The Ultimate Windows .Net Server System Administrator's Guide (2002)

From the Book:

Windows .NET is more an update of Windows 2000 than it is a new operating system. This latest version of the base Windows NT technology now expands to support Microsoft's .NET infrastructure and new security initiatives. This book reflects these changes by expanding the authors' previous The Ultimate Windows 2000 System Administrator's Guide. Mindful that Windows 2000 will continue to be deployed, this book not only reflects the new features of Windows .NET but also provides continued support for Windows 2000 administration. 

Windows 2000 and Windows .NET are complex, feature-rich operating systems whose deployment in an enterprise requires highly skilled individuals to support its installation, maintenance, and optimization. These individuals are aided by the abundance of tools and wizards for effective operating system management that Microsoft has provided. Indeed, many of the enhanced tools should shift the traditional role of administrator to that of proactive manager of computing environments. Thus, the depth of function, flexibility, and granularity of Windows 2000/.NET ultimately represents both opportunity and challenge for system administration. 

This book is written to help you succeed in the administration of the Windows .NET and Windows 2000 Server family. Much of the information it provides is also applicable to the desktop Professional versions of the software. Although the use and management of client software is incorporated, the server side is clearly our primary focus. In this preface, we provide a framework for the primary topics covered, define the target audience, and describe how to use this book.
The Role of the Administrator
Windows .NET will not eliminate the system administrator. To the contrary, features, such as the Active Directory and the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), will vastly broaden this role. Rather than spend time on mundane tasks and the management of dozens of disjointed tools, the consolidated approach provided by Windows .NET will free the administrator to concentrate on more mission-critical activities. 

The functions of the Windows .NET system administrator are generally those that support the user population and those that support the system. The following list summarizes some of the most common responsibilities: 
User-oriented tasks 
Adding and removing users
Group management
User application support
End-user customer service, education, and communication
Management of basic services such as mail and printing

System-oriented tasks 
Booting, shutdown, and everything in between
Backups and restoration
Hardware maintenance, additions, and removal
System accounting and monitoring
System administration logs
System security and password aging
Network support
General troubleshooting


Obviously, this list only scratches the surface of system administration and IT management. However, as a means of setting the reader's expectations, it does underscore the types of activities for which this book can be used as a guide. 
Basis of Our Research
In preparing this book, we used three primary sources of information. First, we relied heavily on our combined professional experience in application development, system administration, and IT management. Unlike so many books written on theory by technical writers, our recommendations did not emerge from a vacuum but are based on and experiences. We hope the experience we bring to this book will assist fellow IT professionals to better manage an enterprise. 

Second, we used observations from system administrators in the field to provide reality checks to our conclusions. Theoretical understanding of Windows .NET is a nice beginning, but it is no substitute for the actual experience of system administrators. Because Windows .NET is a new product, one of our primary sources was participants in Microsoft's Beta Program and their experience with final beta and final release versions of the operating system. 

Finally, we performed extensive tests and simulated real-world environments in an extensive laboratory environment. The tests centered primarily on the Standard Server and Enterprise Server versions; however, Windows .NET Web Server edition and Windows XP was also tested and is periodically referenced as client software within the broader enterprise framework. Windows .NET DataCenter was not available for testing at the time this book was written, so references to it are based on published Microsoft specifications. Where differences exist in the version levels, we call attention to them. 
Audience
The Ultimate Windows .NET Server System Administrator's Guide was written for system administrators and other IT professionals who manage a Windows .NET environment. Administrators coming from other operating system environments like UNIX will find many significant conceptual differences and numerous familiar technologies. Seasoned Windows 2000 and NT administrators will find many familiar aspects, but many significant differences as well, that will require a general updating of their technical skills. The addition of the Active Directory, a new domain model, advanced authentication technologies, and the enhanced MMC are just a few examples of entirely new or expanded operating system features. 

Our aim was to produce an intermediate reference guide for administrators, leaving out specialized architectural or programming topics. Thus, this book should be used for an understanding of key concepts and for common how-to walkthrough support. Experienced professionals should find the discussions on operating system migration and the use of the new enhanced tools valuable. Those with moderate system administration experience can also benefit, but we assume these readers already have hands-on operating system experience. Novices will need to learn network and operating system fundamentals. 

Attempting to provide useful information to an audience of system administrators was a challenge. Inevitably, some of the book's material may appear either overly basic or too advanced, and depending on a reader's level of experience, some discussions will be more helpful than others. To accommodate this wide variance in prior knowledge, we first cover each major topic from a conceptual basis and then expand this foundation with discussions on applying specific advanced Windows .NET functions. 

System administrators coming from UNIX might find helpful our sister publication Windows NT and UNIX: Administration, Coexistence, Integration, and Migration (Addison-Wesley, 1998). For Windows 2000 administrators, look at The Ultimate Windows 2000 System Administrator's Guide (Addison-Wesley, 2000). 
Organization
The book is organized into three parts and an appendix:

The first four chapters focus on Windows .NET concepts, deployment, and installation. They cover the role of the system administrator, Windows .NET features, operating system structure, and deployment and actual installation. Chapter 4 discusses getting started with tools such as the MMC.
The heart of the book, chapters 5 through 14, is a discussion of fundamental administration topics. In a series of very technical chapters, we cover the Active Directory, user management, group policies, security, printer and file services, networking, and other topics essential to Windows .NET system administration.
The last part of the book covers advanced tools and concepts. It examines the Internet Information Service (ISS) and optional componentsTerminal Services, System Management Server (SMS), Indexing Services, Message Queuing Services (MQS), Cluster Servicesand other topics applicable to enterprise-level system administration.
The appendix, Windows .NET Commands and Utilities, is a quick reference for the most significant commands in the operating system and in the Windows .NET Resource Kit.


A Glossary of common terms is also provided. 
Other References
There is a wealth of information that should be used by system administrators to supplement this book. The Windows .NET operating system provides extensive online help available from the Start → Help facility. Microsoft also regularly posts white papers on its Web site, which should be regularly checked for updated information. 

Trade magazines can also be an excellent source of information. We recommend Computer World, WindowsAdvantage.com, InformIT.COM, Windows 2000 Magazine (formerly Windows NT), ENT, MS Journal, and Dr. Dobb's Journal. As for online services, we strongly recommend Microsoft's security and patch e-mail service at www.microsoft.com/security/.Finally, we will be posting updated information about Windows 2000 and Windows .NET on our Web site at http://www.EnterpriseCertified.com/WinNetbook.htm.