BKNTS4NA.RVW   980103

"Windows NT Server 4.0 for NetWare Administrators", Robert Bruce
Thompson, 1997, 1-56592-280-8, U$39.95/C$56.95
%A   Robert Bruce Thompson thompson@oreilly.com
%C   103 Morris Street, Suite A, Sebastopol, CA   95472
%D   1997
%G   1-56592-280-8
%I   O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
%O   U$39.95/C$56.95 707-829-0515 fax: 707-829-0104 nuts@ora.com
%P   756 p.
%T   "Windows NT Server 4.0 for NetWare Administrators"

Network administration is a complex task.  Only a small portion of
that task is involved with knowing the specific commands and
references for a given network operating system.  Therefore, if you
are an experienced Novell NetWare administrator, as Thompson points
out, you already have a great deal of background that is directly
relevant to managing a network based on Windows NT servers.

Thompson only partially delivers on his promise to leverage that
experience.  The first two chapters, introducing Windows NT Server and
Microsoft's networking architecture, do provide meaningful and useful
comparisons of the two systems.  In both text and tables the
functions, features, strengths, and weaknesses of the two systems are
contrasted.

After that, however, the book mostly returns to the usual format of
coverage of Windows NT, with little reference to NetWare.  Not that
the coverage is lacking: Thompson's material is clear,
straightforward, and presents the most useful and practical
information out of the myriad details that can potentially be
involved.  This book can be an excellent introduction to anyone
approaching Windows NT Server for the first time, and has a strong
emphasis on the practical aspects of networking.  (I know that last
statement may sound a little odd in view of the title, but all too
many NT Server books try to cover the whole range of NT functions,
without looking closely at networking itself.)

Chapters look at configuring NT Server, managing disk storage,
managing users and groups, controlling access to the file system,
printing, backup, NT Registry, optimising performance, TCP/IP, DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), WINS (Windows Internet Naming
Service), DNS (Domain Name Service), RAS (Remote Access Service),
tools for NetWare integration, clients for mixed networks, gateway
service for NetWare, file and print services for NetWare, managing
servers in a mixed network, and migrating to a pure NT Server
environment.  Appendices discuss Windows NT Server resources and
Norton Utilities for Windows NT.  (The chapter organization is
strongly reminiscent of Novell documentation: this alone may make
NetWare admins feel at home.)

While it is hard to say that this book is specifically useful for
NetWare administrators, it is certainly a valuable guide worth the
consideration of anyone wanting a reference to NT Server networking.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   BKNTS4NA.RVW   980103