By Bill Holtsnider & Brian D. Jaffe
632 Pages
http://www.amazon.com/Managers-Handbook-Second-Getting-your/dp/012370488X/

Publisher’s Description: The IT Managers Handbook, 2nd edition provides essential information needed to manage the new responsibilities thrust on you (or the ones you would like to have): vital tasks such as creating budgets, evaluating technologies, administering compliance, and managing staff.

A completely updated and expanded second edition that provides practical, easily accessible management advice written specifically for new IT managers:

• Brings you up to speed on those business practices most critical to effective IT operations: recruiting, budgeting, resource planning, managing personnel, and working with vendors.
• Includes expanded coverage on such critical IT management topics as security, disaster recovery, storage, government/regulatory compliance, and project management.
• Organizes information modularly so you can delve directly into only the topics that you need.
• Provides a unique management perspective on those specific technical issues with the most significant business ramifications.
• Includes new material on key technology topics such as open source, wireless, handhelds, outsourcing, offshoring, and operations, as well as updated coverage of e-commerce, remote access, intranets, and LAN/WAN management.

My Thoughts: This wasn’t one of the most fun books I have ever read.  I typically prefer books with lots of code samples, and this was about all the other less technical aspects of my job … but all stuff I really needed to know.  There is some essential, mission critical information contained in those 632 pages that I just flat out needed to read, and if you are reading this you probably need to also.  It covers a gambit of information that is really useful in my day-to-day world, from the laws IT professionals need to be aware of regarding compliance to examples of effective email notifications for scheduling downtime and a ton of other stuff.  I probably reference it a few times a month, but am glad I did make time to read it cover to cover.