Book for learning how to administrate a public-facing Windows Server (2008)?

Question

Is there any book you'd recommend to learn how to administrate a public-facing (IIS7, SQL Server 2008) Windows Server (2008 in this case)?

I've searched for books in this matter and I've found "Windows Server 2008 Undercover", "Windows Server 2008 Unleashed", etc, which from the table of contents seems to be centered around the Windows server in a local network that is working as the PDC, or Active Directory server, or serving files, or some other tasks for local clients. The last of which I don't have any.

I haven't used Windows in ages (not even in the client), so even basic things are puzzling for me at the moment.

Answer 1

Look for security books on hardening the OS and IIS. You won't find one single book covering IIS, Windows and SQL Server. You'll have to look for separate books on each topic.

The basics will be strong passwords, only install the services that you need.

Only allow access to the machine over ports 80 and/or 443 as needed.

Answer 2

Take a look at Microsoft's website and you will find good resources there.

Some of the sites are:

Windows 2008 - Technical Resources

Technet Security

Solution Accelerators

Answer 3

Stop looking for a book and start searching the Internet instead. By the time such a book leaves the printers it has already become at least partially out of date and inaccurate because multiple updates/patches will have been released since that book was written. Internet articles tend to be more up to date and are frequently edited as things change. In either case you will need to double check information with another source because even with the best of intentions there is a lot of mis-information floating about.

Answer 4

Perhaps consider Microsoft's IIS Learning Site.

There are lots of articles, how-tos, guides, etc.