Passed. Screw you beast!

Well after failing the first time. I have now completed the awful exam. 4 months of strong studying. Truthfully guys I dont have any good resources to recommend for this exam. They all suck....

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Ricka182

congrats!

seuss_ssues

First i must say congrats on the pass.

Ive been avoiding my 70-291 for the last couple of months and finally got back to studying for it. It has been easy to keep finding excuses, but since university finals are over i do actually have the time. Additionally its only 1 more exam till i get my MCSA.

I was planning on taking a break from microsoft after getting my MCSA but may go ahead and get the MCSA:Security because it will only be 1 more exam.

Any thoughts on trying one of the security exams?

evanderburg

Congrats on the pass. Why didn't you like any of the resources?

TeKniques

Congrats on the pass!

I think the MS Press book does a good job going over the concepts and with Transcender to supplement that material it was enough. Of course reading the forums here is a good resource as well like always. Johan also put up some good practice questions.

On the other hand I thought the Sybex book was dreadful for this exam. Some guy posted a while ago about the Sybex book being only good enough to prop up your car to change a flat tire ... I would have to agree, it was trash IMO.

Anyways, congrats and good luck on the next one!

Olajuwon

Congrats on the pass. This exam is not that hard. It's just tricky.

Chivalry1

I thought about taking the 70-299. But I going to push on to 70-293 ---> MCSE track. 3 more to go for MCSE. I can always come back and take that 70-299 exam and pick up that extra MCSA Security cert (Sounds Tempting).

**MCSE here I come.**

Chivalry1

I tried the MS book, Syngress Book, and the AWFUL Sybex book; all of them sucked. Somebody needs to tell the author of that Sybex book to take a course before deciding to write a book on the topic. The MS book was worse it just tells you what buttons do and dont give you real world examples. Typical of MS books they all suck. I guess if I had to choose it would be Syngress book, but again I was NOT impressed.

**SideNote: Cisco book was a great resource for subnetting, IP Configuration and routing protocols.**

Trailerisf

TeKniques wrote:

On the other hand I thought the Sybex book was dreadful for this exam. Some guy posted a while ago about the Sybex book being only good enough to prop up your car to change a flat tire ... I would have to agree, it was trash IMO.

Strange. I used the sybex book and rocked the exam in under 50 minutes without any sleep the night before. I guess it depends on what content your grasp easily.

Congrats on the pass.

TeKniques

Trailerisf wrote:

Strange. I used the sybex book and rocked the exam in under 50 minutes without any sleep the night before. I guess it depends on what content your grasp easily.

I have most of the Sybex books for MCSA/MCSE:
270, 290, 291, 293, 294, 297, 298, 299, and 227

I can flat out tell you, I have read them all but 294 and the 291 is perhaps one of the worse books from Sybex I have ever read. I just checked to make sure I wasn't crazy, but there is very little coverage on DNS and RRAS to name a few. The book barely touches on Aging/Scavenging, DNS Forwarding, VPNs, Static Routes, working with ISA with RRAS.

The 227 and the 298 were the best Sybex books I have ever read for MS exams. And although I passed 270 by just reading Sybex, I have gone out and bought all the MS Press books because ALL of the Sybex core books are lacking quite a bit IMO. I just am baffled how an author can write a book 700 pages with such little substance. Oh yeah, the CD questions with the 291 book are about 110% easier than the real thing, don't rely on it folks.

But hey, if the 291 Sybex worked for you, more power to you.

Beefchief

TeKniques wrote:

Oh yeah, the CD questions with the 291 book are about 110% easier than the real thing, don't rely on it folks.

Can you clarify this statement? I've used the MS Press book for 270 and 290 and I've found the actual exam questions are harder than the Objective Review tests but easier than the Practice tests for both exams...

jkstech

congrats

solo79

Beefchief wrote:

TeKniques wrote:

Oh yeah, the CD questions with the 291 book are about 110% easier than the real thing, don't rely on it folks.

