Any good booksto read up on servers and admin duties?

I

IceWindus

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Mar 8, 2004
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Hey guys, im wanting to expand my horizons as it were. Im still confused and unfamiliar with basic admin duties such as profiles, exchange, active directory, email servers, ect..ect... My work hasn't been really able to give me opportunties to tinker with stuff as we really can't afford me to start dwinking around with $3000 servers when they need to get setup, and sent out the door.

Anyone have any recommendations on some books that I could sit and read just to get general foundation going, just so im not totally clueless on what im trying to learn? I guess im just wanting to start bettering myself so Im not a bench tech for the rest of my life struggling to make a living.

If you have any other suggestions, feel free to advise.
 
Windows Server 2003 Administrator's Pocket Consultant by William Stanek

Exchange Server 2003 Administrator's Pocket Consultant by William Stanek

Both are pretty good books. They cover most of the day-to-day administration tasks for Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003.
 
As far as I know they do. Both are on their website. I personally bought mine at Border's.
 
if you are going to be reading the books and are already in the IT field, why not just buy some study guides for the MCSE/MCSA and study for some certifications?
 
Mostly cause I don't have much real world experience to back it up. I don't wanna become another mindless paper cert IT boy like so many companies are having to sort through.
 
IceWind said:
Mostly cause I don't have much real world experience to back it up. I don't wanna become another mindless paper cert IT boy like so many companies are having to sort through.
Click to expand...

but you have a job and are gaining experience.... might as well add some certs.
 
deadoralive said:
but you have a job and are gaining experience.... might as well add some certs.
Click to expand...
Actually, I totally agree with IceWind's decision on certification. If he were in a position where it would help him in his career, then I would definitely tell him to go for it. Currently, he is a bench tech. I know that if I were to get a bench tech applying for a job with me and he had MCSE, that I would pretty much 100% ignore the fact that he had the MCSE completely. I wouldn't count it against him or anything, I just would ignore the fact that he had it simply because he had no experience to back it up.

IceWind: My advice to you is definitely to study up on anything you can, especially emerging technologies like Linux, IPv6, Voice over IP, and Wireless networking. These are very big things to know and can get you a long way in the industry. For the immediate term, I would look into your own company. Do they have any kind of training budget? Would getting any of the various certifications out there poise you for a better position within your company? Remember that in the current market, it is more likely easier to promote yourself within your current company than to move into a new one. Definitely learn as much as you can about Active Directory and Exchange, as they are the lifeblood of most IT departments.

What you will need to do is really decide on where you want to go with your career and work towards that goal. If you want to become a network engineer and design and implement very large networks, start studying Cisco, Nortel, and Foundry equipment and look into certifications for each. If you want to move into the systems engineering side of things, then you will have to decide on Windows or Unix/Linux and start learning as much as you can for your chosen field.

One of the most common mistakes that I see people make when getting certifications is they get everything that they can and seem to have no focus. Decide what you want to do and work towards certifications that directly apply. If you want to be a network engineer, don't get your MCSE. Instead get your CCNA, then CCNP, at minimum. Remeber that whatever you chose, you should work towards getting experience with the systems and equipment that relates. A certificate is just a piece of paper if you do not truly possess the knowledge and experience to back it up.
 
Thank you wolf, thats really the point im at right now. Im just not totally sure what I enjoy and what I really despise doing in regards to the industry. The field is expanding so fast and broadening in many different directions, its hard for me to judge.

I have learned however im really not into the high end CISCO networking of things, its just to much like programming, which I despise with a passion.
 
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