Essential Windows NT System Administration

Windows NT systems are often said to "manage themselves." This book is for those times when things don't quite work out that way, when somebody who knows what's going on needs to intervene. It aims to help manage Windows NT systems as productively as possible, making the task as pleasant and satisfying as can be. It combines practical experience with technical expertise, helping you to work smarter and more efficiently. It not only covers the standard utilities offered with the Windows NT operating system, but also those from the Resource Kit, as well as important commercial and free third-party tools. It also pays particular attention to developing your own tools by writing scripts in Perl and other languages to automate common tasks. The book covers: how Windows NT systems boot and how to shut them down; user account administration, including tips for managing large numbers of accounts; creating file systems, including striped and fault-tolerant file systems, and securing their contents from unauthorized access; Sharing file systems via the network, using Windows NT's native share facility and other facilities such as Samba and NFS; general and advanced network configuration, including DHCP, DNS, WINS, routing, and RAS; managing printers, including local printers, network printers, and printer pools; managing processes, including the Windows NT schedule service, as well as performance optimization and capacity planning; and securing Windows NT systems, including implementing security policies and system auditing. The book covers the workstation and server versions of Windows NT 4.0 on both Intel and Alpha processor-based systems.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. Administering Windows NT Systems About System Administration About Windows NT Administrative Tools The Windows NT Filesystem Never Forget That It's a PC. 2. Startup, Shutdown, and Server Configuration Booting a Windows NT System Common Booting Problems and Remedies The Event Viewer Managing Server Facilities System Shutdown. 3. User Accounts User Account Basics User Account Attributes Passwords and Password Policies Assigning Group Memberships User Account Access Controls Customizing the User Account Environment Removing User Accounts Customizing the Login Process Sending a Message to a User Managing Many Users. 4. Managing Processes How Commands Run: Search Paths Displaying Information About Processes Terminating a Process The Schedule Service Tools for Creating a Computer Server. 5. Disks and Filesystems Adding Hard Disks Managing Disk Partitions Filesystems Network Filesystem Access. 6. Files and Directories Shortcuts and Hard Links File Ownership and Permissions. 7. Backups Planning a Backup Schedule Backup Media and Tape Devices The Windows NT Backup Facility Other Options for Backing Up the Registry. 8. Network Configuration Understanding TCP/IP Networking Adding a Host to a Windows NT Domain Name Resolution Facilities Routing Options Configuring the Remote Access Service Network Monitoring Tools Managing Domain Controllers. 9. Print Services Adding a Printer Manipulating Print Jobs Advanced Printer Configuration. 10. Security Prelude: Some Bits of History Thinking About Security Securing a Windows NT System Windows NT System Policies User Rights Security Across Domains: Trust Security Auditing 11. Performance Optimization Thinking About Performance Performance Monitoring Tools Managing CPU Resources Managing Memory Use Optimizing Disk I/O Performance Network Performance Capacity Planning 12. Automating System Administration Creating Scripts for System Administration Monitoring Event Logs from Multiple Systems The Directory Replication Service A. Quick Start for Experienced UNIX System Administrators B. Useful Windows NT Resources C. Windows NT Scripting Language Summary Glossary Index

About the Author :
AEleen Frisch has been a system administrator for over 15 years, tending a plethora of VMS, UNIX, and Windows NT systems. Currently, she looks after a very heterogeneous network of UNIX and Windows NT systems. Her other books include Essential System Administration and Windows NT Desktop Reference (both O'Reilly & Associates) and Exploring Chemistry with Electronic Structure Methods (Gaussian, Inc.). She also writes the "NTegration" column for SunExpert magazine (discussing Windows NT from a UNIX perspective). She has degrees from Caltech and Pitt and is an MCSE. AEleen is a third-generation native Californian, living in exile in Connecticut with her partner Mike and her cats Daphne, Lyta, Talia, and Susan. When she is not writing technical books and articles or computer programs, she divides her spare time between writing a novel, painting, and creating murder mystery games. AEleen can be reached by email via aefrisch@lorentzian.com.