by Greg Sullivan
Computer users have longed for more efficient and convenient ways to share information, even before the advent of desktop computing devices. The eventual connection of personal computers into computer networks represented an important step in the evolution of computing process models. Since then, the focus of information technology has shifted to the effective management of distributed computers, data, and processes.
Personal computers were accepted in enterprise computing environments because of the information processing power they offered, the personal workgroup empowerment they enabled, and the independence from centralized information systems organizations they accommodated. This claim is supported by the measurable success of such companies as Microsoft, Intel, Novell, and Compaq. Many of the successful software companies took full advantage of this distribution of computing power by creating tools to place into users' hands. The personal productivity tools bundled in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access) are good examples.
With power increasingly distributed across the computing enterprise, it became essential to find an effective way to harness the full capability of all computers within the organization. BackOffice is the glue that enables an enterprise to effectively leverage the full power of computer processors while providing the most benefit to information users in a controlled and secure environment.
As an introduction to understanding BackOffice, this chapter acquaints you with the following topics:
BackOffice is a set of server products, based on Windows NT networks, that operate together as a suite and are sold together in a bundle. Building on the market success of Microsoft Office, which is a collection of products for the client in client-server, Microsoft decided to offer their server products in a single package alsoóBackOffice. Although each product is available as a stand-alone server application, purchasing and implementing the package as a whole offers many advantages.
Figure 1.1 depicts the BackOffice products and their primary roles in the information technology enterprise.
The BackOffice suite comprises nine stand-alone server applications in an integrated package.
Each product is designed to be competitive on its own in addition to integrating into a heterogeneous computing environment. Consequently, these individual products leverage the synergy of BackOffice as a single package.
BackOffice products contain server-based components as well as software that is installed on client personal computers (PCs). Some of the products include substantial capabilities that are optional or only appropriate in particular environments or networks. In this respect, BackOffice is a much more sophisticated product than a typical desktop application, such as Microsoft Word.
In addition to the individual components, the BackOffice CD includes integrated installation utilities for server and client software components. These utilities will help you select the options you need for your server, and then make recommendations on the type of computer you need to support those options.
This book is about BackOffice 2.5, which is the fourth release of the BackOffice product package. BackOffice 1.0 was first released in the third quarter of 1995. An upgrade was subsequently packaged as BackOffice 1.5 and released in the fourth quarter of 1995. BackOffice 2.0 was released in the first quarter of 1996. BackOffice 2.5 was released in December 1996 and contains the following individual products:
Related products from Microsoft not included in the BackOffice 2.5 package, but important in BackOffice implementations, are also covered in this book. These include the following:
Following is a brief introduction to each of the individual products included in BackOffice 2.5.
Windows NT Server provides the foundation upon which all BackOffice products are built. On the server itself, Windows NT Server provides an open, portable, and scalable operating system. From an enterprise perspective, Windows NT Server also acts as the network operating system, similar to the role of Novell NetWare. As such, it provides the basic file sharing, printing, and workstation connectivity services, and is a platform upon which many other services can be provided. Although Windows NT Server is not as mature as some competitive operating systems, such as UNIX, it has proven to be a secure and reliable product since its introduction.
See "A Network Operating System," [Ch 2]
Windows NT is sometimes referred to as industrial-strength Windows. Two versions of Windows NT are available for purchase. The first is known as Windows NT Workstation. Purchase this version if you choose to use Windows NT on a stand-alone computer. The other version, Windows NT Server, should be purchased if you are using it as a network operating system or need an individual workstation to take advantage of the extra power of Windows NT Server.
NOTE: Windows NT Server, not Windows NT Workstation, comes with BackOffice.
The differences between Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server are significant. The retail version of Windows NT Server supports more processors (up to four) than the retail version of Windows NT Workstation (up to two). This implies that Windows NT Server is suitable for users who require, or prefer, more processors. Windows NT Server is further distinguishable from Windows NT Workstation in that it is designed to share resources with large numbers of users. It provides connectivity to remote networks via Remote Access Server (RAS) as well as connectivity to other networks, such as Novell, Digital Pathworks, and Apple.
