I'm finding MS Press Exam Ref for 70-410 to be a Joke compared to the 2008 r2 edition

cruwl

Does anyone else feel the same way? I feel like it doesn't cover any of the topics very well, and the sheer lack of practice labs doesn't give you anything to follow up with what you read.

Like there isn't even a description in the book that I can find that has the differences or new features of a 2012 R2 forest functional level, or how to raise domain/forest functional levels...

Are all the MS press books for 2012 this bad?

jerseyIT92

cruwl wrote: »

Does anyone else feel the same way? I feel like it doesn't cover any of the topics very well, and the sheer lack of practice labs doesn't give you anything to follow up with what you read.

Like there isn't even a description in the book that I can find that has the differences or new features of a 2012 R2 forest functional level, or how to raise domain/forest functional levels...

Are all the MS press books for 2012 this bad?

I don't know why everyone recommends this book. It has absolutely TERRIBLE reviews on Amazon. I used the Sybex one that covers all three exams for the MCSA.

nster

Mastering Windows Server 2012 R2

This is a very well regarded book, sort of like a bible for Windows Server. Great reviews. I feel like the 2012 Microsoft books just aren't up to par, this is both true for Windows Server and SQL Server

cruwl

I have the Mastering and the cert guide books at home, Havent started reading either one yet. and I'm reading the MS press one at work. I just can't believe how light it is on details. I might as well use it as a paper weight or through it in the trash.

Xenomeow

you think the exam ref is bad, check out the "training guide" the author is terrible, it goes in to useless detail on small subjects while leaving out large needed information. they could have cut at least 15 pages if they omitted "server 2012 and server 2012 r2" every other paragraph. The questions/answers are mostly wrong due to M$ not editing the book properly and leaving answers form server 2012, or just blatantly wrong answers, not to mention ALL OF THE "Select 2/3" questions only have one correct answer. The book is a joke!

Oh yeah and the labs, chapter 2's suggested labs include "install and configure ADDS" with out even getting anywhere close to explaining what it is.......

cruwl

Thats crazy, Glad I didn't order that book too then!

Lee H

Just ordered the sybex due to peoples reviews....

Surprised there is no hard back anywhere,

bohack

The story goes... When MSPress went to publish the 2012 books they used a new company in Germany. That company wasn't up to the job of creating the proper content because the content experts were used by Wiley to put together the MOAC. That information came from a Wiley rep that headed up the MOAC material. So in short if you are looking for excellent labs and content the Wiley books are the ones, just the price is crazy expensive. I agree the story is a little biased in Wiley's favor, but the last 2012 book from MSPress was published in 2014 which is sad.

mjnk77

The MOAC book doesn't come with labs, that's extra. We had the book for our authorized MS 410 class. $140+, lab book was $30+. Long story short, they're now using the Training Guide. All I heard was, no book for 2012 compared to the MS Press for 2008. We also were given the trainsignal and cbtnuggets videos.

bohack

Yep, the MOAC books are the Cadillac... and yes I loved the Microsoft "Blue Books" for 2008. I hope the next generation of books are better prepared. This way I don't need to reinvent the wheel to teach them.