Win Admins: AD, WSUS, Exchange, SQL,

To the Win Admins:

I need to know some essential commands/reference documents/books for working with Server 03 and Exchange 03 along with WSUS. All of the boxes are XP (staying that way for a while). There is some SQL Server 2000 but we are moving to SQL 2005 later this year. I am going to be backup on these boxes so I guess I need to learn about this stuff. Anyone have any suggestions for getting my feet wet (besides labbing which I plan to do)?

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Comments

Bl8ckr0uter

I think I am back on board for the MCSA btw....

earweed

Welcome to the dark side..lol

veritas_libertas

earweed wrote: »

Welcome to the dark side..lol

Yes, and the dark-side has cookies!

L0gicB0mb508

WSUS is pretty simple to use really. Once you get into it, you should have no problems. Your SQL databases are also probably not insane, unless you have some custom built stuff. I'm wondering if they are just the back end to your applications only? Exchange is a fickle creature. It's not horrible to use, but when things go wrong they can go REALLY wrong. I have the pocket admin guides written by MS Press. They are small enough you can carry them around. I would just buy the MS Press books on subjects you aren't familiar with.

Bl8ckr0uter

L0gicB0mb508 wrote: »

WSUS is pretty simple to use really. Once you get into it, you should have no problems. Your SQL databases are also probably not insane, unless you have some custom built stuff. I'm wondering if they are just the back end to your applications only? Exchange is a fickle creature. It's not horrible to use, but when things go wrong they can go REALLY wrong. I have the pocket admin guides written by MS Press. They are small enough you can carry them around. I would just buy the MS Press books on subjects you aren't familiar with.

Do you think that it is work certifying on them? They are backends for our many apps. I am most concerned about Exchange though.

mikedisd2

knwminus wrote: »

Do you think that it is work certifying on them? They are backends for our many apps. I am most concerned about Exchange though.

As you mentioned previously, labbing up Exchange will be your best bet. Make it a point of study and maybe get a CBT to help you learn. If you want get certified then certify. If you just want to know the product then just study.

Installing it at home will give you a big jump in understanding.

As for WSUS read the MS help files or Technet. It's easy enough to just pickup.

Daniel333

Check out vtc.com
they have SQL, Exchange, wSUS everything you just mentioned there. Cost you $30/month and about 30-40 hours of your life to get cought up.

L0gicB0mb508

phoeneous wrote: »

Don't be, after Exchange is setup correctly it pretty much runs itself. I'd be more concerned about AD and the sql box.

I just bought the Windows Server 2003 Resource kit and it is a bounty of information. Any of the MS Press resource kits will be useful for what you want to know.

You are correct in the fact that once Exchange is running, it usually goes smooth. However, when you have an enterprise class Exchange box that fails, all hell breaks loose and everyone is pissed. You need to get up to speed at least on basic systems monitoring. I would play with the Exchange manager software and get it down pat. WSUS you really can figure out by using it. It's not a really big deal. If your SQL server is just the database back end for whatever apps are running on that server, then no big deal. Just know how to monitor it for problems. If it hosts custom apps that are business critical, then you probably want to learn how to do some more advanced stuff with SQL. AD has a lot of things that go with it. It can be very complex, or be very simple. It really depends on how it's set up and the amount of objects inside it.

I would tackle it, by learning in this order: systems monitoring -> trouble shooting -> configuration. It's not really like studying for a certification. You won't be installing Exchange from scratch. You had better know how to monitor it and troubleshoot the problems though.

Whether you want to certify is up to you. It may be an advantage down the road if you want to continue with MS admin duties. I really never bothered to certify with it, but that was my choice.

RobertKaucher

If you want a basic understanding of SQL Server I suggest that you take a look at 2 books:

TYS T-SQL in 10 Minutes
Amazon.com: Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL in 10 Minutes (9780672328671): Ben

and one of the following
Amazon.com: SQL Server 2008 Administration: Real-World Skills for

or

Amazon.com: SQL Server 2005 DBA Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to SQL Server 2005 Certification Skills

This will not make you a DBA, mind you. It will just be enough to have a very solid theoretical and practical understanding to help support things like ERP software, SharePoint, etc.

Bl8ckr0uter

I've started to work on the WSUS boxes. It is a lot easier to work with than I thought it was going to be. At any rate, I am probably going to pick up the Exchange 2003, IIS, SQL Server 05, and Server 03 Pocket consultants and go from there. I am not sure if I am going to certify or not. It really depends on how I feel after LPIC-1. I am going back to school in the fall and I really want to try to get ROUTE taken care of before the end of the year. If I feel like I can do it, I might pick up at least an MCP. We will see. For right now, I just want to learn the technologies.

Thanks for the suggestions all.

vCole

RobertKaucher wrote: »

If you want a basic understanding of SQL Server I suggest that you take a look at 2 books:

TYS T-SQL in 10 Minutes
Amazon.com: Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL in 10 Minutes (9780672328671): Ben…

and one of the following
Amazon.com: SQL Server 2008 Administration: Real-World Skills for…

or

Amazon.com: SQL Server 2005 DBA Street Smarts: A Real World Guide to SQL Server 2005 Certification Skills…

This will not make you a DBA, mind you. It will just be enough to have a very solid theoretical and practical understanding to help support things like ERP software, SharePoint, etc.

Thanks for these links - I need to learn some SQL for SharePoint for sure.

However - to answer the OP's question, specifically Exchange related:

Great sites as msexchange.org plus picking up books such as the Exchange 2003 Pocket Consultant really help.

Since you're not setting it up from scratch - reading up on maintenance, troubleshooting & restores will be in your best interest.

I thought I'd never have to do a Exchange restore - I did two, on separate domains/servers in 6 months.

However, WSUS usually runs fine once setup: wsus - Windows Server Update Services Wiki is helpful.

Also, for AD, I'd pick up some books:
Amazon.com: Active Directory Administrator's Pocket Consultant (Administrators

Amazon.com: Windows Group Policy Administrator's Pocket Consultant (978073562676

: William R.

Bl8ckr0uter

FadeToBright wrote: »

Great sites as msexchange.org plus picking up books such as the Exchange 2003 Pocket Consultant really help.

Since you're not setting it up from scratch - reading up on maintenance, troubleshooting & restores will be in your best interest.

I thought I'd never have to do a Exchange restore - I did two, on separate domains/servers in 6 months.

However, WSUS usually runs fine once setup: wsus - Windows Server Update Services Wiki is helpful.

Also, for AD, I'd pick up some books:
Amazon.com: Active Directory Administrator's Pocket Consultant (Administrators…

Amazon.com: Windows Group Policy Administrator's Pocket Consultant (978073562676: William R.…

Lol I actually read that wiki today like 45mins ago. I am looking at the WSUS now and I am not liking what I'm seeing...

Both of those books are on 08 do you think that the material would be good for 03?

ElvisG

knwminus wrote: »

Both of those books are on 08 do you think that the material would be good for 03?

The same principals apply no matter what version. The only difference you are going to see is either a new feature or a new way to apply certain settings. I highly recommend both books whether you are going for 03 or 08.