Mastering Windows 2000 Server

Before I say how much I like this book, I'll confess I have not read it cover-to-cover, as I have the 3rd Edition and it is over 1800 pages. But it is a refreshing change from other texts on the same subject written by folks who think MS products are infallible. Why did I get this book? I'm not an IT person, but I write a lot of code... mainly for PHP/MySQL-based web sites that usually run Unix-based systems using Apache servers. When offered the challenge of designing a huge web-based application for my employer's intranet, I accepted, but only later found out I had to run my scripts on a Windows 2000 Server. And to make it worse, I would not be allowed to administer the server... only our IT department staff was allowed admin rights to it. And if that wasn't bad enough, no one on our IT staff knew how to run Win 2K Server. Yet they expected me to have all the answers for them. This book has given me the answers.Now, don't get this book if you are looking for guidance on running PHP/MySQL on Win 2K... no no no. There's plenty of information on the net for that. What I'm talking about is the stuff like Active Directory, or DSN, or SMTP... things that I needed to know to get all our users up and running with the correct permissions to specific directories, databases, email, etc. Its a good introduction to the topics to familiarize yourself with the terminology. If you need advanced coverage on a topic, you may need to get other resources. But this has been a great starting point for me.One point I want to re-emphasise... before I bought this book, I bought another book on MS IIS 5.0 which just about made me sick to my stomach. The other author was some kind of pro-MS zealot and laced the book with lots of sugary-sweet praise for MS. But not Minasi. I was impressed with his balanced perspective and his mix of both compliments and criticisms. Anyway, I recommend this to people who know little to nothing about Windows 2000 Server.

As an owner of a computer consulting firm and a past professor of computer sciences at the college level, my experience has taught me that Mark Minasi is one of the premier experts on Microsoft operating systems and problems. My first experience with one of his books was after actually trying to do roaming user profiles in Microsoft Windows NT and finding that out of five books I consulted only Mark Minasi's was accurate and complete. The others were written from Microsoft White Papers which had an error and the authors had obviously not actually set up the profiles because it was impossible given their instructions. Since then I always look for Mark Minasi's books first and have always found the most through and useful information in them. This book is no exception.In Mastering Windows 2000 Server he covers all the topics that you need to understand and setup a system. Topics covered include DNS, Active Directory, security (internal, remote, file level, etc.), heterogenous networks, the MMC, TCP/IP, IIS, RAS, Software Installation and dozens of other areas. His treatment of each area is thorough and written in a style that most readers with a basic understanding of computers can easily understand. It is not a book that is specifically pointed toward passing one of the MCSE exams but is much more useful than those books that teach you how to spit out Microsoft answers. Instead it actually gives you the foundation and knowledge to actually work with the system and resolve real world problems, something that most exam focused books do not generally provide.This book should be on the bookshelf of any administrator who is working in a Windows 2000 Server environment or anyone who wants to understand the system. While my company has several technical books on the 2000 Operating System, Mark Minasi's are always the most consulted. The other books are in such good condition that they could be sold again as new.... but not Mastering Windows 2000 Server by Mark Minasi. It is simply the most complete, accurate and understandable book on Windows 2000 Server on the market.

This is the book that made me wonder how come all those other technical books make learning Windows 2000 such a difficult and confusing task. I was lucky though since this was my first book on Windows 2000 and I got it at a time when I really needed to get to grips with it fast.With absolutely no experience in Windows NT 4, networking or administration, I had to learn Windows 2000 Server and the theory at the same time, including DNS, WINS, DHCP, TCP/IP, Active Directory, scalability and security. I literally read the whole thing over a weekend and went ahead the following week to single handedly set up a Windows 2000 based LAN for a small company, and was able to easily cope with all their demands. The network was soon up and running with the Active Directory, DNS, WINS, DHCP and TCP/IP in perfect working order. It is no exaggeration to say I owe the project's success to this book alone.Mark and his team's writing style make reading it a pleasure. Depth of content gives you a deep feeling of satisfaction that you've covered the subject thoroughly and gained a very clear picture. This is the book by which I judge the quality of other books on Windows 2000 topics, and I have yet to find one that contained something this book didn't tell you and nowhere near as clearly or comprehensively. I have not yet needed to look at another book on Windows 2000 Server, and nor do I think I will.The book starts out with an introduction to Active Directory, installation (local and remote), the MMC, the Registry, Hardware installation and Storage Management, followed by Managing User and Computer Accounts, File Sharing, Software Installation, Network Printing, Connecting PC Clients and Macintoshes, Terminal Services, How Running a Big Windows 2000 network is different, Novell Netware Integration, a massive 250 pages on TCP/IP in Windows 2000, Internet Information Services, Tuning and Monitoring, Backup and Disaster Recovery, the Remote Access Service and ends with a handy appendix explaining over 30 of the most useful Performance Objects that can be used in the Performance Monitor.Mark Minasi has deep insider's knowledge of the product and you can sense his enthusiasm as he shares his knowledge with you, leaving nothing out and all with a light touch of humour and very well organised. This is the best book on Windows 2000 Server and I would especially recommmend it to those just starting out, although I'm sure it's every serious administrator's essential Windows 2000 companion too.

I am an NT administrator and technical trainer trying to quickly get up to speed with Windows 2000 Server. Mark's book is just the ticket. Let's face it- the guy not only knows the product backwards, forwards, and diagonally, but he knows how to TEACH the relevant concepts.This book is serving the dual purpose of helping me prepare for the Windows 2000 MCSE exams as well as gain the necessary skills to do meaningful consulting with Windows 2000.In summary, the book is purposely structured to be of maximum benefit to people with or without prior knowledge of Windows NT. Current Windows NT experts will doubtless learn some new pointers about NT as they learn brand new stuff about Windows 2000. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Mark Minasi's Mastering Windows 2000 Server is proving itself to be an invaluable resource -- a first-rate reference book that is informative, thorough, and most importantly, clear. If you're looking for a theoretical and detailed technical discussion about concepts and technologies, this is NOT the book for you. You'd be better off reading some of Microsoft's relevant whitepapers, many of which are freely available to download from their website. But if you're looking for a comprehensive resource that tells you how to use or implement a specific technology or concept, you'll find none better than this masterpiece by Minasi.