In this book, best-selling author Mark Minasi explores every nook and cranny of the essential features of the new version of Microsoft's flagship network operating system to provide the greatest amount of information to be found in any book on the market. He covers installing Windows Server 2008 R2 and upgrading your network; Windows storage concepts and skills; Windows Server 2008 IP; WINS, NetBIOS, LMHosts; DNS; creating the simple Active Directory; creating and managing user accounts; Group Policy in Active Directory; files, folders and shares; Sysvol old and new; sharing printers on the network; remote server administration; connecting Windows clients to your network; working the Web with IIS 7.0; and AD maintenance and recovery. Not only does he thoroughly cover the features IT professionals need to know and understand, but he tells it like it is--providing workarounds for things that don't quite work as they should and describes in detail many undocumented features. This is the book that Windows administrators will keep within easy reach.

About the Author

Mark Minasi, MCSE, is one of the world's leading Windows authorities. He teaches classes in 15 countries and is a much sought-after speaker at conferences and industry gathering keynotes. His firm, MR&D, has taught tens of thousands of people to design and run Windows networks. Mark has written over 15 books for Sybex, including the market-leading Mastering Windows Server 2003 and The Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide, which has sold over one million copies.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. • Chapter 1:What's New in Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2. • Chapter 2:Installing and Upgrading to Windows Server 2008 R2. • Chapter 3:The New Server: Introduction to Server Core. • Chapter 4:Windows Server 2008 IPv4: What Has Changed? • Chapter 5:DNS and Naming in Server 2008 and Active Directory. • Chapter 6:Creating the Simple AD: The One-Domain, One-Location AD. • Chapter 7:Creating and Managing User Accounts. • Chapter 8:Group Policy: AD's Gauntlet. • Chapter 9:Active Directory Delegation. • Chapter 10:Files, Folders, and Shares. • Chapter 11:Creating and Managing Shared Folders. • Chapter 12:SYSVOL: Old and New. • Chapter 13:Sharing Printers on Windows Server 2008 R2 Networks. • Chapter 14:Remote Server Administration. • Chapter 15:Connecting Windows Clients to the Server. • Chapter 16:Working the Web with IIS 7.0 and 7.5. • Chapter 17:Watching Your System. • Chapter 18:Windows Server 2008 R2 and Active Directory Backup and Maintenance. • Chapter 19:Advanced IP: Routing with Windows. • Chapter 20:Getting from the Office to the Road: VPNs. • Chapter 21:Adding More Locations: Sites in Active Directory. • Chapter 22:The Third DC: Understanding Read-Only Domain Controllers. • Chapter 23:Creating Larger Active Directory Environments: Beyond One Domain. • Chapter 24:Migrating, Merging, and Modifying Your Active Directory. • Chapter 25:Installing, Using, and Administering Remote Desktop Services. • Chapter 26:Connecting Mac OS X Clients. • Chapter 27:Patch Management. • Chapter 28:File Shares Made Even Better: Windows SharePoint Services 3.0. • Chapter 29:Server Virtualization with Hyper-V. • Chapter 30:Advanced User Account Management and User Support. Appendix:The Bottom Line. Index.