Windows 2000: A Beginner's Guide

This is a guide for beginners, but it's not dumbed down at all. Windows 2000: A Beginner's Guide takes on a giant piece of software and explains it, one component at a time. Author Martin S. Matthews has earned commendation for his patient approach to complex subjects and clearly written procedures that get right to the point. As a result of his efforts, readers get a great combination of explanatory text--how Windows 2000 works, what its features are for, and how you ought to use them--and crunchy how-to material. If you have a vague idea that certain features of Windows 2000 might make your organization more efficient, this book likely will help you make a deployment decision and, if you decide to go ahead, get the show on the road in a practical sense.

A typical section deals with Internet Information Services (IIS) for Windows 2000. In his coverage of that software, Matthews explains how IIS fits into the rest of the Windows 2000 server before he launches into a discussion of how to plan for installation and then set up the software. From there, variations get attention--remote administration is a big one, as is upgrading from a previous IIS version. Matthews's section on automated installation of Windows 2000 is excellent, too. --David Wall

Topics covered: All operational aspects of Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Server, explained for power users and system administrators. Emphasis goes to installation of the operating system, as well as network configuration and Internet connectivity. Linking to Novell NetWare networks gets lots of coverage, as does Active Directory.