When Microsoft released Windows NT three years ago, it offered neither sophisticated development and management tools nor enough applications. So why are the folks at Microsoft smiling? Because now, whenever companies consider investing in new server technology, they think of Windows NT as a viable option. Furthermore, experts point out that companies are now buying Windows NT. Market research firms agree that Windows NT will soon become the world’s most popular server operating system, as measured by units shipped. While it is true that a few companies are migrating from Unix, many are buying Windows NT as they downsize or make their first moves into client/server. So think of Windows NT as displacing Unix rather than as replacing it. And yet, the phenomenon raises as many questions as it answers. For instance, why should a company put mainframe data on an NT server? When does it make more sense to use Unix? And most important, is Windows NT ready for use in the enterprise? The answers matter, because they will affect companies’ strategic decisions for the next few years, as they plot why and how they will scatter their once-monolithic systems across the corporation.
This book is the second edition of a guide to NT Server management, based on Minasi’s seminars [1]. It covers planning, configuration, installation, and running and repair of networks that include NT Server. Mainly focusing on NT Server, it also shows how to make NT Server interoperate with other networks. It reveals the underlying concepts, then applies them directly. If there are several ways to get a job done, then this book explains them all, highlighting those that cost the least time or money. Other sources of information and utilities are recommended that will make network managers’ jobs easier.
The book is structured in four parts. The first part, “Getting Acquainted,” is an introduction to and an overview of NT Server networking. It provides an overview of Microsoft networking concepts and explains why you should consider using NT Server. Readers already familiar with another network, such as Novell Netware, can use this section as a translation device for transferring their networking knowledge. For readers who have never set up a network, this part will provide the overview needed to understand much of the rest of the book.
The second part, “Setting Up NT Server,” explains NT Server installation and then shows how to add other mass storage and fault tolerance. It also presents two basic tools for viewing and modifying your server’s configuration, the NT Registry and the Microsoft System Diagnosis (WINMSD) programs.
The third part, “NT Server Administration,” explains how to use basic network administration tools, such as the User Manager for Domains, the File Manager, the Print Manager, and the Server Manager.
The last and most advanced part of the book, “Managing NTS in the Enterprise Network,” explains how to control a network and how to use the four pivotal administrative tools for managing multidomain networks. It covers important internetworking topics, including connecting to Novell networks, and the concepts behind Macintosh networks, the Internet, and TCP/IP. It also discusses disaster recovery, as well as the tuning, monitoring, and protection of a network. It then introduces the complex and powerful NET command line (useful when writing batch files), which performs the same functions as other administrative tools, but without the graphical user interface. Finally, it shows how to set up and use remote access services and how to extend your network’s reach to any location equipped with telephone lines.
