Why Windows Server Hacks?
While most common, day-to-day tasks of Windows administration can be
performed from the GUI, it's not always the best
way, especially with complex or repetitive tasks. Scripts and
command-line tools often provide a faster and more flexible approach,
and Windows has grown more powerful in this area with the progressive
addition of VBScript, Active Directory Services Interface (ADSI),
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), and dozens of new commands
to each new version of the platform. Unfortunately, learning to
leverage the power of these different features takes timea
precious commodity for today's busy system
administrator.
That's why a large portion of this book consists of
scripts and other tools that can make your life much easier as an
administrator. These tools, or hacksquick
and dirty solutions to problems or clever ways of doing
thingswere created by other professionals who have had to
struggle to find solutions to administering their own Windows
environments, and you can benefit from their expertise in two
important ways. First, you can use their scripts, tools, tips, and
advice to save valuable time as you manage your own Windows-based
network. Second, by studying the scripts and learning a little
VB/ADSI/WMI, you can easily customize these scripts to create even
more powerful tools that meet your own specific needs.