See "Integration with Other Networks," [Ch 2]
Windows NT Workstation contains excellent network client capabilities and peer network server capabilities. Its file and printer sharing abilities are comparable to Windows for Workgroups or Windows 95. Regardless, Windows NT Server is clearly the best choice for a Windows-based network operating system in commercial computing environments.
An important goal of BackOffice 2.5 is to Internet-enable your organization. As such, Microsoft has added to the BackOffice bundle a new product: Internet Information Server (IIS). The first release of IIS was included with BackOffice 2.0. BackOffice 2.5 contains IIS 2.0 even though IIS 3.0 was in beta during the release of BackOffice 2.5. In order to meet customer expectations Microsoft, offers a free upgrade from IIS 2.0 to IIS 3.0 to customers who purchase a BackOffice 2.5 package that contains IIS 2.0.
NOTE: IIS 3.0 is covered in this book even though IIS 2.0 is shipped with BackOffice 2.5.
IIS provides the functionality that you would expect from an Internet product, including the following features:
Many organizations today are gaining a presence on the Internet by creating their own Web pages and exposing them to the Internet via a Web server. Internet Information Server enables organizations to build Web pages in the traditional manner using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Additionally, Internet Information Server supports the operation of multiple Web servers on the same physical computer in cases where more than one Web page is appropriate.
See "Hypertext Markup Language," [Ch. 17]
To address security concerns, Microsoft incorporated support for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which is based on the widely accepted RSA public-key cryptography system. The Internet Information Server also supports Private Communication Technology (PCT) security. PCT provides the same level of security as SSL, but is more efficient. In addition to SSL and PCT, Microsoft has worked with major credit card companies to develop a secure forum for financial transactions over the Internet. This is known as Secure Transaction Technology (STT) and will be available in a future release of the IIS.
CGI adds functionality to Web pages by enabling developers to build customized modules that can be loaded and executed based on the actions of Web page visitors. This enables Web page creators to enhance a Web page beyond the restrictions of HTML programming. Internet Information Server supports CGI.
See "Using CGI," [Ch. 18]
IIS also comes with Internet Server Application Programming Interface (ISAPI). This is one of the most important features of this product because it enables developers to create dynamic-link libraries (DLLs) for execution by the Web server. As such, ISAPI provides much the same functionality as CGI. However, ISAPI is far more efficient because the DLLs load into memory at Web server runtime as opposed to loading on demand. Also, DLL execution is faster because a separate process is not spawned as is the case with CGI. You should also know, however, that because ISAPI runs in the same space as IIS it can cause IIS to hang or crash.
See "ISAPI," [ See Ch. 47 in Special Edition Using Microsoft BackOffice, Volume 2 ]
One of the most powerful uses of the Internet is to connect the outside world with internal information. Subject to the appropriate security, this enables an organization to interact with the world via the Internet by providing such functions as taking a customer's order on its Web page and having the order placed directly into the order entry database. ISAPI makes this, as well as connectivity to other application servers, possible.
In addition to the support IIS provides in connecting to the Internet, it is now widely used in support of internal application development. IIS provides a foundation upon which additional Internet-type services can be built and operated. In this manner, IIS is also a useful product for your own networking needs.
See "Microsoft Internet Architecture," [Ch. 16]
The most popular use of the Internet today is perusing (or surfing) the World Wide Web for interesting information. Until recently, building Web pages for view by Internet users has been a task only possible by programmers familiar with HTML. Although HTML is simple by programming standards, it remains a daunting task to learn enough about HTML to build even a simple Web page.
Building Web pages is greatly simplified with FrontPage. This product provides the capability to create HTML-based Web pages without having to know anything about HTML. Similar to the manner in which such desktop productivity tools as Word and PowerPoint work, FrontPage allows Web pages to be created by manipulating graphical images along with textual data. Of course, if you are familiar with HTML, it is possible to dig deeper with FrontPage and fully exploit its programming interfaces.
