Optimizing Windows NT®

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Summary: Takes technical writing to new standards
Review: As a MCSE and NT systems administrator I'm used to read large amounts of documentation. Some of it is OK written and to the point and lots are terrible. But I have never read a technical manual written like a Tom Clancy novel, so I'm used to set my expectations accordingly. Sean K. Daily has written a manual that takes technical writing to new standards. I read 200 pages the first weekend I had it, before I felt a need to put it down. After that I've enjoyed a chapter now and then and finished it the other day with a feeling that this was a really good book. But writing style alone can't make a technical manual float. Optimizing Windows NT delivers on its title. The author start where most manuals like "Running Windows NT" and the like ends. You need a firm grip on day to day use of the NT OS to start with. If you have knowledge comparable to the "Windown NT Core tech." from Microsoft Press, you will find this IDG title rewarding. The registry is explained in depth with a lot of tips on how (and why) to tweak it. The intro on Perfomance Monitor is basic, but the long tables of object explanations are priceless. The section on networking is equally excellent, but I would like some more coverage of Network Monitor. I find the book to be more of an advanced tutorial than a handy reference, but if you want to take your knowledge of WinNT to the next level this is the book you want!

Rating:
Summary: nothing special
Review: I didn't get much out of this book, and I support 50 NT 4.0 workstations every day. Nothing in this book has been of any use to me so far.

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Summary: Great book on Performance Monitor
Review: I highly recommend this book: It more than exceeded my preprint expectations. Anyone who owns either an NT Server or runs NT on a DEC Alpha would be nuts not to get this book.

The BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) section on pp 740-750 alone is worth the price of the book, especially if you are running the intel version of NT. Also, this book has a lot of hard-to-find info on securing, optimizing, and running Windows NT on the DEC Alpha.

The format and writing style is as good as MacWorld's Macintosh Secrets (by David Pogue), generally regarded as the best of the Macintosh reference books.

Rating:
Summary: Takes technical writing to new standards
Review: It covers its subjects very well. It gives clear and useful explanations on available technologies and of what to do with it. Certainly too long to be read from beginning to the end.

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Summary: Indispensible guide for Windows NT performance management
Review: This book is an indispensible guide for Windows NT performance management and capacity planning. Author Sean K. Daily begins a top down approach to optimization by focusing on hardware selection. Memory optimization follows, then application, disk, printing, and network. In each case well written descriptions of how Windows NT functions are followed by explainations of the key metrics maintained by Windows NT and how to interpret their values. Registry modifications are explained where appropriate as well as other Windows NT tuning parameters of value. Mr. Daily has also done a fine job of surveying the marketplace for optimization tools and includes well written descriptions, and in some cases demo copies, of the most useful of these tools available. This book is an outstanding piece of work deserving a space on the shelf of every Windows NT professional interested in delivering performance and capacity to their user communities.

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Summary: A must have tool/reference for NT systems Administrators!
Review: This is simply the best text of its sort on the market. It is an authoritative non-biased text based on getting the most oomph out of your NT network. And with a sense of humor! I can't imagine running a NT based network without this reference on my shelf!

Rating:
Summary: Will be a classic text for the NT Server Administrator
Review: This text is so complete! It goes from which hardware configurations will provide the greatest performance to obscure registry settings that will really improve perfromance. I intend on using the ideas presented in this book to help me optimize a four thousand client data server environment. A great find!