Windows Server 2008 Unleashed covers the planning, design, prototype testing, implementation, migration, administration, and support of a Windows 2008 and Active Directory environment, based on more than three and a half years of early adopter experience in full production environments. This book addresses not only what is new with Windows 2008 compared to previous versions of the Windows Server product, but also what is different and how the similarities and differences affect an organization’s migration to Windows 2008. Chapters are dedicated to the migration process from Windows 2000/2003 to Windows 2008, how to properly use Group Policies in Windows 2008, and tips and tricks on managing and administering a Windows 2008 environment.

The authors cover the technologies new to Windows 2008, such as IPv6, Network Access Protection (NAP), Network Policy Server (NPS), Terminal Services Remote Programs, Windows Deployment Services (WDS), Hyper-V virtualization, and more! This book doesn’t just describe the features and functions included in Windows 2008--there are notes throughout the book explaining how organizations have successfully used the technologies to fulfill core business needs. Tips, tricks, and best practices share lessons learned from hundreds of implementations of Windows 2008 in real-world environments.

Detailed information on how to…

• Plan and migrate from Windows 2000/2003 to Windows 2008

• Leverage new tools and utilities that simplify system and network administration functions

• Enable the latest security technologies to improve secured enterprise computing

• Better manage a Windows 2008 Active Directory environment

• Optimize a Windows 2008 environment for better scalability and enhanced performance

• Implement Windows 2008 for better branch office and remote office integration

• Design a Windows 2008 environment to support the latest in clustering, stretched clusters, fault tolerance, and redundant systems technologies

• Take advantage of add-on technologies available for Windows 2008, including Windows SharePoint Services, Microsoft Hyper-V virtualization, Windows Media Services, and IIS 7 web server solutions

Rand, Michael, Ross, and Chris work for Convergent Computing, an IT consulting firm in the San Francisco Bay area that has three and a half years of early adopter experience with Windows 2008. In collaboration with co-author Omar Droubi, the authors helped organizations of all sizes plan, migrate, implement, and test Windows 2008 in production environments. The book was written from direct experiences where Windows 2008 was put into enterprise production environments focused to meet specific strategic business requirements.

Category: Windows Server

Covers: Windows Server 2008

User Level: Intermediate--Advanced

Introduction xlix

Part I: Windows Server 2008 Overview

1: Windows Server 2008 Technology Primer 3

2: Planning, Prototyping, Migrating, and Deploying Windows Server 2008 Best Practices 39

3: Installing Windows Server 2008 and Server Core 73

Part II: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory

4: Active Directory Domain Services Primer 105

5: Designing a Windows Server 2008 Active Directory 139

6: Designing Organizational Unit and Group Structure 165

7: Active Directory Infrastructure 185

8: Creating Federated Forests and Lightweight Directories 217

9: Integrating Active Directory in a UNIX Environment 235

Part III: Networking Services

10: Domain Name System and IPv6 251

11: DHCP/WINS/Domain Controllers 297

12: Internet Information Services 331

Part IV: Security

13: Server-Level Security 375

14: Transport-Level Security 399

15: Security Policies, Network Policy Server, and Network Access Protection 415

Part V: Migrating to Windows Server 2008

16: Migrating from Windows 2000/2003 to Windows Server 2008 439

17: Compatibility Testing for Windows Server 2008 473

Part VI: Windows Server 2008 Administration and Management

18: Windows Server 2008 Administration 499

19: Windows Server 2008 Group Policies and Policy Management 533

20: Windows Server 2008 Management and Maintenance Practices 581

21: Automating Tasks Using PowerShell Scripting 639

22: Documenting a Windows Server 2008 Environment 685

23: Integrating Systems Center Operations Manager 2007 with Windows Server 2008 715

Part VII: Remote and Mobile Technologies

24: Server-to-Client Remote and Mobile Access 737

25: Terminal Services 783

Part VIII: Desktop Administration

26: Windows Server Administration Tools for Desktops 839

27: Group Policy Management for Network Clients 865

Part IX: Fault Tolerance Technologies

28: File System Management and Fault Tolerance 935

29: System-Level Fault Tolerance (Clustering/Network Load Balancing) 993

30: Backing Up the Windows Server 2008 Environment 1043

31: Recovering from a Disaster 1077

Part X: Optimizing, Tuning, Debugging, and Problem Solving

32: Optimizing Windows Server 2008 for Branch Office Communications 1111

33: Logging and Debugging 1145

34: Capacity Analysis and Performance Optimization 1189

Part XI: Integrated Windows Application Services

35: Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 1233

36: Windows Media Services 1281

37: Deploying and Using Windows Virtualization 1313

Index 1339

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

Incredible Resource!!! - 2008-03-03
Reviewer Rating:
I went to the Windows 2008 launch event and got excited about migrating our company to Windows 2008, but wanted to get a third party book to help me better understand the REAL features, functions, and experiences of the product (rather than Microsoft's rendition of it). I jumped on Amazon and searched for a book, and this Windows 2008 Unleashed book was already rated with a couple 5-stars, so I bought it. I just got it last week.