Index Server is an add-on product for IIS. It enables Web page authors to index the information contained on a Web page in order to facilitate convenient access to it. Clients can search a Web page for desirable information and expect Index Server to find it quickly due to the manner in which it has organized the data. Index Server is capable of organizing information content within documents as well as properties about the documentsóan important capability not shared by all Internet search engines.
With so many users in organizations today it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide high performance, convenient access to the Internet. Proxy Server is a server product based on Windows NT Server, which enables network administrators to effectively manage Internet access across the entire network. It provides controlled, secure access to the Internet by enabling administrators to decide who can access the Internet and, to some extent, what they can do while on the Internet.
Exchange Server 4.0 is delivered with BackOffice 2.5. Because Exchange Server 5.0 was in beta during the release of BackOffice 2.5, customers are entitled to an upgrade to Exchange Server 5.0 if they purchase a copy of BackOffice that contains Exchange 4.0.
NOTE: Exchange Server 5.0 is covered in this book even though Exchange Server 4.0 is shipped with BackOffice 2.5.
The two primary roles of Exchange Server are electronic messaging and group information sharing and management. As an electronic message tool, Exchange Server provides the means by which messages are sent and received on the enterprise network. This includes electronic mail (e-mail) and information messaging for workgroup applications. Exchange Server is based on the principles of client-server computing and is scalable to accommodate large computing enterprises. You will learn in a following section, "Client-Server Process Model," the principles of client-server computing and its significance to BackOffice.
As a group information management tool, Exchange Server provides basic and powerful groupware capabilities. It is the cornerstone within BackOffice for sharing information across a large network.
See "Groupware," [Ch 2]
SQL Server is a full-featured relational database management system (RDBMS). As such, it takes advantage of the principles of client-server computing. As a competitive RDBMS, its capabilities include transaction processing, preservation of referential data integrity, isolation of business rules on the server, execution of stored procedures, distribution of transactions, and data replication. It also comes bundled with a set of graphical administration tools. SQL Server is open, reliable, and scalableóas you would expect from an RDBMS built upon the foundation of Windows NT Server.
SNA Server provides connection services to IBM AS/400 and IBM mainframe computers. This product enables desktop computers based on MS-DOS, Windows, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Mac OS, UNIX, or OS/2 to "see" host computers. This "visibility" enables computing enterprises to leverage legacy data as the organization makes a transition to more contemporary computing models.
Systems Management Server (SMS) enables network and system administrators to centrally administer the entire network. This includes the administration of each computer on the network and the software on all computers. Specifically, SMS is designed to support the following:
SMS simplifies the administrative tasks associated with these important functions.
Perhaps the greatest value of SMS is in the hidden savings to the organization. Today's information systems managers are plagued by many hidden costs associated with managing large networks of PCs. SMS helps reduce costly activities because of its following advantages:
The BackOffice family of products combined fill a large gap in the computing enterprise. It remains one of the largest bundle of products designed to work together or individually in support of information and network management. Figure 1.2 represents a typical enterprise network with BackOffice providing information-server capabilities and Microsoft Office fulfilling the role of an information client.
Each BackOffice product provides an application service to the users of your enterprise network.
A great deal of synergy exists among the individual BackOffice products; this is, in fact, an important design goal of BackOffice. The individual products are based upon popular, modern computing concepts. Understanding the principles upon which BackOffice is built is essential to successful implementation of the BackOffice components. To this end, it is important to see how BackOffice works in the world of client-server computing and the Internet, the role it plays in an enterprise network, and the value it brings to your computing enterprise.
To understand modern process models, it is important to have an appreciation for how process models have evolved until now. Software applications execute on computer processors. A process model is defined by where the software applications execute in the computing enterprise. A brief history of computing process models will help you understand the positioning of BackOffice with respect to today's computing environments and the future as well.
The first computers utilized as information management tools were mainframe computers. The proliferation of mainframe computers brought with it the acceptance of the first phase of a computing process model, known as the host-based process model. Figure 1.3 is a pictorial representation of host-based computing.
