Best study materials for MCSA Server 2016

Batmga

I'm looking for study materials for the Server 2016 track preferably a book but I can't seem to find any which doesn't have any bad reviews. I understand that one book will not have everything required for the exams but the reviews seem to state that there is incorrect information in the books for both the Sybex one (William Panek) and the Pearson IT one (Anthony Sequeira) on Amazon.
I'd really appreciate if someone could clear this out for me and give your own book recommendation, thanks!

Jon_Cisco

I used the Pearson IT one (Anthony Sequeira) with no problems.

No technical book is perfect but if you read and lab you can usually learn the information. A lot of users read Microsoft articles on anything that does not make sense because they are usually more current. As with almost everything else google is your friend while studying.

I would suggest picking one and getting started because that is the hardest part.

Kalissie

I used cbt nuggets which i highly recommend for anyone ready to take 70-74X series. Explain all the scopes you need to know as well as practical methodology. https://drive-ebay.onlineweb.shop/CBT_Videos/cat5793554_4310515.aspx

kbreitsprecher

I used Pluralsight. I would say that the lab and videos were good, but they simply didn't cover somethings that were on the exam...

I will use them again, but background using the product is going to be key.

Batmga

Jon_Cisco wrote: »

I used the Pearson IT one (Anthony Sequeira) with no problems.

No technical book is perfect but if you read and lab you can usually learn the information. A lot of users read Microsoft articles on anything that does not make sense because they are usually more current. As with almost everything else google is your friend while studying.

I would suggest picking one and getting started because that is the hardest part.

I guess I'll end up using that book then & yes i'll definitely have a lab set up to further solidify what I learn from the books and video course. Thankyou so much!

Batmga

Kalissie wrote: »

I used cbt nuggets which i highly recommened for anyone ready to take 70-74X series. Explain all the scopes you need to know as well as practical methodology. Ge them on eBay it's cheaper. https://ebay.to/2MwU5U9

Thankyou so much!

Batmga

kbreitsprecher wrote: »

I used Pluralsight. I would say that the lab and videos were good, but they simply didn't cover somethings that were on the exam...

I will use them again, but background using the product is going to be key.

Oh I see, did you end up using any book as reference?

malachi1612

I found Pluralsight to be all over the place and not following the exam objectives because their video spread across different exams. For example, when I was using it for 70-740 I found stuff in there such as JIT which actually relates to 70-744.

I found CBT nuggets to be better. Also I had the reference book but I hardly used it.

kbreitsprecher

No I didn't use a book as reference which is likely why I just scraped by with a 730... That being said it's a pass!

Martog

I'd take a look at this Reddit post, it's what I used and I passed every MCSA with an 800+ score the first time. Started end of May and finished today. They really aren't as bad as long as you understand the material. It's basically a break down of using CBT with its virtual labs and practice tests, Microsoft Docs really.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/8jntz8/i_finished_my_mcsa_server_2016_this_past_weekend/

november24

Martog wrote: »

I'd take a look at this Reddit post, it's what I used and I passed every MCSA with an 800+ score the first time. Started end of May and finished today. They really aren't as bad as long as you understand the material. It's basically a break down of using CBT with its virtual labs and practice tests, Microsoft Docs really.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/8jntz8/i_finished_my_mcsa_server_2016_this_past_weekend/

You managed to finish the 3 exams in 4 months?!!

Martog

november24 wrote: »

You managed to finish the 3 exams in 4 months?!!

Yeah, and the author of that Reddit did as well, well I think they were in about 3 months. I'm single so I got some free time, but work full time. I believe the OP on the reddit is married. But they did get to study at work, me not so much. Everyone learns differently and at different paces, some take months for one of the exams, some of us do it much shorter.

Keep in mind there are boot camps to do the MCSA Server 2016 in 9 days, but they are also $5000+. This cost me the exam ref book cost, the four months of CBT and the three exams.

Early October is my goal with my MCSE Cloud and Infrastructure doing the 70-533, I heard it is not bad to do.

Skyliinez92 wrote: »

No he said he passed every MCSA. He's basically the God of IT now

Haha oh man, that would be a trip if I did. That was definitely a typo, I meant each MCSA exam for this cert.

november24

Martog wrote: »

Yeah, and the author of that Reddit did as well, well I think they were in about 3 months. I'm single so I got some free time, but work full time. I believe the OP on the reddit is married. But they did get to study at work, me not so much. Everyone learns differently and at different paces, some take months for one of the exams, some of us do it much shorter.

Keep in mind there are boot camps to do the MCSA Server 2016 in 9 days, but they are also $5000+. This cost me the exam ref book cost, the four months of CBT and the three exams.