At first, I was a little overwhelmed as the book is almost 2-inches thick and hard bound (definitely worth the cost for the shear volume and amount of paper it took to print this book)! I read the introduction chapter and got a lot more comfortable with Windows 2008 as the author provided a really good comparison of Windows 2008 to Windows 2003 (which I already know pretty well). The intro chapter also gave me links to different parts of the book that helped me organize the way I was going to review the text of the book (I prioritized chapters in the book based on my interests, which was outlined and highlighted very well in the first chapter).

I was most interested some of the new things I've heard about Windows 2008 such as the security stuff, Windows virtualization, terminal services, and Active Directory Federation. I flipped to each of the chapters that covered these topics, and I found the content very easy to follow. Each chapter started off with an overview of the topic (like an introduction of the concepts) and then as I got further into the chapter, it got more into the details on how to implement the technologies, and it had notes and tips throughout the chapters that made it obvious to me the authors have worked with Windows 2008 for a long time and provided great guidance!

After reading about 5 chapters, I then focused on what it would take to implement and migrate to Windows 2008 and flipped to the chapters on installation and on migration. Those chapters also were VERY well structured and helped walk me through what was involved. I was greatly relieved to read that the migration process from Windows 2003 to Windows 2008 wasn't that complicated. And while I have only been fiddling with Windows 2008 for about a week in the lab here at the company I work for (which is a pretty extensive lab with over 30 servers mirroring a portion of our production environment), I've gone from being overwhelmed to pleasantly relieved that our migration to Windows 2008 will be well planned, staged, and executed thanks to the content of this book!

I am grateful to the authors of this book! I just bought the books on Exchange 2007, SharePoint 2007, and Windows Vista written by the same authors (Rand Morimoto and Michael Noel) as I think their writing style and the value of the content is wonderful!

B

Impressive!!! - 2008-02-13
Reviewer Rating:
This book is a monster at 1337-pages (sorry, I don't count the 100-page index that brings this book to 1432-pages) and hard bound cover, REALLY NICE, I felt I got my money's worth! I've bought several of Rand's books in the past, this one is another winner! 37-chapters on everything from design and planning, through testing, through migrations, plus chapters on security, clustering, performance optimization, SharePoint, Hyper-V, etc. I went through the RTM product and the book, it covers everything end to end which is GREAT! Another winner, very impressive!!!

Helped me pass 70-649 w/Self test software. I like the Unleashed series.... Goot books and very imformative... - 2008-04-29
Reviewer Rating:
Bought this book to help pass the 070-649 exam and it helped do the job... It is not geared for the exam but it covers the subjet matter on the exam... Also it is the only real 2008 Server book out right now....

Cover the topics well and goes thru the installation process...

Lots of theory. Not so much practice. - 2009-08-26
Reviewer Rating:
This is a great book if you're looking for a lot of general information on the features of different aspects of server 2008. I pulled a lot of valuable information out of this book, and I'm glad I bought it. Unfortunately, it includes very little information on actually implementing this theory. I did learn a lot from the book. But for the most part, it would explain the theory in great detail, but then I'd have to hit google to figure out how to put this theory into practice. I do recommend the book, but don't expect it to be your only, or even primary, source.

A good starter book - 2009-03-20
Reviewer Rating:
This book is a great starter book when somebody wants to start learing different aspects of Windows server operating system. It covers most of the functionalities and pinpoints at what is new from Windows 2003. It is not for someone who wants to become a master at Windows server system or get certified. This book helped me develop a good understanding of the system as I was implementing a new application to run on Windows 2008 system. As a part of this project we migrated the file server to Windows 2008. I could not find any information on file server migration tool kit in this book which eventually I got from Microsoft website. The writing style is engaging. Overall, I think for the price and for the intent as I mentioned this is a great book.

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