The introduction of this book states that it covers “the tasks required to configure and operate a Web site based on Microsoft Content Management Server 2002,” and this is exactly what the book does: no less, and not much more. This is a handbook for information technology (IT) administrators and support personnel, written for those charged with supporting this product, and it emphasizes what needs to be done and how to do it, telling the reader precisely what steps are required to perform various administrative and support tasks.

Two main sections make up the bulk of the book, covering configuration and setup, and support and administrative tasks. These are followed by a chapter on tasks pertaining to templates, placeholders, and miscellaneous publishing tasks. Most of the book contains procedures for accomplishing specified tasks, organized into functional groups (platform configuration, server configuration, deploying content, troubleshooting, and so on). The chapter on performance measurement and tuning (chapter 3) is a useful addition to the usual instructions and how-to information. Instructions for accomplishing tasks are provided in the form of checklists, broken down into subtasks, and are described in very detailed and specific terms. A certain amount of background material on the product is included, and explanatory text accompanies the procedures. Together, this information should suffice for most of the immediate questions that might arise. The reader who desires more information on architecture, components, functionality, or more complicated administrative tasks should consult a more comprehensive reference [1].

The physical size of the book is conveniently small, but the text is easy to read and follow, even with one eye on a computer monitor. Screen shots are not included, which minimizes clutter, and is a welcome difference from most books of this kind. The table of contents and a fairly comprehensive index make it easy to look up information, though it would have been nice if this guide also included a tabulation of tasks with their page numbers for even quicker lookup.

This book packs a surprising amount of information into a relatively small volume, and organizes it in a manner designed for quick reference. In-depth learning about Microsoft Content Management Server, and instructions for executing the more complicated support tasks for it, will require a more comprehensive reference, but this guide will be a handy first resort for support professionals.