Book for MCSA Server 2012. Exams 410, 411, and 412

jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
in MCSA / MCSE on Windows 2012 General
Hey guys,

Currently looking for books. I tried looking at the these · http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735684243/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0735684243&linkCode=as2&tag=network059-20&linkId=IXLWVKBAGZJSEXYO But the reviews are absolutely TERRIBLE. Is there any other good books? There has to be, I hope.
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  • NetworkNewbNetworkNewb Member Posts: 3,298 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Alot people on here say this is a good one. I actually have it, but haven't got too much into it yet...

    http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Windows-Server-2012-R2/dp/1118289420/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428713595&sr=1-1&keywords=mastering+windows+server+2012+r2
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    NetworkNewb wrote: »
    Alot people on here say this is a good one. I actually have it, but haven't got too much into it yet...

    http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Windows-Server-2012-R2/dp/1118289420/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428713595&sr=1-1&keywords=mastering+windows+server+2012+r2


    Is that for the exam objectives I mentioned?
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Hey guys,

    Currently looking for books. I tried looking at the these · http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/073...LWVKBAGZJSEXYO But the reviews are absolutely TERRIBLE. Is there any other good books? There has to be, I hope.
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  • srabieesrabiee Member Posts: 1,231 ■■■■■■■■□□
    The Sybex "Mastering" series are the best:

    http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Windows-Server-2012-R2/dp/1118289420/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428716269&sr=1-1&keywords=sybex+mastering+server+2012
    WGU Progress: Master of Science - Information Technology Management (Start Date: February 1, 2015)
    Completed: LYT2, TFT2, JIT2, MCT2, LZT2, SJT2 (17 CU's)
    Required: FXT2, MAT2, MBT2, C391, C392 (13 CU's)

    Bachelor of Science - Information Technology Network Design & Management (WGU - Completed August 2014)
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    srabiee wrote: »
    The Sybex "Mastering" series are the best:

    http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Windows-Server-2012-R2/dp/1118289420/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1428716269&sr=1-1&keywords=sybex+mastering+server+2012

    Does it split it up into all three exams? How do you know where to stop for each exam? Meaning if I want to take 410 first, what chapters are for the exam 410?
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  • srabieesrabiee Member Posts: 1,231 ■■■■■■■■□□
    It doesn't split anything up for you. The book is comprehensive across all three exams. You will need to use the 70-410 Skills Measured provided by Microsoft to form your own study plan:

    https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam-70-410.aspx
    WGU Progress: Master of Science - Information Technology Management (Start Date: February 1, 2015)
    Completed: LYT2, TFT2, JIT2, MCT2, LZT2, SJT2 (17 CU's)
    Required: FXT2, MAT2, MBT2, C391, C392 (13 CU's)

    Bachelor of Science - Information Technology Network Design & Management (WGU - Completed August 2014)
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    srabiee wrote: »
    It doesn't split anything up for you. The book is comprehensive across all three exams. You will need to use the 70-410 Skills Measured provided by Microsoft to form your own study plan:

    https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/exam-70-410.aspx

    Are there any books that actually split up the exam for you?
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  • srabieesrabiee Member Posts: 1,231 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Perhaps, but the only one that I know of that's well worth the price is the Sybex "Mastering" book.

    Have you taken any Microsoft exams before? A word of warning...these exams are extremely difficult and require quite a bit of experience (preferably in a business/enterprise environment) as well as a lot of labbing to pass.

    I would couple the book with CBT training (CBTNuggets and/or Pluralsight) and lots of labbing.

    Oh, and did I mention labbing?

    Good luck!
    WGU Progress: Master of Science - Information Technology Management (Start Date: February 1, 2015)
    Completed: LYT2, TFT2, JIT2, MCT2, LZT2, SJT2 (17 CU's)
    Required: FXT2, MAT2, MBT2, C391, C392 (13 CU's)

    Bachelor of Science - Information Technology Network Design & Management (WGU - Completed August 2014)
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    srabiee wrote: »
    Perhaps, but the only one that I know of that's well worth the price is the Sybex "Mastering" book.

    Have you taken any Microsoft exams before? A word of warning...these exams are extremely difficult and require quite a bit of experience (preferably in a business/enterprise environment) as well as a lot of labbing to pass.

    I would couple the book with CBT training (CBTNuggets and/or Pluralsight) and lots of labbing.

