This is a good chapter to read up on how SharePoint Portal 2003 and WSS are different
Chapter 6 – Security Architecture for SharePoint Products and Technologies
This is a good chapter to read to get a grasp on the authentication in SharePoint and how users are implemented.
Chapter 7 – Architecting SharePoint Products and Technologies for Operating System Topologies
This chapter will help in understanding how SharePoint lives in your domain.
Chapter 8 – Planning Your Information Structure Using Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003
You will need this chapter to help you get SharePoint to be the Center of your organization's information.
Chapter 12 – Deploying Medium and Large Server Farms
You want a step-by-step deploying guide? Well, here is the chapter for you! It describes deployment using multiple servers.
Chapter 17 – Configuring SharePoint Portal Server 2003
This chapter will help you get your Portal server running lean and mean.
Chapter 18 – Managing SharePoint Portal Server 2003
You will need this chapter after you have installed and you realize that managing Portal can be a full-time job if it isn't done correctly!
Chapter 22 – Managing External Content in Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003
This chapter is all about getting external content from websites outside the Portal available to your users through you new portal.
Chapter 23 – Personalization Services in SharePoint Products and Technologies
Everyone wants their users to be notified when something is updated. They also want to be able to deliver content to specific users. Well, this is your chapter to get that info!
Chapter 24 – Information Security Policies for SharePoint Products and Technologies
You absolutely need to read this chapter! Your security team (and your future self) 🙂 will love you for it!
Chapter 26 – Single Sign-On in SharePoint Portal Server 2003
Who wants to input their username/password in 10 different times to get to different resources? Nobody does and this chapter will help you setup SSO to help get rid of that logon prompt!
Chapter 28 – Disaster Recovery in SharePoint Products and Technologies
To be honest, this is probably the most read chapter in the book. If you haven't had to recover your SharePoint infrastructure yet (due to problems), good. Read this chapter to make sure when you do, it will go over smoothly.
Chapter 29 – Usage Analysis Tools in SharePoint Products and Technologies
When your manager asks “do people actually use that SharePoint environment?”, you will be able to answer them after reading this chapter
Chapter 32 – Using Microsoft Office FrontPage 2003 to Customize SharePoint Products and Technologies Sites
What to know how to move the search box to the left side of the page, or customize the look of your website? This is the chapter for you.
Chapter 34 – The SharePoint Portal Server Object Model
This chapter holds some real gems in dealing with administrating SharePoint. Take a look for code samples!
Chapter 40 – Microsoft Outlook 2003 Integration with SharePoint Products and Technologies
What to have your schedule and SharePoint interact? Well, read this chapter!
Chapter 41 – Integrating Exchange Server 2003 with SharePoint Products and Technologies
Learn about e-mail-enabled public folders and Exchange public folders in this chapter.