The Sybex Guide to Surviving Exam 70-290
This Sybex book will help you prepare to pass the new Windows Server 2003 administration certification exam.
Like the Syngress book I also reviewed this month, this Sybex book will
help you prepare to pass the new Windows Server 2003 administration certification
exam. Released last year, the Sybex book is aimed at those with more advanced
experience with Windows networking; look elsewhere if you're looking for
a book aimed at novice or intermediate-level administrators.
What I like most is what is included on the CD-popular exam-prep software,
lots of practice questions, flashcards, WinSim 2003 simulation software,
and the entire book in PDF format. There are also two bonus exams included.
The authors use their high level of experience to explain complex topics,
and the end of chapter review questions are thought-provoking additions.
This book is technically accurate on all topics and won't lead you astray.
It does include inline labs, author tips, notes, and canned Real World
Scenarios. It covers managing drives, maintaining a server environment,
disaster recovery, and more.
Although there are a few obscurities and lack of detail, all exam prep
content is present and formatted in digestible form. This book also lacks
the inline exam warning and test day tips found in many other popular
study guides.
What concerns me is this book's abbreviated format. The Syngress book
that I reviewed at the same time as this book contains 1,000 pages-this
book has only 600 pages. Given the choice, I would choose this book only
if you have previous Windows administration experience. By this I mean
if you are already MCP certified and familiar with the idiosyncrasies
of Windows administration, then buy this book specifically to prepare
for the new exam.
For the Windows 2003 MCSA/MCSE candidate, this book meets the requirements
of a self-study guide. I would recommend this book for an instructor-led
class. Hopefully the instructor can embellish on the topics as needed.
There's nothing worse than learning from one source, in an abbreviated
format, only what's included in the printed text; which is why you may
need to read both this book and one of the other popular self-study guides
in combination for the best exam preparation!
When you need a 70-290 self-study guide, you'll need to decide for yourself
if you like the author's abbreviated writing style, and what works best
for you. I would recommend your money that you also check out similar
Syngress and Microsoft Press guides.
About the Author
Andy Barkl, CCNP, CCDP, CISSP, MCT, MVP, MCDST, MCSE: Security, MCSA: Security, MCSA: Messaging A+, CTT+, i-Net+, Network+, Security+, Server+, CNA, has over 20 years of experience in the IT field. He's the owner of MCT & Associates LLC, a technical training and consulting firm in Phoenix, Arizona. He enjoys dividing his time between teaching in the classroom, writing from his office and consulting on Cisco and Windows deployments. He's also the online editor for MCPMag.com, TCPMag.com, CertCities.com, and a contributing author and editor for Sybex and Cisco Press. He hosts a multitude of exam preparation chats monthly on MCPmag.com and CertCities.com.