    Oh, and did I mention labbing?

    Good luck!


    No, but I have over a year of server experience. I'm a Systems Engineer. Yeah, I might get that sybex book bro. It's 60 bucks but it splits up the tests for you. I have pluralsight, CBT is WAY to expensive for what they offer. Are there any good lab manuals? Or places online for labs? I have a server that I just bought last week and I put 2012 on it.
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  • srabieesrabiee Member Posts: 1,231 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Here's some links to some basic articles on creating an MCSA: Server 2012 lab:

    Microsoft Exam Guides How to Build an MCSA Lab - Microsoft Exam Guides

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG3vXlo2q7M

    The Home Hyper-V Test Lab

    https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/virtuallabs?id=f9E0rhsEF74

    You might have an easier time creating your lab within VMware Workstation because it allows you to nest VM's running Server 2012 R2 with Hyper-V within it. Hyper-V doesn't allow a nested lab environment in this manner. (you will get a warning message if you try to do it)
    WGU Progress: Master of Science - Information Technology Management (Start Date: February 1, 2015)
    Completed: LYT2, TFT2, JIT2, MCT2, LZT2, SJT2 (17 CU's)
    Required: FXT2, MAT2, MBT2, C391, C392 (13 CU's)

    Bachelor of Science - Information Technology Network Design & Management (WGU - Completed August 2014)
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thanks for the links. I have the server and VMware workstation. I'll just use both for the labs.
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Hey guys,

    How do I know what's for 410, 411 and 412 in this book?
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  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers Member Posts: 884 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Look up the exam objectives for each test on Microsoft's site. Then just cross-reference the topics in the Sybex book. Not too hard.
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    PJ_Sneakers wrote: »
    Look up the exam objectives for each test on Microsoft's site. Then just cross-reference the topics in the Sybex book. Not too hard.

    I wanna make sure I get the right ones.... There's gotta be some guide on this.
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  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers Member Posts: 884 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Are you serious?
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    PJ_Sneakers wrote: »
    Are you serious?

    I've never taken one of the exams before. I don't know what's what, and what's really needed. For example, I know there's a lot of powershell on the 410. Have you looked at the exam objectives? NO WHERE in the exam objectives does it say powershell. That automatically tells me that it's not all in the exam objectives... so PJ, are YOUUUUUU serious? :D:D Or just looking to try and put someone down?
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  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers Member Posts: 884 ■■■■■■□□□□
    Not trying to put you down. I just see a lot of people ask for silly crap like exam answers and what not.

    OK, what's your IT background?
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  • jerseyIT92jerseyIT92 Banned Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□
    PJ_Sneakers wrote: »
    Not trying to put you down. I just see a lot of people ask for silly crap like exam answers and what not.

    OK, what's your IT background?


    I understand. I'm definitely not looking for exam answers. I was just wondering how the book is set up. For example, lets say for the 410 exam, the first 6 chapters are for the 410. That's what I meant by how it's split up.

    I actually just bought the other Sybex all-in-one book anyways. I have a little over a year in IT.
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  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers Member Posts: 884 ■■■■■■□□□□
    The Mastering Windows Server 2012 R2 book is not really organized as an exam prep guide. It is more like a reference manual for Windows Server. That's why I said you should look at the exam objectives and then look them up individually to cross reference.

    I suggest using some CBT videos like CBT Nuggets (expensive), Pluralsight (less expensive), or ITProTV (less expensive with coupon codes). If you are on a budget, again go back to the exam objectives and then try to match as many of them as you can with videos on Microsoft Virtual Academy, which is free.

    You will need to lab. If you can't set up a few VM's on your own, go on Microsoft's Virtual Labs and spin up some VM's to experiment with.

    You are right about 70-410 having a lot of PowerShell. The exam is very heavy on PS, but I will say that Microsoft is fair on how they test PowerShell in that exam... it's just A LOT of cmdlets. For the 410, you definitely need to know how to do everything in PowerShell as well as the GUI.

    I also advise studying the 70-411 material BEFORE you take the 70-410. Just trust me on that, someone gave me that advice and I wish I had listened. There is overlap, and the additional info will help you.
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  • VeritiesVerities Member Posts: 1,162
    I think the best book for you would be: MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2 Complete Study Guide by William Panek

    It breaks down all 3 of the tests for MCSA Windows Server 2012 and covers the exam objectives in the process.
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