A key problem with Microsoft Windows is that its friendly user interface can get in the way of efficient system administration. There's no easy way, for example, to use the graphical administration tools to determine which of your users have passwords that will soon expire. The answers to such problems of administration come in the form of scripts written for the Windows Script Host (WSH), which are what IT Administrator's Top 10 Introductory Scripts for Windows aims to teach its readers about. It succeeds; Jeff Fellinge takes on 10 significant administration challenges (getting a list of a machine's local user accounts remotely, comparing successive weeks' computer rosters, getting a concise report of users and groups on Active Directory, and so on) and shows how to solve them. It's a handy resource for an administrator who's not fond of trooping across the office (or, all too frequently, the country) to do menial tasks.
This book should also prove useful to programmers interested in integrating their products with Active Directory. Fellinge takes care to document his scripts in detail--he does not commit the popular sin of presenting the user with giant, unexplained code listings--and it's usually easy to figure out why he's designed his code as he as. Combined with a reference that details JScript for WSH, this book will prove especially valuable. --David Wall
Topics covered: How to use JScript and the Windows Script Host (WSH) to write time-saving administrative scripts for Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and (to a far lesser extent) Windows NT.
The IT Administrator's Top 10 Introductory Scripts for Windows helps administrators learn, and quickly implement, new scripting tools to increase productivity and reduce redundancy. It teaches readers scripting basics by explaining and breaking down real-world examples, and focuses on harnessing scripting power for IT systems administrators and systems engineers. The book is built around 10 fully-functional scripts that will help IT administrators manage their environment right "out of the box." Administrators also learn the strategies and tactics surrounding the development and implementation of these real-world scripts. Additionally, the chapters cover hypothetical, real-world business needs and explain how to map a script-based solution, including a discussion of the preferred language, tools, and technologies.
