Best book to learn Sharepoint Administration (MOSS)?

Question

What is the best available book for learning Sharepoint administration? Would prefer a cover-to-cover read rather than a reference book, but would take a good reference over a bad guide any day.

Answer 1

If you ask me, the BEST books about SharePoint administration are these two, both written by Bill English:

1. Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007 Administrator's Companion
2. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Best Practices

Answer 2

Toni's two recommendations are excellent, and I would also strongly recommend Inside SharePoint 2007 Administration by Todd Klindt and Shane Young. Very readable and walks you through everything you need to know.

Also (don't laugh at me here), the content up on the TechNet SharePoint TechCenter is very well written and readable (not to mention free!)

Answer 3

I would also recommend Mastering Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 by C.A. Callahan. Even though this is a WSS focused book - as an admin, I spend a great deal of time on that part of the application - and this is a great reference tool - one you can grab and look up something and then go back to whatever else you were up to.

Answer 4

Rather than make a recommendation (although I can't help repeating the earlier suggestion of the Best Practices book but only if you have already worked with MOSS for at least 6 months as otherwise imo it's too much too soon), here's a link to my list of all SharePoint books out there and about to be out there.

http://wssv3faq.mindsharp.com/Lists/v3%20WSS%20FAQ/V%20Books.aspx

The pure Admin books are in section A, but Best Practices for instance isn't there but in section D (General), so check out at least that section too.