Computer Media

By Rachel Singer Gordon -- Library Journal, 9/19/2008 8:42:00 AM

iPhone

We’ve all heard the hype about the iPhone (if not coveted one for ourselves!), and the newest 3G release again had fans lining up outside Apple stores. It’s likely some of these fans live in your community, so think about investing in updated guides. (For guides to the older version, see Computer Media, LJ 11/15/07).

McFedries, Paul & David Pabian. iPhone 3G Portable Genius. Wiley. 2008. 267p. ISBN 978-0-470-42348-6. pap. $25.
The authors’ joy in the iPhone shines through here, but so does solid information on how to proceed when the initial technolust fades. Intended to serve as a portable "Genius Bar" (as in those in-person Apple store experts), the full-color iPhone 3G Portable Genius targets 3G users wanting to get more from their iPhones. Step-by-step how-tos walk nontechnical readers through tasks from customizing the Home screen to backing up and restoring data and settings. A handy guide to unlocking the iPhone’s potential; clear, useful, fun, and highly recommended for public libraries.

SAP

SAP comprises various solutions for different types and sizes of businesses; applications and modules work together to create a "best practices" platform to integrate a business’s functions. The newest SAP products are built on a standardized Web Application Server (WebAS) platform, which offers tremendous flexibility in working with various popular programming languages, hardware platforms, and database releases.

Anderson, George W. & others. SAMS Teach Yourself SAP in 24 Hours. 3d. ed. SAMS. 2008. 450p. ISBN 978-0-13-714284-2. pap. $39.99.
This book introduces SAP to beginning users through an ongoing case study, including questions for further thought; answers to questions posed in the study are found in an appendix. Particularly useful sections address mapping business needs to SAP technologies and business requirements to functional specifications. The book also provides a useful overview of additional SAP resources. Large libraries should buy; SAP is an extremely complex topic, and this is likely the clearest introduction you’ll find. Supplement with more advanced guides.

Dowling, Kieron N. SAP Project System Handbook: Essential Skills for ERP Professionals. Osborne/McGraw-Hill. 2008. 298p. ISBN 978-0-07-154450-4. pap. $49.99.
This reference to the SAP R/3 PS (Project System) module supplies background and a quick reference to PS transaction codes. Project System helps businesses manage complex projects, providing the ability to plan, collect, and generate costs and revenue structured around a given set of project parameters. Most useful as a reference for intermediate PS users, this book offers insight into when and why to use various techniques, as well as tips for solving common problems and streamlining workflow. Appropriate for large libraries.

Jay, Rabi. SAP NetWeaver Portal Technology: The Complete Reference. Osborne/McGraw-Hill. 2008. 735p. ISBN 978-0-07-154853-3. pap. $59.99.
SAP NetWeaver Portal amasses various SAP Business Suite solutions to allow an organization to web-enable its applications, services, and information for both internal and external clients. It provides a common interface for various SAP products and helps create an enterprise portal that integrates applications, provides a single sign-in point for users of various applications, ensures that they see only the information and applications they are supposed to, increases security, and furnishes content-management and knowledge-management features. This all-in-one reference targets beginning to advanced administrators with information on planning, designing, installing, configuring, and administering SAP NetWeaver Portal; highlights include expert tips on best practices and thorough step-by-step coverage of all aspects of running NetWeaver. Most useful to intermediate administrators and large libraries.

Security

Security (see Computer Media, LJ 6/15/08) is on the minds of people from administrators to end users, and for good reason. These guides take various approaches and address various audiences.

Erickson, Jon. Hacking: The Art of Exploitation. 2d. ed. No Starch. 2008. 472p. ISBN 978-1-59327-144-2. pap. $49.95 with CD-ROM.
Defining hacking as "the art of creative problem solving," this second edition of a popular guide shows how hacking techniques really work. Its CD-ROM contains a Linux programming and debugging environment (based on Ubuntu). Readers can use this LiveCD to experiment without compromising their existing systems. Examples overwhelmingly use the C programming language, so the book serves as an introduction to C from a hacker’s perspective as well as a guide to hacking itself. The clearest guide yet to getting into a hacker mindset, this thorough discussion applies to those on both sides of the security fence. Most useful to those with some background in C and/or hacking techniques; strongly recommended for larger libraries.

Frahim, Jazib & Qiang Huang. SSL Remote Access VPNs: An Introduction to Designing and Configuring SSL Virtual Private Networks. Cisco. 2008. 349p. ISBN 978-1-58705-242-2. pap. $50.
SSL VPN (formerly WebVPN) technology allows Cisco administrators to provide secure network resources to remote users via the Internet; this guide for experienced network professionals introduces SSL VPN technology and its implementation on Cisco SSL VPN-capable devices. Information on determining how to implement SSL VPN in existing network infrastructures is especially useful. Readers, for instance, learn how to determine whether existing hardware/software is VPN capable, and there are common deployment scenarios. Since Cisco is so widely deployed, this title will be useful for large public libraries and academic institutions serving IT programs; it also provides an overview to remote-access VPN in general.

