BKWNTSRK.RVW   990220

"Microsoft Windows NT Server Resource Kit", Microsoft, 1996-8,
1-57231-344-7 1-57231-559-8 1-57231-626-8, C$199.95 C$54.99 C$69.99
%A   Microsoft
%C   1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA   98052-6399
%D   1996, 1997, 1998
%G   1-57231-344-7 1-57231-559-8 1-57231-626-8
%I   Microsoft Press
%O   U$149.95/C$199.95 U$39.99/C$54.99 U$49.99/C$69.99 800-MSPRESS
%P   3 vol/1449 p. + CD-ROM, 308 p. + CD-ROM, 2 CD-ROM
%T   "Microsoft Windows NT Server Resource Kit" + Supp. 1 + Supp. 2

Many of those in the know, with regard to Windows, consider the
various Resource Kits to be essential parts of the operating system,
and wonder why the kits are not shipped with the products.  Certainly,
if Microsoft can make the case that Internet Explorer is an integral
component of the system, the utilities shipped with the resource kits
can lay greater claim to that position.  Whether you consider the kits
to be add-on goodies, or the second half of the system that you resent
paying extra for, in the case of NT Server the kit is definitely
something to consider.  If you are administering an NT server network,
the additional cost for the information and tools will certainly add
value.

Most intermediate Windows users see the primary resource in the
utility software.  A number of these programs are very helpful. 
Recently I noted an exchange on a mailing list that had two techies
discussing how to save partition table information.  The contention
between them was obviously that one had the Resource Kit and the other
didn't, since the activity being described by the one, and not being
accessible to the other, comes from a utility in the Resource Kit. 
The written documentation included seems to tacitly admit this
perception, since a good portion of the manuals describes the
operation of the new utilities.

However, the documentation is not to be disregarded.  Important
operations such as backup and recovery of registry files and creation
of recovery discs are explained in much greater detail than you will
usually find elsewhere.  The material isn't perfect: to stick with the
backup topic, the advice to use Ntbackup to save registry data fails
to tell you that Ntbackup won't use any media other than cartridge
tape.  (Later in the book that point is stated.)

In the original kit, the volumes included were the Resource Guide, the
Internet Guide, and the Networking Guide.  The Internet Guide is
rather disappointingly lacking in functional detail, although a number
of items were covered better in the Networking Guide.  Supplement One
seems to concentrate on the Internet Information Server.  Supplement
Two does not have a printed manual at all, but does have a second disk
with materials from TechNet.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999   BKWNTSRK.RVW   990220