This book guides readers through advanced design and deployment issues related to using Active Directory in the Windows Server 2003 environment. Coverage includes underlying concepts, architectural components, and real-world functionality, with sections on overview, implementation, administration, and maintenance. Reimer is a corporate technology specialist. Mulcare is an instructional designer. Annotation 2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
If you're new to Active Directory, this is an acceptable starting point to get you up and running. However several points are not mentioned in this text:
- First of all, issues regarding an Authoritative Restore; specifically Group Memberships. This is a CRUCIAL topic, as you'll see in the field, after doing an authoritative restore "by the book" you will have group membership inconsistencies - Poor explanation of tombstones & how to actually modify them; specifically which Object Attributes are saved in the tombstone by default [hint: user's group memberships is NOT one of them] and how to modify this property. - Insufficient coverage of crucial tools such as LDP.EXE, ASDIEDIT.MSC, FRSDIAG, REPLMON. - No explanation of Object's Back Link's [i.e. a user's Group Memberships] vs Object's Forward Link's [i.e. a group's User Members] and how Active Directory treats them VERY differently [esp for purposes of performing a restore]. - No coverage of the Journal Wrap & issues this causes w/ FRS replication
There are other books, but unfortunately the only place I've found any information on these vital topics is support.microsoft.com. I HIGHLY suggest you spend your time reading the following technotes if you plan on using this book: Q840001, Q280079, Q216993, Q909265, Q292438.