In the host-based process model, all processing occurs on the host.
Host processing means the mainframe or minicomputer contains all the computing power of the organization. Terminals that connect users to the mainframe or minicomputer are incapable of processing data because these devices do not contain computer processors. Consequently, they became known as dumb terminals.
Today, it is common for desktop computer users to connect their PCs to a host computer. Because the PC does contain a processor, it is not referred to as a dumb terminal; however, it can be configured to behave as a dumb terminal by means of a terminal emulation program, which enables computers with processors to perform the duty of a dumb terminal. Consequently, today's PCs can participate in the host-based process model.
In the shared-resource process model of computing, nearly all processing occurs on the desktop PC. Figure 1.4 pictorially represents a computer network and the shared-resource process model.
With the advent of microcomputer networks came the shared-resource process model.
The advantage of the shared resource process model is it enables computer users to share expensive devices. Hardware components, such as printers, disk drives, and modems, become more affordable because their usage can be distributed across a greater number of computer users. Network operating systems, such as Novell NetWare, became popular by exploiting the need to share these devices.
The proliferation and networking of personal computers resulted in the distribution of computer processing power throughout the organization. Computer processes execute in computing centers, as well as on the desktops of computer users.
Client-server computing is the distribution of processing across the computing enterprise. Software applications are constructed in parts so as to execute a portion on the desktop PC (the client of client-server) and the remainder on some sort of powerful computer shared by many users (the server of client-server). Figure 1.5 offers a graphical representation of the client-server process model.
In the client-server process model, processing occurs where it best fits, whether on the client, the server, or both.
True client-server computing is message-based and event-driven. Message-based implies that a client sends a request to a server and receives a response. Event-driven means an event occurs that triggers the creation and sending of a message (such as a data value changing). Processing can occur on the clients and the servers in this scenario.
Microsoft has long participated in the client-server phase of the process model evolution. Their operating systems enable client PCs to connect with server computers and pass messages back and forth. Microsoft Office applications form the basis for the client side of client-server computing by providing tools that enable desktop processing of enterprise information. Microsoft development tools permit developers to build their own client-server applications. Recently, Microsoft integrated Microsoft Office applications with their development tools. This provides computer users a wide range of possibilities in managing information.
NOTE: BackOffice represents state-of-the-art usage of the client-server process model, and provides a solid foundation for the anticipated arrival of distributed computing.
BackOffice products address the server side of client-server, with each product providing a specific set of services. A design goal of BackOffice is to take full advantage of the client-server process model. This has been accomplished in such a way as to provide a smooth transition into subsequent phases of the process model evolution.
The fastest growing segment of the information technology marketplace today is tied to the Internet and its associated technologies. Due to the availability of such sophisticated tools as those provided in BackOffice and other leading vendors, such as Netscape, Internet technologies are now applicable to information systems within an organization.
The application of Internet technologies for internal purposes is referred to as an intranet. Building an intranet with Internet technologies for the purposes of serving those only within an organization is fast becoming the predominant way to distribute information to users on a network.
Many organizations are today working on building their own intranets. Where is all of this headed? One of the next logical steps is to extend the information available on an intranet to those people with whom your organization has an interest in sharing information. This can include customers, vendors, potential customers, or others. The extension of an intranet to closely related entities, yet not to the entire Internet, is now referred to by some as an extranet.
The Internet, an intranet, and an extranet all use the same technologies and, to a large extent, standards to provide the capability for information to be published and for people and computers to communicate with one another. Because these very different purposes are based on the same concepts, the information technologists have conceived a variety of terms intended to encompass each use of Internet technologies. In this book Internet, intranet, and extranet are collectively referred to as I-net.
The application of Internet technologies to application development and internal information publishing has resulted in the creation of an entirely new process model. This new process model is referred to as the I-net process model. In addition to its complete support of the client-server process model, BackOffice is designed to support the effective use of the I-net process model as well.
The most important fact to remember about the I-net process model is that it is simply an extension of the client-server process model. Figure 1.6 shows the typical architecture of an application based on the client-server process model. As you can see, there are three levels (or tiers) of interest to the application developer.