Can you clarify this statement? I've used the MS Press book for 270 and 290 and I've found the actual exam questions are harder than the Objective Review tests but easier than the Practice tests for both exams...

I think he was referring to Sybex book with Cd, not MS Press. Correct me if I am wrong...

Chivalry1

Yeah I am sure he is referring to the Sybex book questions. Currently I am studying the 70-293 it seems that Syngress is doing a much better job in this series.

TeKniques

Yes, I was talking about the Sybex book. The MS Press CD practice questions by Measure Up are very good and harder then the real exam IMO.

Beefchief

Excellent thanks!

Darkblood

i must have to agree that ms press lacks a lotta depth
i almost went sit the 290 with just the ms press
and boy lucky i borrowed the sybex one a week before my exam
scheude..
ms press give u enough info to understand the whole diea
but it wasn't put in a way to prepare u to tackle the actual
exam questions..
it barely skim through the IIS and the termial serice part
which pops up on my exam rather heavily
plus for some reason i was asked on creating groups and user a/cs under VB scripts.. i was like wtf and it was never brought up in da ms press
i managed to get 290 done but i must say i was disappointed
comparing what shows up on the paper to the ms press book
i guess its not a good idea to go sit any exam with just 1 source
just my .02

Ricardo1

Well done. Bravoooo!!!

After reading the above comments about the Books meant for the "Beat", I'm just confused. I don't know which Book to buy for it.

If you won't mind it Chivalry1,
which Edition of Ms Press did you used? Is it the most recent new Edition?

Comments will be appreciated from any one regarding the Books for this Exam.

Thanks in advance.

Chivalry1

I could not really determine the version of the MS-Press book. It is not the latest version of the book. I see that MS just released a new version. They probrably got tired of Techs complaining.

Ricardo1

Thanks man.

The Latest edition was published a month or two, ago by J Mackin.

Just hope this one gonna be better.

jpeezy55

I just passed my Network+ today and am getting back to 291...I failed horribly a few months ago, took a different path with Net+, and now will be MCSA once I pass 291 and I'll use A+/Network as my elective.

Anyway, does it clearly state on the cover that it is a new edition of the MS book? I have the other one and will throw it away and get the new one as long as I know I am getting the right one...

I don't think the questions did me in, I think it was the 3-4 sims I had...I need to make sure I have a good home network running on my server here...

Thanks for all the great info on this site, it really help me with net+ and I know it will help with the rest of my journey to MCSA and beyond!

Ricardo1

Yea, it's stated.

MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-291): Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, Second Edition by J. C. Mackin and Ian McLean (Hardcover - May 17, 2006).

I haven't got any feedback from anyone in this Forum about the Book.

I mean someone who have really gone thru the book and take the "Beast" by the horns yet.

Following the comments from those who have written this exam before the above book was published, it's like there was no book that covered the required skills or material for the exam.

I'll definately go for this Second Edition as my first source for the "Beast" exam.

rphann

Congrats!

I've taken 6 months off since I passed my last exam (70-290) and I'm ready to get back on track and pass this exam. Hopefully it's not as hard as it sound.

jpeezy55

Well, I broke down and ordered the whole Microsoft Kit (4 books and the Training kit) from Amazon.com and saved about $90 over the bookstore price.

I did see that there is a large "2" on the front and spine to show that it is second edition. Hopefully it helps!

Also, anyone know about any good Labs to use? I have an old Compaq Proliant Server that I plan to get running with 2003, but are there any Lab Simulators available that would work? Something I might sneak on my machine at work to play with during lunch?

Thanks!

Beefchief

Ricardo1 wrote:

Yea, it's stated.

MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-291): Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, Second Edition by J. C. Mackin and Ian McLean (Hardcover - May 17, 2006).

I haven't got any feedback from anyone in this Forum about the Book.

What about here:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14447 ?

You probably won't get any in-depth reviews because it hasn't been out for long....

Ricardo1

Read thru to the end of my last paragraph.

I mean someone who have actually gone thru the Book and conquer the "Beast".