Windows IT Library UPDATE--April 21, 2004

1. Book Review
- Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide

2. New from Windows IT Library
- Caching Data with SQL Server CE
- Introduction to the Common Language Infrastructure

3. New Books in Print
- Windows Server Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools
- Hardening Windows

4. New eBooks
- The Expert's Guide for Exchange 2003: Preparing for, Moving to, and Supporting Exchange Server 2003
- A Guide to Windows Performance Tuning
- Best Practices for Managing Linux and UNIX Servers

5. Windows IT Library Top Five
- A+ Certification: How to Pass Your Exams
- Microsoft Windows NT Server Administrator's Bible: Option Pack Edition
- Microsoft Windows NT Secrets: Option Pack Edition
- The Microsoft Outlook E-Mail and Fax Guide
- Undocumented Windows NT

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==== 1. Book Review ====

Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide
Authors: Bill English, Olga Londer, Shawn Shell, Todd Bleeker, Stephen Cawood
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Published: October 2003
ISBN: 0321194446
Paperback, 1136 pages
Price: $54.99

The book "Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide," was written by five authors and weighs in at just under 1150 pages. But given the book's subtitle--"A Complete Guide"--neither of those facts should come as a surprise. The book covers a considerable amount of material. So much material in fact that it's not reasonable to expect that one, or even two, authors could discuss all aspects of Microsoft Content Management Server (CMS) 2002--a product hailed, at least by the authors of this book, as the "future of building Web sites."

In the book's opening chapter, the authors describe CMS as representing a "dramatic departure from conventional methods of building and conceptualizing Web sites." They add that CMS "offers significant improvement in how Web sites are built and maintained, in terms of both economies of scale and time savings."

You don't need to read much of the book before you realize that the authors are enthusiastic about what CMS has to offer. In fact, they strongly recommend that you "implement CMS in your environment--especially if you manage a large number of Web servers with content that often changes." The three major reasons the authors advocate the use of CMS are its scalability, its flexibility, and the extensibility that it provides to Web sites. The authors also claim that "CMS 2002 can reduce costs and improve customer relations while allowing you to build an outstanding Web site that is rich in features, design, and up-to-date content."

Anyone involved with Web development, whether you have Web developer in your title or you're a systems administrator who, among other duties, is responsible for managing your company's Web site, will gain invaluable practical knowledge from the book. Be aware, though, that much of the book's material is technical in nature.

The book's 37 chapters and two appendices are organized into 10 parts, giving you some flexibility in the way that you choose to read the book. For instance, if you're looking for an introduction to CMS, you can turn to Part I, "CMS Fundamentals," which covers the purpose of CMS, the different features that Microsoft has incorporated into CMS, an overview of CMS architecture, the planning that's required for a successful CMS implementation, and installation advice. Or, if your primary area of interest is site administration and security, you can go directly to Part IV, which addresses concerns related to setting up appropriate user rights, using the Server Configuration Application, and ensuring that your CMS site is secure. The authors devote the remaining parts of the book to content authoring and publishing, creating the site framework, site deployment, the Publishing API, extending CMS, CMS performance, and moving forward with CMS. Part X contains the book's two appendices. The first appendix is an HTTP reference that's useful for anyone who needs a summary of HTTP requests and responses, including format, methods, headers, and status codes. The second appendix is a handy Publishing API reference.

To make the book as practical as possible, the authors use a running example throughout the book to illustrate how to implement important CMS features in real-world Web site development. All the source code for the examples that the authors refer to in the book is available on the book's companion Web site at http://www.awprofessional.com/titles/0321194446 . On the book's companion Web site, you'll also find a table of contents and a sample chapter titled "Working with Containers." Containers are "virtual storage spaces," and the book's authors sum up their importance when they state that "in CMS, managing the publishing environment means managing virtual storage."

The authors acknowledge the limitations of their own book, or indeed any other IT book, when they state that "no technical book has ever been written that can answer all the questions for every reader who picks it up." But if your role or the roles of the people who report to you involve installing, managing, troubleshooting, or developing a CMS 2002 environment, "Microsoft Content Management Server 2002: A Complete Guide" is worthy of your consideration. You'll find between the book's covers a wealth of comprehensive information, advice, and tips.

