Rating: 
Summary: Perhaps the best computer book I've ever read
Review: and I've read a lot. Practical but with plenty of explanation. It goes through all the information that you need in a clear and understandable way. And to top it off, excellent tips and extras. What more do you need in a book? Just buy it!
Rating:
Summary: The best one for me
Review: From now on I'm looking to see if William Stanek wrote a book on whatever computer or software I buy because I know if I buy it then I'll be ok. He makes everything easy. He writes as if he really cares if you understand the subject. I keep the Inside Out on my desk and refer to it often.
This is great, straight forward and concise. Concise? Its over 1500 pages BUT there's so much packed into every page it really is concise AND each subject covered is covered extremely well. Words cannot express how helpful Stanek is or the frustration and stress he can remove. Waiting for more wonderful insight into a computer/company that wishes they understood their own product as well as you. Thanks William Stanek.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Had this for about a week now... haven't had a chance to read the whole thing but what I've read has been outstanding. This book is probably best for the Windows Server 2003 admin who wants to get the most out of the OS. You probably couldn't go past this book for its great design, excellent writing style and breadth of advice. The book revealed features I had no idea were present in 2003, and told me enough to begin using them. It's incredible how up-to-date this book is especially when it comes to AD. It covers all the latest.I also have Minasi's book. I have to say this book is in many ways better. The AD section in this is understandable and extremely thorough. Minasi's is all over the place. This book has better Registry, DNS, networking, RIS, DHCP, printer, storage, and terminal services sections. Overall this is a much better book and I gave Minasi's book a 5 so this has got to be a 6! Stanek's Pocket books are well know for being clear, concise and thorough. This is being more of the same and you get a book packed with nearly 1500 pages! In short I think if you are looking for a complete Windows 2003 reference book this is the one. If you're looking for a quick ref as well pick up Stanek's Windows 2003 pocket admin. I use both all the time now. What impressed me most about this is the attention to detail. Stanek tells you more than how and why it works. He provides expert advice to make Windows run better with less problems and when you have problems there's complete solutions. Nearly every chapter in the book provides troubleshooting, tips for maintaining it over time, tips for making it work better, tips for working around known issues. When it comes to networking every technology is covered with many security, design and implementation options provides. For anyone studying for MCSE, this book is a must. I have learned more from this than my MCSE course books plus it covers everything those books cover. Another plus for the book is the CD which comes with an e-book version of the book, the Windows 2003 Resource Kit, and a lot of extras. This book has already made me a better administrator (and I am pretty good). I plan to read the book cover to cover to learn even more. I wouldn't be surprised if the Windows bootcamps start handing this out. It's the one I'd want to get if I was starting out and it's pretty darn good for us pros as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, but MISSING info
Review: I like this book, I really do. Its easy to read, has loads of useful info, but there is not anything to do with Routing, NAT, ICS, ICF etc...all of the real networking information is not here.
I'd hardly call it "Inside Out", more like "Missed Out".
The book is good, but its only worth 3 stars because its incomplete. Buy Mastering 2003 Instead. Much better.
Rating:
Summary: This is all you need!
Review: I'm a long time user of Mastering in its various editions (four editions of Mastering Windows 2000 Server alone--why so many revisions?). I bought Stanek's book because I love his other books (especially the WINDOWS SERVER ADMINISTRATOR'S POCKET CONSULTANT). Having (like everyone else) bought the latest edition of Minasi almost robotically, I feel like the content and jokes are stale, and that the book's content has slipped. For example, there's way too much information and advice that fails to recognize changes that Microsoft has made in 2003. This new book by Stanek was the perfect cure for my malaise. It's just the right amount of detail so that I never got lost, it gives me not only grounding in techniques and best practices, but also a real sense of the new things that are possible in 2003, and it's exceptionally well written. THIS IS IMPORTANT NEW WORK! I may still buy Minasi in the future, but this is my new BIBLE! Thanks, Bill Stanek!
Rating:
Summary: Tired of Minasi--Stanek provides a fresh perspective
Review: I'm a long time user of Mastering in its various editions (four editions of Mastering Windows 2000 Server alone--why so many revisions?). I bought Stanek's book because I love his other books (especially the WINDOWS SERVER ADMINISTRATOR'S POCKET CONSULTANT). Having (like everyone else) bought the latest edition of Minasi almost robotically, I feel like the content and jokes are stale, and that the book's content has slipped. For example, there's way too much information and advice that fails to recognize changes that Microsoft has made in 2003. This new book by Stanek was the perfect cure for my malaise. It's just the right amount of detail so that I never got lost, it gives me not only grounding in techniques and best practices, but also a real sense of the new things that are possible in 2003, and it's exceptionally well written. THIS IS IMPORTANT NEW WORK! I may still buy Minasi in the future, but this is my new BIBLE! Thanks, Bill Stanek!
Rating:
Summary: Well worth your time and money
Review: I've never written a review about a book before. This is the first one I feel required one because it is that good.
When I was looking for books on Windows Server 2003, I looked at a few other books on the topic and finally decided to get this. This is the best of the books I looked at. The book has a very logical approach to describing the complexities of Windows Server and is very well written.
This book is very in-depth and the author apparently has had a lot of experience as a consultant. This shows in the detailed design strategies presented for DNS, DHCP, Active Directoy and networking in general.
In addition to being up-to-date, you'll get some information in this book you probalby won't find any other places. I know I couldn't even after months of readings newsgroups and tracking Windows related sites. The most obvious example is the extensive coverage of Active Directory. Replication, GPO's, sites, implementation gets my top marks.
After buying this book, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the thorough explanations and examples. If there's one book you buy this year, I think this has got to be the one.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent W2K3 Administrators book
Review: No Windows server book can cover every subject but Windows Server 2003 Inside Out comes close. Stanek's Inside Out is the second big Windows book I purchased (after Minasi's Mastering). In all honesty Stanek's is a more complete book but both are good.
Inside Out covers many topics not covered in Mastering including upgrades, migration, unattended installs (separate from RIS), clustering, DNS architecture, AD architecture, AD design, AD recovery, AD replication, group policy managment, print server migration, and the list goes on and on. Plus where it counts Inside Out is more detailed, accurate, and easy to understand.
With Inside Out, its details, details, details and it makes all the difference. Like when you are installing a domain controller Stanek remembers to tell you how to prepare, what to expect, and what to watch out for. He tells you how to search your entire system with a single command for encrypted files that will get hosed if you don't watch out and do what he says before installing. Stanek points out all the little tips and tricks.
I've always had a hard time learning things but this book made it so easy for me. Pick any subject, look it up in Stanek's book and read it to find out everything you wanted to know. One area of the os I thought I knew was the file system. It was an eyeopener to read Chapter 20. I didn't know you could do half of that with NTFS. Everything I've looked up has been this way so far.
I can't recommend this book highly enough! Microsoft should use this book in their training courses.
Rating:
Summary: This is all you need!
Review: Once again William Stanek has come through with Windows Server 2003 Inside Out. This book has everything you need to know about Windows Server 2003. The most detailed Windows server book I've found. This book is a must for anyone planning on rolling out Windows complete with thorough install, migration, and upgrade chapters. For all the technical details on using Windows it is hard to beat as well. Highly recommended to users of all levels of competency.
Rating: 
Summary: Great resource manual
Review: This book covers all the topics in detail that you would normally have to search for on MS Knowledge base. Some of the chapters are not of concern for a smaller business, but for large scale applications it covers all of it.
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