A typical client-server application architecture consists of three distinct processing entities, known as tiers.
The data in a client-server application architecture is typically managed by an RDBMS, such as SQL Server. As such, it resides on a server and constitutes a portion of the server side of client-server. In the client-server process model, the presentationóor user interface as it is often calledóresides entirely on the client side of client-server. Rules are commonly placed in either client processes or server processes, but best located in the server processes. SQL Server stored procedures is one manner in which this can be accomplished.
In an application based on the I-net process model the rules and data reside in server processes, just as in client-server. The only difference in the client-server process model and the I-net process model is the manner in which the presentation is managed. By utilizing the publishing capabilities of the Internet (specifically the Web), it is possible to split apart the user interface from the rules and the data (see Figure 1.7).
An I-net application architecture splits the presentation processing into two components.
The Web information publishing capabilities of IIS can be used to distribute information managed by applications built upon BackOffice. The beauty of this arrangement is that the information is displayed on the desktop PC with only the use of an Internet browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.
In the I-net application architecture, it is only necessary to build a Web page that users access via a browser, which permits access to the data in accordance with the rules of that particular application. The great problem this solves is that there is no need to develop software to distribute to each desktop PC.
See "Building Commercial Applications," [Ch 2]
Because software distribution is one of the primary problems plaguing client-server software development, the I-net process model has become an attractive alternative. Nevertheless, client-server software development continues today in greater volume than I-net software development. This is due to the lack of a mature I-net development tool set. Only recently have such I-net development techniques as Microsoft Active Platform and such tools as Java been available for this type of development. As these tools mature and become more widely available, which seems inevitable at this point, more and more commercial applications will be built upon the I-net process model.
See "Java," [Ch. 19]See "Active Platform Features," [Ch. 23]
An intriguing byproduct of the I-net process model is that desktop computing requirements are significantly reduced because only a browser is needed. Because the desktop needs only a keyboard, monitor, processor, and some memory hardware, vendors have invented a new type of desktop computing device. These Internet-friendly devices are referred to by many names, the most popular being network computers (NCs).
Several leading manufacturers are rushing to build NCs in anticipation of their widespread acceptance due to the forthcoming proliferation of applications based on the I-net process model. It remains to be seen whether or not users will sacrifice the additional capabilities of a PC due to the availability of local storage devices, which are notably missing from NCs (thus resulting in significantly lower costs).
NOTE: The I-net process model combines the best of the client-server process model in that distinct computing processes are separated, and the host-based process model in that users are relieved of processing burdens.
The good news for BackOffice environments is that it supports, as well as encourages, the use of either the client-server process model or the I-net process model. In fact, it is possible to build and administer a BackOffice network upon which applications of both types are operated. This is quite common today.
There is little question that the I-net process model is here to stay simply because of the momentum of the Internet and its associated technologies and because of the significant investment being made by the information technology industry's leading vendors. The battle between PCs and NCs may wage on for years to come. Again, BackOffice is designed to accommodate either of the most popular process models today and into the future.
The process models in use today are merely transitional phases in the evolution of computing and are an important step toward the panacea of distributed computing; that is, information users make decisions at any time from any place. Therefore, the ultimate goal is to be able to process data anywhere on the network (local and remote) with software anywhere on the network. In the world of fully distributed computing, users will be able to transparently share data, processes, and computing power.
Today, we distinguish data from information. Computer users assemble data on their desktops for the purpose of making decisions. Data is assembled into meaningful groups to support these thought processes. The assimilation of data from around the network onto the desktop creates information. The capability to process information, as opposed to bytes of data, now has become the predominant need of computer users.
Microsoft has addressed the need to assimilate, process, and analyze information by introducing the document-centric approach to desktop computing. In this approach, information is retained as an object. These information objects are accessed by the appropriate tool or set of tools. An information object can contain sections appropriate for manipulation by a spreadsheet, with other sections accessible by word processors or database management tools.
