It’s happened again. Microsoft released a trove of ebooks about their various software products:
Largest collection of FREE Microsoft eBooks ever, including: Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Office 2013, Office 365, Office 2010, SharePoint 2013, Dynamics CRM, PowerShell, Exchange Server, Lync 2013, System Center, Azure, Cloud, SQL Server, and much more
(Yes, that’s the post’s real title!)
I think this is the third time such a giveaway has occurred in the past 2 years? Fourth? Either way, I’m grateful to Microsoft for releasing all these titles. And to Mr. Ligman for compiling them.
This latest collection is huge – and it contains more than enough Lync Insider-relevant books for me to mention it. Here’s a list of what I downloaded right away for brushing up.
- Office 365 Midsize Business Quick Deployment Guide (DOCX)
- Quick Start to Office 365 for Small to Medium Businesses (ZIP)
- The Wiki Ninjas Guide to SharePoint 2013 (PDF)
- The Wiki Ninjas Guide to SharePoint 2013 – Part II (PDF)
- Windows PowerShell 4.0 Language Quick Reference (PDF)
- The Big Book of PowerShell Gotchas
- Lync Server 2013 Stress Testing Guide
- Microsoft Lync Server 2013 Step By Step for Anyone (PDF)
- Microsoft Lync Server 2013: Basic Administration – Release 2.1 (PDF)
There’s a couple more Lync-related books in the post, so go check it out. But I’d like to talk about these last 3 today.
Microsoft Lync Server 2013 Step by Step for Anyone
Written by Matt Landis
Matt’s on the list! Looks like he has converted a series of posts on setting up Lync Server 2013 from his blog into an ebook. We’ve covered this material here in the past.
The book walks you through a Lync Server 2013 Standard Edition install. It also has several additional how-to’s, such as “Using Microsoft Lync Server with SonicWall Firewalls” and “How to Configure Lync Server 2013 Live Messenger PIC to Enable Skype Federation.”
At 258 total pages, it’s too big to print out. But it’s a great reference to have on hand if you’re running an installation offline (e.g. for a test project). Maybe put it on a tablet while you install Lync Server.
Microsoft Lync Server 2013 Basic Administration
Written by Fabrizio Volpe
This is a basic overview of Lync Server 2013 for administrators. It has a narrative approach, which would make it great for those newer to Lync and potentially unfamiliar with the scope of its capabilities. Good high-level detail on Lync’s structure and workings.
What I do like about it is that it includes information on:
- Cost mindfulness when deploying server roles (p. 15)
- Firewall rules & access requirements (p. 82)
- Verification tools [which include TRIPP and Remote Connectivity Analyzer!] (p. 90)
It would make a good catching-up reference for new hires entering a Lync environment.
Lync Stress Testing Guide
Written by the Lync Server 2013 Virtualization Team
This one is just fun. It talks about conducting stress tests on your Lync installation with the Lync Server 2013 Stress and Performance Tool (LSS). Since this guide focuses on one toolset and one purpose, it’s very focused & heavily detailed. (I didn’t even know it could do some of these tests!)
It does recommend you run stress tests in a lab environment. NOT on a live deployed Lync Server system. If you do run it while live, don’t be surprised if you knock everyone offline!
I’ll do a full post on stress testing later. The contributors did a thorough job documenting the process; it deserves more attention. Pick this guide up and see for yourself.
Go Forth and Download – But Come Back for More Details!
Both the strength and the weakness of Microsoft free ebooks are that they are basic guides. Intended to introduce you to software, how to run it, how to work efficiently with it. Nothing at all wrong with that – in fact I think it’s a great way to foster knowledge – but it has its limits.
In books like these, gritty-details administration, troubleshooting, advanced modifications & developments are not usually covered. You need to rely on experience, more specialized manuals, and online resources. Like this blog!
Is there an upcoming Microsoft software release you’re waiting for? New version, an update or a fix? Please comment or email me. Let’s see what’s coming soon for all of us.
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