Ed Bott's Microsoft Challenge--9/28/00

Pick up the Windows 2000 Active Directory Services Training Guide put out by Microsoft.

For NT4.0 Administrators, The beta version of the AD Client for Windows NT 4.0 is now
available for download. NTLM2 Authentication, upgraded DFS
Client, and Site Awareness are among the goodies bundled in the package. Before installing Active Directory on W2K it is nice to test it on NT4.0 AD client..
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/adclients/

For NT4.0 Administrators, The beta version of the AD Client for Windows NT 4.0 is now
available for download. NTLM2 Authentication, upgraded DFS
Client, and Site Awareness are among the goodies bundled in the package. Before installing Active Directory on W2K it is nice to test it on NT4.0 AD client..
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/adclients/

Check out www.smartplanet.com (part of Ziff-Davis' ZDNET: Microsoft Windows 2000: Active Directory Design, Part 1; and Microsoft Windows 2000: Active Directory Design, Part 2

As always you can pick up Active Directory for Dummies. Also by QUE Windows 2000 Server which is what I used to setup my first AD from scratch. The best and only tried and true way to learn any program fast is to get the software and a book and install and reinstall over annd over and over until you can do it in your sleep. I his situation I would backup the system and install AD a couple of times with book in hand.

http://labmice.net/
They rule...

Not to plug book or anything but I found the book Inside Windows 2000- (it's a white covered book with road on the front cover), helped me out tremendously. Even though the book is about 1500 pages, the author steps you through setting everything up and what each option in all of the wizards do, as well as troubleshoot problems.

Tracy

Simple and easy

http://activewin.com/win2000/

This site should give you what you need.

If I were that network admin, I would quit the Server Setup wizard, I wouldn't perform an AD migration. What I need to do first is to take a comfort seat, try to familiarize with the new OS, then search for help files, windows 2000 web site, Microsoft Official cook books, till the time is ready. Learning Ad is the long time path, why cannot wait a better time until you can handle it.

Windows 2000 system Administrator Black Book by stu Sjouwerman ,Barry Shilmover & Jame Mitchell Stewart
Coriolis

The best system admin book I have found, no bull direct step by step answers.

Try Microsoft Press's Active Directory Services for Windows 2000 Technical Reference

you can also download the files 155a, emn2000a and enm2000b from the microsoft download page. These are brief overviews of the windows 2000 system.

the ultimate reference is "Mastering Windows 2000 Server" by minasi...

if he does not cover it, it is not worth knowing!

the best $50 that you will spend!

Three books that I highly recommend:

Windows 2000 Foundations, James Michael Stewart/ Lee Scales

A lot of very basic explainations of W2K concepts

Mastering Windows 2000 Server, Mark Minasi

Minasi is the best! Covers the basics and some advanced topics very well.

Windows 2000 Administrators Black Book, Stu Stowerjam, Barry Shilmover

Covers the majority of topics that every admin should know.

TechNet

When things don't go right, you can always search for solutions...

Disclaimer: I was the co-author of W2K Foundations, but I am a big fan of Minasi and Shilmover.

Check out books24x7.com. They have around 600 IT-related books on line. You can get a trial membership and view what they have.

The trick is K.I.S.S. (no offence) The wizards are good but to tweak out your domain you can delve into the help files that are found on your windows 2000 os, they really are usefull if you read them carefully

DUMP MICROSOFT AND WINDOWS NT/2000!

GO TO NOVELL NETWARE WITH NDS, VERY STRAITFORWARD AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. I CALL IT "VOODOO ADMINISTRATION", WHATEVER CHANGES YOU MAKE TO THE NDS OBJECTS IS WHAT YOU GET IN REALITY. NO PDC, BDC NONSENSE! SIMPLEENOUGH?

Since the company is small use the network wizard that came with it... Simple to use and works well for the non Techs... Simple but direct MS Windows NT/2000 has it all...

Form the question it sounds like you have a Win 2000 Server already so you shouldn't need the AD Client for Windows NT 4. So here are some other Resources I've found.

Try Microsoft's online How it works section at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/library/howitworks/default.asp

There is a very good section there on Active Directory including a glossary, Architecture and Migration sections.

Also for Formal training check out:
Accelerated Training for Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services: Course # 1579
https://mcsp.microsoft.com/isapi/gomscom.asp?target=/train_cert/Courses/1579aprelim.htm

Fatbrain.com has about 20 Books Avalible on Active Directory. I like 'Windows 2000 Active Directory' by Joe Casad.

In my city (Austin, Texas) there is a LAN users group that holds regular weekly study sessions--the current one is on Active Directory. There may not be such a group in every city, but they are worth searching for. Such user groups usually contain genuine experts in many disciplines.

I would get Windows 2000 Active Directory Black Book A Guide to Mastering Active Directory--the Key to Windows 2000
Published by the Coriolis Group when it becomes available, they have the best books.