Although the client-server process model and the I-net process model represent effective ways to distribute processes, BackOffice also facilitates the effective distribution of data, software, and information objects. BackOffice makes possible the effective sharing of data in a computing enterprise across legacy systems, client-server systems, Internet-based systems, and new distributed systems, resulting in the convenient and transparent availability of information objects throughout the organization.
Microsoft refers to the concept of connecting all types of systems for the purpose of processing information (as opposed to data) as information networking. This definition of an information network directly maps to the product strategy of BackOffice. Although it may seem a bit self-fulfilling at first, it should not diminish the value of this important concept.
NOTE: The information network is Microsoft's answer to the world of fully distributed computing.
Microsoft Office and BackOffice enable Microsoft customers to take full advantage of the information networking revolution. The individual products of BackOffice address information networking as indicated by distributing the following:
Information networking is based on sound, proven technology principles, such as object-oriented technology. Microsoft supports the distribution of software components with their Common Object Model (COM). COM is the base object model upon which all Microsoft operating systems are built. Furthermore, Microsoft pledges to provide interfaces compliant with industry standards as they emerge.
Built upon COM is Microsoft's object linking and embedding (OLE), which defines how data is combined on the desktop into meaningful information. With OLE, different types of data can be combined into a single document; this is known as document-centric computing. Today document-centric computing is limited to the computing desktop. As software and information objects become distributed, OLE will reach across the network.
NOTE: BackOffice is designed and built to fulfill the needs of information networkingótoday and into the future.
Recently, Microsoft has combined OLE technology with technology of the Internet and created something known as active technology. Again, built upon COM, active technologies specify how information objects and software objects will interact in the world of Internet technology. Chapter 23, "Using Active Platform to Enhance Your Web Site," contains a complete description of the various components of Active Platform and how it applies to a BackOffice environment.
How does BackOffice provide value to your organization? The primary basis for the benefit BackOffice provides your computing enterprise lies in the value of the information it manages. The following paragraphs describe the direct and indirect ways in which BackOffice provides advantages to your organization.
Microsoft has bundled several server-based products into BackOffice. Consequently, purchasing BackOffice tends to be financially advantageous as compared to competitive products priced on an individual basis. Volume-based licensing agreements support this concept for organizations of all sizes. Additionally, each BackOffice product is developed from the same foundation, with care taken to ensure consistency across products. This results in reduced learning curves as each new product is encountered during implementation.
Organizations today strive for more efficient decision making processes in light of business cycles becoming shorter. A good example of this is the shortened product life cycle of Microsoft development tools. Their tools used to exist for nearly 18 months before another version was released. Now the next release appears sometimes as soon as six months later. These accelerated decision making processes rely heavily on the seamless availability of information. Effective movement of data to the desktop is one of the most important roles of BackOffice.
See "Publishing and Communications," [Ch 2]
As with any server-based product, information systems personnel must be assigned to its administration. BackOffice products come packaged with a consistent set of graphical administration tools, which simplify the complexities of server management. The consistency across server applications yields additional savings through reduced learning curves. Moreover, capacity planning efforts are now consistent throughout the BackOffice product line.
Application developers enjoy the benefits of BackOffice in many ways. First and foremost is the availability of an open and consistent set of application programming interfaces (APIs). More important, the server application APIs are consistent with those on the client side of Microsoft's information network. These APIs provide developers the capability to conceive, construct, and support distributed applications. Consistency across BackOffice products and into the client side yields significant savings in the development and maintenance of applications.
See "Building Commercial Applications," [Ch 2]
BackOffice is designed to operate in heterogeneous computing environments. To this end, support for a variety of server platforms and client operating systems is available. Each BackOffice server is open to the extent that third-party software developers are encouraged to supply add-on products. Developers can also choose to enhance BackOffice functionality by modifying existing services or developing new ones. New services developed by your own developers can be integrated into BackOffice. Administrators start and stop add-on services just as they do BackOffice services. Knowing a needed service can be purchased or developed adds significant flexibility to BackOffice as a server-based set of solutions.