Early October is my goal with my MCSE Cloud and Infrastructure doing the 70-533, I heard it is not bad to do.



Haha oh man, that would be a trip if I did. That was definitely a typo, I meant each MCSA exam for this cert.

Well Done, I am really impressed with your achievement.

Pseudonym

Martog wrote: »

Yeah, and the author of that Reddit did as well, well I think they were in about 3 months. I'm single so I got some free time, but work full time. I believe the OP on the reddit is married. But they did get to study at work, me not so much. Everyone learns differently and at different paces, some take months for one of the exams, some of us do it much shorter.

Keep in mind there are boot camps to do the MCSA Server 2016 in 9 days, but they are also $5000+. This cost me the exam ref book cost, the four months of CBT and the three exams.

Early October is my goal with my MCSE Cloud and Infrastructure doing the 70-533, I heard it is not bad to do.



Haha oh man, that would be a trip if I did. That was definitely a typo, I meant each MCSA exam for this cert.

Don't forget to mention that varying degrees of experience with the technology, or similar technologies will cause large variance in the amount of time it takes to pass these exams.

For instance, if you've never heard of an ACL, and then you start hitting the MCSA books, you've got an uphill struggle on your hands. Just working through the acronyms will be a struggle, never mind the concepts. People with prior knowledge of concepts & terminology can focus on the detail and the implementation of the technology and cut the study time to a fraction of what it would take an absolute beginner.

eillinois31

Batmga wrote: »

I'm looking for study materials for the Server 2016 track preferably a book but I can't seem to find any which doesn't have any bad reviews. I understand that one book will not have everything required for the exams but the reviews seem to state that there is incorrect information in the books for both the Sybex one (William Panek) and the Pearson IT one (Anthony Sequeira) on Amazon.
I'd really appreciate if someone could clear this out for me and give your own book recommendation, thanks!

I used CBT nuggets, 70-740 exam reference, William Panek Book and the Anthony Sequeria book and 30 days before bought the measureup test(official microsoft test) and passed the 70-740 back in April. Do not forget to lab it up, it's always helpful.

Martog

november24 wrote: »

Well Done, I am really impressed with your achievement.

Thanks!

Pseudonym wrote: »

Don't forget to mention that varying degrees of experience with the technology, or similar technologies will cause large variance in the amount of time it takes to pass these exams.

For instance, if you've never heard of an ACL, and then you start hitting the MCSA books, you've got an uphill struggle on your hands. Just working through the acronyms will be a struggle, never mind the concepts. People with prior knowledge of concepts & terminology can focus on the detail and the implementation of the technology and cut the study time to a fraction of what it would take an absolute beginner.

Oh yeah that definitely helps. I've been at my company for 11 years, probably started on server work within 2 years of being there. Though there was a decent amount I did not know when starting when looking at the exam objectives, like the advanced storage solutions, all the HA solutions, containers, IPAM (Still really on the fence on useful this would be), some of the more advanced network, AD CS and AD FS. I work for a small MSP so some of the more advanced features we don't touch at all. Though it was fun doing the labs and learning it though. It does make me realize I would have done some projects differently.

Batmga

Martog wrote: »

I'd take a look at this Reddit post, it's what I used and I passed every MCSA with an 800+ score the first time. Started end of May and finished today. They really aren't as bad as long as you understand the material. It's basically a break down of using CBT with its virtual labs and practice tests, Microsoft Docs really.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/8jntz8/i_finished_my_mcsa_server_2016_this_past_weekend/

Thank you for the reference, I kind of understand now although do you think the objectives on Microsoft's website are all that we need to know for the exam? I feel like they have just listed the main topics that we need to know and not entirely the details associated with the topics.

Martog

Batmga wrote: »

Thank you for the reference, I kind of understand now although do you think the objectives on Microsoft's website are all that we need to know for the exam? I feel like they have just listed the main topics that we need to know and not entirely the details associated with the topics.

Each skill listed on their website can be tested for. Each exam has a download so you can view or print the current exam objectives. That is what Microsoft is going to be testing for on the exam. They do change the skill objectives (ie nano server isn't as a huge of a deal, especially over containers) and add and remove questions over time. After you take the exam, the printout shows you how you did in each section overall, but not what questions you got wrong.

Batmga

Martog wrote: »

Each skill listed on their website can be tested for. Each exam has a download so you can view or print the current exam objectives. That is what Microsoft is going to be testing for on the exam. They do change the skill objectives (ie nano server isn't as a huge of a deal, especially over containers) and add and remove questions over time. After you take the exam, the printout shows you how you did in each section overall, but not what questions you got wrong.

Oh I see, thanks a lot!