Solarwinds Server & Application Monitor: Deployment and Administration

I recently transitioned from eight years as a Network Engineer, working almost exclusively with Cisco images via CLI, to a broader spectrum of Network Administration in another company. The new position has been my first exposure to SolarWinds network performance monitoring. I ordered SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor: Deployment and Administration by Justin M. Brant, to see whether it would be easy to comprehend and apply. The book arrived this past Saturday. I was a bit surprised at how small it is (97 pages of instruction, approximately 1/4 inch thick), so I was very skeptical as to how useful it might be. Well, I've read the book from cover to cover, and I must say I am very impressed! I'd discovered that I had already learned approximately two-thirds to maybe three-quarters of the material through on-the-job trial and error, and online Thwack and Google searches. Rather than being disappointed with what I could have regarded as a wasted purchase, I am instead very pleased to have confirmation of the knowledge I'd manage to acquire on my own, as well as a few of the "missing pieces" that online searches have failed to resolve. An added bonus (for me) is that it relates the SolarWinds setup with Microsoft Server 2008 R2, which is the database platform my employer's SolarWinds monitoring software is tied into. And there's a little bit more: two quick segments to show the inexperienced in Cisco the basics of configuring SNMP via IOS CLI, so that your Cisco devices may send data to SolarWinds. So, If you have absolutely no experience at all with SolarWinds, Cisco or MS Windows Server 2008 R2, or you have not configured it in a long time and your skills are rusty, this is most definitely the book for you! Extremely simple, to the point, very well laid out step-by-step, and well illustrated with screen shots for those like me who are much more visually oriented when it comes to learning. If you are looking for an intense, in-depth study of SolarWinds and why it relates with other systems the way that it does, or if you are looking for the solid "meat and potatoes" of definitions and terms related to networking, servers, databases, and network monitoring, then this book is not for you. Manufacturer's .pdf manuals will serve you much better in that regard. This Deployment and Administration guide is bare-bones basic, much like the setup instructions for a Blu-Ray or DVR or other simple device. But if that's what you need, then this book will most definitely get you started! Highly recommended for the beginner or for the experienced but "rusty!"

The Kindle version of this title works perfect. This title was exactly what I was looking for to get an overview of SolarWinds commands and server monitoring. I appreciate the effort the author and editor spent to make this book so readable and easy to read. The screenshots were also a great addition too the text and helped since I did not have the prerequisites of a Windows Server or SolarWinds install disk. Just needed to know enough to converse with SolarWinds Administrators at work and this book is basic enough for that and advanced enough to install and configure, and more importantly the Appendix covers some troubleshooting steps for post-install.

Not much here that isn't in the help documentation. Installation only covers MSDE installation on the same server and therefore doesn't cover using a remote SQL server.Just follow the basic documentation and call Solarwinds support for any issues. They are generally very responsive.

If you're just getting started with SolarWinds this is an easy read that'll give you a step-by-step on getting your devices into SolarWinds and monitoring. It runs the range from installation to backing up all your hard-won configuration changes afterward. Any advanced configuration will have to be done later but this title will give you a good foundation.

At less than 100 pages, this book is essentially a pricy but well written primer to installing and configuring SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor.

I am so impressed by this book and the author. The book teaches you the basics. The author has also made himself available to answer questions after reading his book. That's pretty unique if you ask me. Don't believe me? Check it out. https://www.facebook.com/jbrantsolarwinds

Should really come with access to an online lab.. But does what it says it does.

details are not given

Charged more for this book