Marty, Raffael. Applied Security Visualization. Addison-Wesley. 2008. 523p. ISBN 978-0-321-51010-5. pap. $49.99 with CD-ROM.
As networks become ever-more complex, log files and other data sources follow suit. Security visualization provides various methods for looking at data visually (from graphs to charts to treemaps), helping analyze security data, spot outliers easily, and see trends and relationships. This book targets security practitioners with knowledge of Perl and UNIX wanting to implement visualization techniques on the job, showing how to do so, how to choose the right visualization technique for the problem at hand, and how to use these to analyze data. A color insert illustrates certain techniques, while the companion CD contains DAVIX (Data Analysis and Visualization Linux), a compilation of free security-visualization tools. A useful addition to large public libraries and academic libraries serving computer science curricula.

Miller, Michael. Is It Safe?: Protecting Your Computer, Your Business, and Yourself Online. QUE. 2008. 355p. ISBN 978-0-7897-3782-3. pap. $24.99.
Targeting both individuals and businesses, this book takes on topics from identity theft, online fraud, and spyware to cyberstalkers and online predators. The author’s commonsense, nonsensationalistic style helps put these threats into perspective while providing practical advice for minimizing various risks. The content is both accessible to and useful for a nontechnical audience, and the step-by-step "what you can do" approach will inspire readers to take action. This is a great purchase for public libraries.

Watkins, Michael & Kevin Wallace. CCNA Security: Official Exam Certification Guide. Cisco. 2008. 637p. ISBN 978-1-58720-220-9. $49.99 with CD-ROM.
This official self-study guide for prospective CCNAs focuses on the IINS 640–553 exam, walking readers through all aspects of building a secure Cisco network. Especially useful self-study features include "Do I Know This Already?" quizzes at the beginning of each chapter that allow readers to skip through to weaker areas, as well as exam preparation tasks at the end of each chapter. The CD contains a testing engine that lets readers take a complete, timed exam and focus on particular topics. Feedback and a study plan for test takers are provided. A solid resource for large public libraries and academic libraries serving computer science programs; update outdated guides to reflect the most current exam.

SQL

SQL (Structured Query Language; see Computer Media, LJ 10/15/07) underlies dynamic web sites and other database-driven interactive applications; the recent release of the 2008 version of Microsoft’s SQL Server and other advances make it necessary to update older guides.

Churcher, Clare. Beginning SQL Queries: From Novice to Professional. Apress. 2008. 218p. ISBN 978-1-59059-943-3. pap. $34.99.
This straightforward beginner’s guide to SQL incorporates two approaches: the relational-algebra approach, which looks at how tables need to be manipulated to retrieve the subset of data you want, and the calculus approach, which looks at what expected data in your result might look like. Less mathematically imposing than they sound, these two complementary approaches help novice users wrap their minds around structuring productive queries and provide an alternative path if one approach proves less than fruitful. A companion web site contains a sample database and scripts for download; common problems are tackled in a concluding chapter. This exceptionally clear guide is highly recommended for medium and larger libraries.

Dyer, Russell J.T. MySQL in a Nutshell. 2d. ed. O’Reilly. 2008. 545p. ISBN 978-0-596-51433-4. pap. $34.99.
Mostly covering MySQL 5, this book succinctly targets beginning to intermediate users of this tremendously popular open-source database management system (which was recently acquired by Sun Microsystems). It provides a useful, quick reference to statements and functions, command-line options and configuration information, and popular APIs, giving definitions, background, and usage examples for each. Most useful for readers with previous background in relational databases; recommended for medium and larger libraries.

Meloni, Julie C. SAMS Teach Yourself PHP, MySQL, and Apache All in One. SAMS. 2008. 630p. ISBN 978-0-672-32976-0. pap. $34.99 with CD-ROM.
For users with previous experience with HTML, databases, and programming, this book introduces configuring and managing the Apache web server, PHP 5 programming basics, and using and administering MySQL 5, focusing specifically on how the three components work together. Its CD-ROM contains source code and a starter kit for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X; source code can also be downloaded here. Most useful in putting the pieces together, this is a good next step for libraries and readers already owning beginner’s guides to MySQL and PHP.

Stephens, Ryan & others. SAMS Teach Yourself SQL in 24 Hours. 4th ed. SAMS. 2008. 476p. ISBN 978-0-672-33018-6. pap. $34.99.
Written for those with little or no SQL experience, this book applies to users of any relational database system but implements MySQL in most examples and exercises (and an appendix covers downloading and installing MySQL). Some variations in implementations are explained, with tips on what to watch out for. Chapter Q&As, quizzes, and exercises are useful for self-study. A straightforward introduction; appropriate for public libraries.

Walters, Robert E. & others. Accelerated SQL Server 2008. Apress. 2008. 784p. ISBN 978-1-59059-969-3. pap. $52.99.
This guide to the newest generation of Microsoft’s SQL server platform focuses on key features and functionality, getting new users up to speed and providing a useful resource for upgraders. Broken into several parts (including an overview and coverage of the enterprise data platform, development, and business intelligence), the text targets both DBAs and administrators. It contains helpful discussion of the differences and improvements from the 2005 release, as well as thoughts on changes in the IT industry that affect both the inclusion of new features and the ways in which DBAs do their jobs. Clear, thorough, and recommended for large public libraries and academic libraries serving IT programs.