Fast, Easy Insight into Windows Server 2003

</i>Insider Solutions <i>is a smooth, well-crafted look at Windows 2003.

I was just about burned out on Windows 2003 books but felt compelled, at least for comparison purposes, to pore through Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Insider Solutions.

I'm glad I did. The writing truly stands out—it's simply smoother and more stylish than the average book. It wasn't exactly funny or entertaining, but it was certainly a top-notch read.

The quality of writing is important. For a 600-plus page book, good writing makes it easy to read and easy to skim through material.

The organization is terrific. Each chapter includes an outline of its contents, and the chapters themselves have handy, easy-to-read boxes and call outs. But content is king, and here Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Insider Solutions shines.

I like assertive authors, and the four authors behind this book aren't afraid to tell IT what to do. For instance, on storage the book walks through best practices for NAS and SANs and helps IT decide which approach is best. No namby-pamby, wishy-washy advice here. Sticking with the same example, the book explained Windows storage options clearly, and without unnecessary jargon.

Many Windows 2003 books are far larger, but I found Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Insider Solutions to be quite comprehensive. But more important, because it is so readable, IT pros are more likely to make it to the end. This book is a perfect complement to Windows Server 2003: Best Practices for Enterprise Deployments by Nelson and Danielle Ruest, a fine book that focuses almost exclusively on migration, installation and configuration.

About the Author

Doug Barney is editorial director of Redmond Channel Partner.

Featured

  • Microsoft Appoints Althoff as New CEO for Commercial Business

    Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella on Wednesday announced the promotion of Judson Althoff to CEO of the company's commercial business, presenting the move as a response to the dramatic industrywide shifts caused by AI.

  • Broadcom Revamps VMware Partner Program Again

    Broadcom recently announced a significant update regarding its VMware Cloud Service Provider (VCSP) program, coinciding with the release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, a key component in Broadcom’s private cloud strategy.

  • Closeup of the new Copilot keyboard key

    Microsoft Updates Copilot To Add Context-Sensitive Agents to Teams, SharePoint

    Microsoft has rolled out a new public preview for collaborative "always on" agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing enhanced, context-aware tools into Teams channels, meetings, SharePoint sites, Planner workstreams and Viva Engage communities.

  • Windows 365 Cloud Apps Now Available for Public Preview

    Microsoft announced this week that Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available for public preview. This aims to allow IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud, removing the need to assign Cloud PCs to every user.