Rating: 
Summary: Snippets of wisdom that will save you re-inventingthe wheel
Review: Windows 2000 represents a significant departure from previous Microsoft operating systems. The move from Windows NT 3.51 to Windows NT 4.0 was incremental. The leap from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000 will require a whole new set of skills. This is due in part to the number of new technologies being bundled with Windows 2000. Without books like the one written by Mr. Ferris, many technology professionals will be caught unprepared.Mr. Ferris uses his rapier like wit to cut through the Microsoft marketing machine exposing all of the triumphs and short comings of Windows 2000. Don't be surprised to find yourself "getting it" a page or two later. There's your world, there's the world according to Microsoft, then there is Mr. Ferris's world. Watch out when all three come together...Mr. Ferris's book is well suited for Systems Integrators, Systems Engineers, technical Project Managers, and other technically oriented managers. If this is the first technology book you've ever read, or if you're just looking for a quick rundown of the Windows 2000 buzzwords, put this book down and move on down the shelf (look for the thin books with lots of color screen shots). On the other hand, if you're looking for an excellent Windows 2000 reference with lots of discussion and "how-to" mixed in, grab this book and run, don't walk to checkout stand! The technologists in the audience will not be disappointed. Mr. Ferris relates Windows 2000 technologies to existing Windows NT 4.0 technologies where appropriate, and uses a number of creative techniques to explain new technologies that have no good direct relationships to earlier technologies. This being said, the book does not suffer from techno-babble. Even a "green" Systems Engineer should be able to implement a given technology using the straightforward step-by-step approaches provided in the book. Mr. Ferris does not miss an opportunity to point out where Microsoft and the real world differ on technology implementations. This book is full of real world solution to real world problems. Don't be surprised to find yourself using portions of this book as a blue print for a solution to a problem you are facing right now. The Book's number one strength is a firm grounding in reality as opposed to relying on theory. The techniques presented in this book have been tested, and in many cases, implemented in a production environment. Another strength of the book is its flexibility. The book serves equally well as a technology reference and as a technology primer. You can quickly get a definition or an in depth discussion for any number of technologies. Finally, Mr. Ferris's writing style is both to the point and entertaining. It would be a stretch to say this book is a joy to read, but compared to many technology books that would have you trying to slit your wrists with the dust cover after the second chapter, this book reads like a Tom Clancy novel. O.K. ,in Mr. Ferris's case, maybe more like a Stephen King novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Windows 2000 Support and Deployment - The Real Deal
Review: Windows 2000 represents a significant departure from previous Microsoft operating systems. The move from Windows NT 3.51 to Windows NT 4.0 was incremental. The leap from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000 will require a whole new set of skills. This is due in part to the number of new technologies being bundled with Windows 2000. Without books like the one written by Mr. Ferris, many technology professionals will be caught unprepared.Mr. Ferris uses his rapier like wit to cut through the Microsoft marketing machine exposing all of the triumphs and short comings of Windows 2000. Don't be surprised to find yourself "getting it" a page or two later. There's your world, there's the world according to Microsoft, then there is Mr. Ferris's world. Watch out when all three come together... Mr. Ferris's book is well suited for Systems Integrators, Systems Engineers, technical Project Managers, and other technically oriented managers. If this is the first technology book you've ever read, or if you're just looking for a quick rundown of the Windows 2000 buzzwords, put this book down and move on down the shelf (look for the thin books with lots of color screen shots). On the other hand, if you're looking for an excellent Windows 2000 reference with lots of discussion and "how-to" mixed in, grab this book and run, don't walk to checkout stand! The technologists in the audience will not be disappointed. Mr. Ferris relates Windows 2000 technologies to existing Windows NT 4.0 technologies where appropriate, and uses a number of creative techniques to explain new technologies that have no good direct relationships to earlier technologies. This being said, the book does not suffer from techno-babble. Even a "green" Systems Engineer should be able to implement a given technology using the straightforward step-by-step approaches provided in the book. Mr. Ferris does not miss an opportunity to point out where Microsoft and the real world differ on technology implementations. This book is full of real world solution to real world problems. Don't be surprised to find yourself using portions of this book as a blue print for a solution to a problem you are facing right now. The Book's number one strength is a firm grounding in reality as opposed to relying on theory. The techniques presented in this book have been tested, and in many cases, implemented in a production environment. Another strength of the book is its flexibility. The book serves equally well as a technology reference and as a technology primer. You can quickly get a definition or an in depth discussion for any number of technologies. Finally, Mr. Ferris's writing style is both to the point and entertaining. It would be a stretch to say this book is a joy to read, but compared to many technology books that would have you trying to slit your wrists with the dust cover after the second chapter, this book reads like a Tom Clancy novel. O.K. ,in Mr. Ferris's case, maybe more like a Stephen King novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Learn how to automate desktop deployments and management
Review: With Windows 2000, your options for desktop deployment and management are greater than ever. Learn how to select and implement the *best* combination of deployment options for Windows 2000 in this in-depth, technical guide from noted author Jeffery Ferris.
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