Chapter three doesn't present much understanding of the operating system, although it does point to a few interesting chapters later in the book. Many network protocols are mentioned in chapter four, but there is little text helping to support a particular choice. Chapter five is a fairly generic look at cabling, media access, and other hardware concerns. Almost none of the content is NT specific. Those building NT servers and networks will not find it very helpful. Getting Windows NT 4.0 out onto the desktop(s) in the theme of part two. Chapter six optimistically assumes that a basic server installation can take about half an hour. This assumption seems to be based on the presumption that all you need to do is follow the prompts. However, the chapter does provide some good information regarding service packs, and a little bit on system recovery. RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks), in chapter seven, seems to be two chapters in one. The first half generically reviews hardware RAID without reference to NT, and the second half walks through the screen shots for NT's software RAID implementation. Again, the coverage of backup in chapter eight follows this schizoid approach by, for example, including recordable CD-ROMs under the possible list of media, without stressing the fact the NTBACKUP will not save to anything other than tape. Chapter nine can't be said to lack specificity to NT since it deals with the Registry, but it deals with it briefly, and lacks basic information necessary to dealing comfortably with Registry editing. TCP/IP, WINS, and DNS, in chapter ten, is the usual assemblage of screen shots. Much the same is true of Windows 95 networking in chapter eleven, although there is a good deal of useful information. Chapter twelve, on other clients, is a bit difficult to follow. Part three looks at security administration. Chapter thirteen is a standard run-through of user manager for domains. Chapter fourteen does the same for the administrative apps for disks and printers, albeit with a few interesting tips. Chapter fifteen is a helpful overview of a number of seldom used monitoring programs, but is probably too short to be truly useful for optimization. Chapter sixteen gives an even more interesting presentation of network monitoring tools, but also fails to really deal with troubleshooting. Connecting computers over a wider area, and also the Internet, is the topic for part four. The domain model is introduced briefly in chapter seventeen. Although chapter eighteen is supposed to be about integrating NT with NetWare and UNIX, it might more properly be described as how to replace NetWare services with NT or grab UNIX services from NT. I'd have to say that the coverage of management of Remote Access Service in chapter nineteen is good, since it would have saved me a lot of grief in a recent installation. Chapter twenty, on the setup of Internet Information Server, is about equally split between general background and the program itself, but the split is likely appropriate in this case. The instructions regarding administration of an intranet and Web site in chapter twenty one are good as far as they go, but probably don't go far enough. Part five promotes Microsoft BackOffice as a major technology. The promotion is not very convincing, but leaves the impression of a collection of diverse, if mostly integrated, applications, rather than an identifiable concept. Chapter twenty two says something about taking advantage of BackOffice integration, but seems to be primarily concerned with licensing arrangements. Installation and basic operation of MS SQL consumes chapter twenty three. The myriad tasks associated with MS Exchange make chapter twenty four quite long. Systems Management Server, in chapter twenty five, seems similar. From the title, part six would seem to be a preview of NT 5.0. However, the two chapters point out some of the upgrade enhancements now available in NT 4.0 that foreshadow related technologies promised for the later version. As a whole, the book contains too many ups and downs in coverage to be considered as a single source of help. It does, though, have points of interest and strengths that might make it worth considering as an adjunct text. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998
Add my review for Special Edition Using Windows NT Server 4 (2nd Edition)