BKWNTUNI.RVW   980627

"Windows NT and UNIX Integration", Gene Henriksen, 1998,
1-57870-048-5, U$32.00/C$45.95/UK#28.00
%A   Gene Henriksen gene@henriksens.com
%C   201 W. 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN   46290
%D   1998
%G   1-57870-048-5
%I   Macmillan Computer Publishing (MCP)
%O   U$32.00/C$45.95/UK#28.00 800-858-7674 info@mcp.com
%P   350 p.
%T   "Windows NT and UNIX Integration"

A great many networks must now deal with both UNIX and Windows NT, and
it would be very handy to have a reference book that dealt with both. 
Unfortunately, despite both "Windows NT and UNIX" (cf. BKWNTUNX.RVW)
and this current work, I haven't seen one yet.

Part one gives background information for both operating systems, and
also for TCP/IP, the common networking protocols.  Chapter one
provides an introduction to Windows NT.  Actually, there is much more
information than an introduction, but the material appears to be
random and somewhat disorganized.  There is no conceptual framework
for the system, and a level of detail that varies wildly from one
topic to the next.  The content for UNIX, in chapter two, is similar
in style.  In addition, explanatory text is frequently idiosyncratic
and unclear.  A description of UNIX links is almost impossible to
understand, and appears to give incorrect commands as well.  Chapters
three and four, discussing TCP/IP on NT and UNIX respectively, do not
talk about IP as such at all, and simply describe commands and screens
for configuration without providing background about the implications
for configuration options.

Part two looks at file sharing technologies.  Chapter five reviews
some NFS (Network File System) clients that can be used to access
files on a UNIX system where an NFS server is running.  A variety of
software packages are listed in chapter six, with varying functions. 
Thin servers are not well defined in chapter seven, so the description
of the noted products are not very helpful.  As with part one, most of
the content is confused and confusing.

Part three deals with printer sharing.  Chapter eight describes
commands and options for the UNIX line printer functions.  NT NFS
printer clients are listed in chapter nine.  I *think* that the
products in chapter ten run on UNIX systems and allow Windows
computers on the same network to send jobs to printers attached to the
UNIX computers, but it is hard to be sure.

Part four discusses the integration of applications between systems. 
Chapter eleven presents Tarantella, which appears to be Web-based
terminal emulation with added features.  X and some telnet programs
with fancy fonts are in chapter twelve.

Part five looks at additional resources for both systems.  Chapter
thirteen talks about the Windows NT Resource Kit and TechNet
subscriptions.  Some additional NT versions of UNIX utilities are
listed in chapter fourteen.

A number of important topics, such as integration of administration
and security, are simply never discussed at all.

Besides the confusion and lack of clarity in the book, a signal
shortcoming is the failure to look at a mixed network as an integrated
whole.  There is a good deal of information included in the text, and
much of it could be very useful.  The piecemeal approach, however,
means that clients and servers are dealt with in isolation.  There is
no discussion of the setup of a system: it is assumed that one merely
wants to use resources on a network which is already configured for
cross-system communication.  One consistent example of this is that
all sample commands assume a small and limited test bed, without ever
considering a network with multiple NT domains, or a virtual network
across the Internet.

The cover illustration shows a group of sailors who have, literally,
tied themselves up in knots.  Unintentional though it may be, it is
precisely the right metaphor for the structure of the book.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1998   BKWNTUNI.RVW   980627