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A Linux Admin's Guide to Windows?
Rexburg asks: "I recently took a job managing an all Windows network. While my knowledge of the OS is enough to perform the functions of my job, I want to have my bases covered. Naturally, I began the hunt for documentation, but all I can find are books to help Windows users/admins understand and use Linux. I need the opposite. Can the Slashdot crowd point a fellow OSS-head in the right direction?"
really, i mean if you are a unix/linux admin, then Windows to you should be very clear and straight forward. A few testing(i am sure you can spare the time and hardware, even at work, temporarirly)...The dialogs in Windows are self explanatory...
but just in case you get stuck, the best resource is the MSDN library..
The lunatic is in my head
Look at the O'REilly series for NT/2K/XP system admin. They talk about doing the types of things you are used to on Unix (Scripting etc).
Open Source Identity Management: FreeIPA.org
I mostly deal with *nix but need to deal with Windoze from time to time. I got the Universal Command Guide: http://www.ucgbook.com
There's plenty to complain about starting with the hubris of the "Every Command Every Operating System Cross-Referenced Together" subtitle Apparently TRON, Plan 9, vxWorks, etc. aren't operating systems (or "Some of the More Common Operating Systems, Many of the Common Commands" didn't get past the marketing department). The selection of commands in the book can sometimes seem odd and at $70 it isn't cheap, either.
Still, when you are used to "w", "ifconfig", "passwd" and the rest but find yourself sitting in front of a Netware/Mac/DOS/Windows machine thinking "there must be an equivalent instruction if I only knew what/where it is", then the cross reference in this book should at least get you pointed in the right direction.
I only pick it up every few months but even at $70 it doesn't take much time and frustration savings to pay for itself.
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"You are not remembered for doing what is expected of you." - Atul Chitnis
http://www.jsiinc.com/
There is an incredable wealth of information on that site.
altp
TechNet
If you're admining a winblows system you need to check for security releases daily and run every single piece of shit software they offer to harden your system.
Good luck, you'll need it.
BTW I admin about 10 windows machines, 8 linux machines, 1 solaris machine and 2 os x servers. By far I spend most of my time admining the Windows boxes. I would venture to guess around 90-95% of the time. Windows sucks but until it no longer pays the bills, I'm stuck.
Except for learning and using the MS tools (Active Directory, IIS, ACLs etc.), making yourself a home is the best thing you can do.
Most *nix Software has been ported either directly by the developers (Emacs, Vim, nmap etc.), MinGW or CygWin. Insecure.org's tool list gives a nice overview over the essential networking programs and ActiveState has Ports of your three favourite scripting languages already.
After installing all these tools, Win2k becomes a pretty usable OS.Install cygwin.
Agreed. And then read this. And learn to use Perl's Win32::API. Most Unix people have no idea that Windows has all this stuff available - it's a bit different from Unix but if you want to use a command line a script everything, you can.
The best (IMHO) Windows administration book is Mastering Windows 2000 Server by Mark Minasi. The writing style is informal and Minasi has experience with other OSes and doesn't automatically take the view that Windows is the best for everything. The book doesn't cover how to use the GUI like some do, but does provide an overview of stuff like remote installation services, Active Directory, policies etc.
Ignore what some other posts say - knowing UNIX will not automatically mean you know everything about Windows. To be a *good* Windows admin takes time and effort in the same way being a *good* UNIX admin takes time and effort.
My perspective is as a primarily UNIX based consultant / administrator who needs to know about Windows. This book gets five stars for providing the info I need to understand the basics.
Mod me up - this was informative.