Getting Started on MCSE Designation

S

Skud

Gawd
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
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587
I want to hop on the train and start working towards my MSCE designation. I've read the Microsoft site and I think these are the exams I need to pass..

70-290, 291, 293, and 294. The study material I was going to buy was the self-paced study kit that includes books for all the exams.

70-270 - The Windows XP exam. I was going to purchase the Exam Cram book because I read the reviews over at amazon and they said the Microsoft Press book is junk.

70-297 - Designing Windows Active Directory. Going for the MS Press book on this one.

70-284 - Exchange Server 2003. Again, going for the MS Press book.


I've seen some reviews on the MS Press books and they all go from one extreme to the other. One person says the books are awesome and the next person says they're total junk. Are the MS Press books good? Or am I better to go with some other book from Exam Cram or Sybex?

Also, I'm wondering if I've chosen the correct electives. It looks like I can choose between exam 70-297 (Designing Windows AD Services) OR 70-298 (Security on Windows 2003) for the design portion. And a bunch of exams for the electives (I chose 70-284, Exchange 2003).

Riley
 
I used MS Press books and thought they were good, and I thought the sybex microsoft books were trash. I would buy the self paced MS Press books if i had to do it again.
 
I just bought the 290, 291, 293, 294 Microsoft Self-paced books from Amazon. I also bought the Windows XP Sybex one (70-270). I read the reviews on a few sites and they all said the Microsoft 270 one was horrible, but the Sybex one was good.

Everyone seemed to agree that the Microsoft Self-paced set was good. I think it comes down to your reading style, at least that's what I understand after reading the reviews.

It seems the Microsoft books are techincal books and don't include any of the author's flair in the writing. While the Sybex books have a more human feel to them.

Again I can't speak from experience, but from reading reviews it seems that there isn't one company who does them all well. Some of the Sybex ones are good some of the Microsoft ones are good. I think you have to mix and match, which is what I did.

Riley
 
It was really the review questions and practice tests i didn't like abount sybex. The questions were often poorly worded or flat out wrong sometimes. Maybe they've got them better now, that was a few years ago.
 
I interviewed for a free hands-on MCSE 2003 class today. They seem to be pretty knowledgable.
 
Since I consider MCSE a complete farse. (Any monkey could figure out MS crap)

I say go for cheapest solution. I did this. Cram Exam books and go write the test :)
 
Any monkey could figure out MS crap
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If that were true wouldn't it be the best OS out there? And then we wouldn't need IT people? Hate MS all you want but there no need to talk out of your ass.
 
Zlash said:
If that were true wouldn't it be the best OS out there? And then we wouldn't need IT people? Hate MS all you want but there no need to talk out of your ass.
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amen to that. i wish everyone who keeps saying how horrible a OS windows is would just make theyre own since they assume they could so much better of a job.
 
Well server OS is not bad 2003 is crap tho. VSS has just to many bugs, I am still using 2k for most of my domains. It took MS 9.5 Years to make Nt4.0 Stable my theory on it is that 2k is half way there.
 
To the flamers: Your opinion about Windows isn't wanted here. Go back to the linux and or Mac forums. Thanks. :rolleyes:

To everyone else:
I have the exam cram #2 book for 70-270, I liked it. I also have a book from MS press on Windows 2000 AD. The book was good because I was totally new to Windows Server at the time. It had some helpful labs that showed me where everything was. I don't recommend using it as your only resource for the MCSE certs, as it just glances over the general concepts. If you're new to the subjects, I'd read the MS press books, do the labs, and then get a cram book right before you take the test.
Good luck.


PS. I put in a request here http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=771172 to have a subforum for certifications. Please show some support if interested. Thanks. ;)
 
Wrench00 said:
Well server OS is not bad 2003 is crap tho. VSS has just to many bugs, I am still using 2k for most of my domains. It took MS 9.5 Years to make Nt4.0 Stable my theory on it is that 2k is half way there.
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I have had an instructor tell me it took 10,000 people (over the project life) 7 years to create Win2k... But of course any monkey could pick that up... :rolleyes:

But of course, your one of those folks that knows everything about the OS.

Quit trolling this thread.
 
Actually, Phoenix, the code base that became Win 2000 was indeed begun as far back as 7-8 years prior. In fact, it was what the NT releases were originally meant to be. Obviously, 2K wasn't their only developmental thread, and the 10,000 number is a little high.

I mean, saying that 2K had a noticable part of its code base come from the original developers of IBM's OS/2 is pretty valid, as well. Of course, that doesn't mean OS/2 is a predecessor of 2K. It just means that there are developmental similarities due to some common developers.
 
I didn't any where say that I hated it. Nope. I love MS stuff I actually dislike linux. But MS stuff is VERY easy to learn hence the monkey part. MS stuff has its flaws, although I didn't say anywhere in my posts I hated the stuff, infact I love MS OS's I make Very good money maintaining and fixing them. If any one has the nack for technology like me; I can read two manuals that are 1000 pages in 6 days. I have no interest in programing my own OS, and neither did I say that people that developed the OS's were monkeys. There is stuff in the MS os's I don't know about or care. Like rras or IIS (first of all because its not my department litteraly and two I have hardware that does the job better)

There is more then 300,000 certified MS people out there. I can throw random crap in any direction and probably smack some one that has MS cert. I have 6 Years working expierince with windows servers no certs either and all the companies I ever worked for rather have hired people with expierience then certs.
 
Wrench00 said:
I have 6 Years working expierince with windows servers no certs either and all the companies I ever worked for rather have hired people with expierience then certs.
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Well, since you don't have any your only going to be talking to the companies who don't want certs, so that kinof makes your point invalid..

If you've never had a cert how do you know what your missing??

I know there are ALOT of very competant people out there who don't have certs and probably don't need them, but when it comes down to you with no certs V.S. a guy with certs, who do you think the company is going to pick?? I mean they don't know anything about you. All they see is Person A has his MCSE and you don't.

Riley
 
i read the 70-270 sybex book and i liked it. it doesnt go over security features in IE tho, so be aware. get some good practive questions and exam preps and ull be ok for that one
 
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