I suggest NetWare 5.x instead. Unless you need NT for client server, NetWare does the job faster and easier with less hardware. If you do need NT, get a NetWare server online, set up your objects, then get NDS for NT. You then can managed NT and AD through NDS and have the best of both worlds.

One source of information is the Microsoft Seminar Online site at:
www.microsoft.com/Seminar/1033/default.htm

If you type in a search phrase of "Active Directory" you'll find several good seminars on the topic.

Subscription to Microsoft Technet.

If I were Ed I would first purchase the "Windows 2000 Active directory Services MSCE training kit 70-217". I know that Ed doesn't want to become an MCSE, but I am and this was an excellent book and taught me a ton of stuff (even before I took the 1560 course). Second, I would setup a single or two computer network up outside of his work environment to play with (depending on works or your money situation. I and any other person reading would probably back you up with work regarding funds for this project). After all we all know there is no better way to learn something than to either play with it or break it (Ed has all ready proven this). Third, I would check out the TechNet online and search for Group Policy Objects, Active Directory structure, and I think I saw a "what's new" article for the Windows 2000 structure (If Ed is running Exchange v5 or v5.5 I would say that Ed is half way there to understanding the Windows 2000 structure). Forth, Write down what he needs to know and postit on the Windows 2000 forumns site. I got a lot of good ideas there myself. I could go on forever about where to get invaluable info., but setting up a server a playing I think is Ed's best way to learn without investing in a new career.

I agree that a part time administrator should be exploring an eventual migration to W2K. I do not think arbitrarily deciding to upgrade is the best decision. Is there an overriding business need to be on the W2K platform? Currently there are veryfew application that require W2K and most would be outside the needs of such as small installation. For better or worse I have seen analysts are predicting NT 4.0 installation will be around and supported by Microsoft for quite some time.

To get into Active Directory I would suggest procuring some sort of test environment. I realize this may be hard considering the number of computers already present. They could be replacement computers ordered earlier than necessary and temporarily used in a test lab and then switched out for older ones already scheduled to be replaced. In a test environment I would try to recreate the existing setup as closely as possible and see the results of the migration.

Microsoft seems to be providing a number of migration guides on line. There are also a number of good books available to help as well.

You MUST buy Windows 2000 System Administrators Black Book published by Coriolis and written by Stu Sjouwerman, Barry Shilmover and James Michael Stewart.

You could check look at the windows 2000 white pages at http://www.wsbinc.com/Win2k/win2kwptopics.htm

you have to request white papers via e-mail

Hi ,
If you really want to master active directory there are very best links from Microsoft and other different site, who offer you good technical papers about AD.

I found the following sites very interesting:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/library/howitworks

You can also register for a free course on Active Directory with www.imguniversity.com ,who offer a free 2weeks course on Active Directory.

If you need more information on other different directory services,then you can browse the following site (a very good site)

www.directoryservices.com
thats all from me
hope this helps you
Regards
Sastry K N

If you are hands on person, then I will suggest installing Active Directory on a play PC. If you are a person who can read and do things the I would just buying MCSE Training kit for 2000 and go through there Active Directory book.

Expert? Expert? I want to see this...

I have installed Active Directory 4 different times in 4 months using wizards with no problems or traps...mmmm! Maybe just add a reverse lookup in DNS. Is that a trap? Try Microsoft's Training Kit for Windows2000 Active Directory Service and Sybex Window's 2000 Directory Services Administration Study Guide (very easy reading). I found some great Active Directory articles right here on TechRepublic too. Wait, I read those. Does that make me an expert? Remember, rolling up the sleeves and digging in has no rival.

Expert? Expert? Where is this person? I want to touch em.....

I too am not a MCSE, however I do a fair number of calls relating to windows 2000 (workstation /servers), from users who also are just assigned the tasks.
My solution is get the Book: Windows 2000 System Administrators BLACK BOOK.
This book hasreal world, hand holding, solutions to procedures and problems.
The book is very scare however, and a backorder from your favourite book store is in order.

The Book
Windows 2000 System Administrators' Black Book by Stu Sjouwerman, Berry Shilmover, James Michael Stewart.
ISBN 1-57610-268-8

Reguards

Walter Bagay,
Service manager

I've found a very good place to start learning about Active directory: http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS2000/library/planning/jumpstart/asx/Abstracts/VCON05.htm
This lesson is a streaming video off of Microsoft's site given by Stuart Kwan,one of Microsoft's Win2k developers. He walks you through what Active Directory is and how to design a structure for your company. Hope this helps!

You can use microsoft technet at http://www.microsoft.com/technet. There are a lot of articles to be found in the technet website.

Hi
I found the following site to be one of the best for Active Directory information.

http://www.labmice.net/ActiveDirectory/default.htm

Hope it helps you.

This question was auto closed due to inactivity