Tony Stevenson
[email protected]
Windows IT Library Guest Reviewer

For more book reviews, visit the Windows IT Library Web site.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/bookreviews

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==== 2. New from Windows IT Library ====

Caching Data with SQL Server CE
In this chapter from "Building Solutions with the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework: Architecture and Best Practices for Mobile Development," you'll learn about the role of Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Windows CE Edition (SQL Server CE) in the enterprise. You'll also find out about robust data caching, administering SQL Server CE, and SQL Server CE architecture.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/content/1016/05/toc.html

Introduction to the Common Language Infrastructure
This chapter from "The Common Language Infrastructure Annotated Standard" provides a detailed overview of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI). After reading this chapter, you'll understand the components that compose the CLI and how they interact, and you'll learn about execution and deployment models and the Virtual Execution System (VES).
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/content/1028/01/toc.html

==== 3. New Books in Print ====

Windows Server Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools
The tools, or hacks, in this book reveal techniques that go well beyond basic management tasks found in most handbooks. Hacks range from those that deal with general administration to more esoteric hacks in the areas of network deployment, patch management, performance, security, and backup and recovery. No matter which type of Windows server you use--Windows Server 2003, 2000, NT, or IIS--this book will put the knowledge and expertise of veteran systems administrators to work for you.
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/winsvrhks/index.html

Hardening Windows
This book is an intermediate to advanced guide to implementing preventative security measures for Windows OSs. The book is designed to provide a quick and easy checklist-style reference to the steps that systems administrators need to take to anticipate attacks and compromises and to harden Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT against them.
http://www.apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=225

==== 4. New eBooks ====

The Expert's Guide for Exchange 2003: Preparing for, Moving to, and Supporting Exchange Server 2003
This eBook will educate Microsoft Exchange Server administrators and systems managers about how to best approach the migration to and overall management of an Exchange Server 2003 environment. The book concentrates on core topics such as configuration management, accounting, and monitoring performance with an eye toward migration, consolidation, security, and management. You can download the first two chapters at the following URL:
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/ebooks/exchangeserver2003/index.cfm

A Guide to Windows Performance Tuning
This eBook will guide you through the basics of Windows performance tuning and will provide tips for tuning Windows products such as Microsoft Exchange Server and SQL Server. Be forewarned that no magic Windows performance tuning formula exists. Tuning your system will depend on many factors, including your systems' hardware attributes and the tasks you're performing. For example, the settings you use to tune a SQL Server system are different from the settings you might apply to a specialized Windows Active Directory (AD) domain controller (DC). Likewise, optimizing an I/O-bound system is different from optimizing a CPU-constrained system. You can download this ebook at the following URL:
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/ebooks/windowsperformancetuning/index.cfm

Best Practices for Managing Linux and UNIX Servers
This eBook will educate systems managers about how to best approach the complex realm of Linux and UNIX management and performance monitoring. The book concentrates on core issues such as configuration management, accounting, and monitoring performance with an eye toward creating a long-term strategy for sustainable growth. You can download the first two chapters at the following URL:
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/ebooks/managingunixlinuxservers/index.cfm?pc=ebkitl

==== 5. Windows IT Library Top Five ====

A+ Certification: How to Pass Your Exams
This book walks you through all the skills tested in the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) A+ Core Hardware exam and A+ OS Technologies exam.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/documents/book.cfm?documentid=175

Microsoft Windows NT Server Administrator's Bible: Option Pack Edition
This book provides specific coverage of the Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack add-ons to help you plan, install, configure, manage, optimize, and connect NT Server 4.0 to the Internet.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/documents/book.cfm?documentid=405

Microsoft Windows NT Secrets: Option Pack Edition
Packed with the kind of notes, tips, and workarounds that come only from years of working day in and day out with a product, this book will help you optimize the performance, reliability, and security of your network.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/documents/book.cfm?documentid=329

The Microsoft Outlook E-Mail and Fax Guide
Written for Microsoft Outlook end users and the administrators who support them, this volume explains all the real-world tasks that you're likely to encounter when working with Outlook and includes many timesaving techniques that take you beyond the basics.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/documents/book.cfm?documentid=191

Undocumented Windows NT
This book documents what goes on under the covers in Windows NT. Three experts share what they've dug up on NT through years of hands-on research and programming experience. The authors dissect the Win32 interface, deconstruct the underlying APIs, and decipher the Memory Management architecture to help you understand operations, fix flaws, and enhance performance.
http://www.WindowsITlibrary.com/documents/book.cfm?documentid=356

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