ComputerWorld: Tech Analysis: Win 2K — Forget NT, this is something very different

“Compared to its predecessor, NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition, Win 2K
Advanced Server is much more complex and admits much greater
degrees of control. It also requires more intensive and deep
networking knowledge than I suspect that many IT departments can
muster.”

“The organization of Win 2K networks is somewhat different from
NT, and hard to explain for two reasons. First, much of it is
nonhierarchical in nature, relating to considerations such as
location and bandwidth. Second, there exist several different sets
of network nomenclature that are intermingled and used together,
not just in the teaching and reference material but in the
on-screen dialogue boxes as well.

The serious problem is that none of these metaphoric terms
exactly match up to one another, and sometimes they don’t reflect
the networks’ real structure.”

“It appears to be entirely possible for domain administrators to
shoot themselves in the foot, i.e., to lock themselves out of the
domain entirely such that the only recourse is to reinstall Windows
2K AS and reconfigure the network.”

“Unless they’re planning a quick trip into another
profession, savvy IT managers who currently have NT in their job
description had better plan on taking some fairly heavy-duty
training courses on the innards of Win 2K. Microsoft’s own
certification program is being revamped for Win 2K, and current
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSE) will have to take at
least two or three more exams to be certified for Windows
2000.”

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