See "A Flexible Set of Services," [Ch 2]
To support the successful implementation of BackOffice, Microsoft has invested heavily in building a network of industry partners. These partners, known as solution providers, are located in virtually every major metropolitan area throughout the United States and in most major cities around the world. Solution providers range in size from individual independent contractors to large, international consulting organizations.
The role of a solution provider is to provide expert advice on the use of Microsoft products, including BackOffice. Some solution providers specialize in specific BackOffice products while others service the entire range of BackOffice products. Solution providers are capable of hands-on service as systems engineers in addition to those who provide training services.
Microsoft has worked hard to build the solution provider network in order that its customers can be successful with their products. An important way they assure the customer of high quality service when they engage a solution provider is through the Microsoft Certified Professional program. The Certified Professional program offers four different types of certification, each carrying a different purpose.
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
Those who have achieved MCSE status are the best candidates to support you in your BackOffice implementation. MCSE certification involves passing four difficult Windows NT examinations and two elective examinations on BackOffice products. For administrators, this is the most important certification to achieve for BackOffice-related work.
Microsoft Certified Product Specialist (MCPS)
A MCPS is tested on Windows and on a Microsoft desktop product, such as Word or Excel. Because this certification does not include Windows NT or BackOffice products, it is not a certification that adds value to BackOffice assignments.
Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD)
Software developers can be certified in Microsoft development tools by passing the MCSD examinations. This includes passing two intense examinations on the Windows operating system and services architecture and passing two elective examinations on Microsoft development tools, such as Visual C++ or SQL Server. Because BackOffice is a platform upon which mission-critical applications can be built and operated, MCSD certification is important for software developers working in a BackOffice setting.
See "Building Commercial Applications," [Ch 2]
Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
Should you seek training in any of the BackOffice family of products, it is important you find a MCT. These people are certified both instructionally and technically in individual BackOffice products. MCTs are available to train you in most Microsoft products, including those in BackOffice.
All BackOffice components are designed to take full advantage of Windows NT Server as an underlying platform. Each product is designed to leverage the architecture of Windows NT. Consequently, the products integrate closely with Windows NT Server and each other as well. This low level of integration results in a stable and redundant platform upon which information networks can be safely built. The value of stability is further enhanced by the ease with which installation, security, and user logon are integrated. Integration leads to simplified usage, which, in turn, leads to lower administration costs and more satisfied users.
Integrated Installation
The unified installation for BackOffice products results in less installation headaches since installation of each BackOffice product can be made from the same set of CDs. The consistency of the installation questions also simplifies the process.
Integrated Security
An integrated security model means users have fewer passwords to remember and only log on once to access all BackOffice services. To demonstrate the ease with which users can be administered, Figure 1.8 shows the User Properties dialog box in which user parameters, including security, are set by an administrator.
Users of BackOffice networks are created through the Windows NT Server User Properties dialog box.
Users can also log on to the information network as a whole, as opposed to having to log on to individual server applications.
By implementing more than one of the products in BackOffice, you can leverage the knowledge gained about the Windows NT environment. In general, you will find the subsequent products you implement easier to learn and understand. With each new BackOffice component, there will be new information to learn specific to the component, but there is also similarity in setup options, security, and administration, resulting in time savings.
Most important is the value BackOffice offers in leveraging the future. Microsoft has painted a clear vision in defining information networking as the goal. BackOffice launches the computing world into the future.
Even though this book covers the use of the current version of BackOffice, it is helpful to understand the direction Microsoft intends to take it. Needless to say, future capabilities of BackOffice are at the discretion of Microsoft, and any ideas presented here can only be taken as speculation. The following list is not intended to be comprehensive, but at least serves as an indication of the commitment Microsoft continues to make to the entire BackOffice family of products:
This completes your overview of BackOffice. You have been introduced to each of the BackOffice products, and you have gained important knowledge about the technical foundation of BackOffice: the client-server process model. You also gained an understanding of the business value of BackOffice and what it means to your organization. These important concepts form the foundation of your understanding of BackOffice. For more information about these and related topics, see the following chapters:
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