2 questions on MCSA exams

I was thinking of buying the CBT nugget video "MCSA messaging 2003 or security 2003" I have the CCNA CBT nugget video and it has helped me
understand concept etc. I have 2 questions first does anyone have the MSCA messaging or security videos by CBT nuggets and does anyone have anything positive or negative to say about these videos. I just checked out 1 sample video from CBT but your input would be very much appreciated. Also exam 70-270, 290 and 291 are they getting ready to retire? I don't think so but just wanted to know if anyone heard anything from MS about this.

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Slowhand

I have the CBT Nuggets for almost all the MS exams. (The MSCA: Messaging and MCSA: Security packages are comprised of videos for each of the required exams. Usually one exam per disc.) I really enjoy the CBT Nuggets, I feel like they give a very good visual overview of what I'm learning out of the books and from other interactive learning sources. I highly recommend them as a suppliment to the MS Press or Sybex books.

As for the exams, themselves. No, there are no plans to retire 70-290, 70-291, or any of the other MCSA/MCSE 2003 track exams. As long as the current path is offered and Windows Server 2003 is still being sold, these exams will be given. If you consider how long the MCSA/MCSE 2000 exams have been hanging on, I don't forsee the 2003 track to be going away anytime soon. The only change you're really going to see is the addition of a new track in the MCITP path, and that will represent the new (Longhorn) Server technologies.

One thing, though. I have heard people talking about updated material in the current MCSE tests, such as the move from SUS to WSUS questions, things like that. At the core, though, all the exams remain the same and the exam numbers will not change. Check out the MCP site on Microsoft.com, and there'll be more information about each of the certs and their respective exam paths.

Silver Bullet

I'm not sure about the whole series but I can vouch for what I have used so far. I didn't start using CBT Nuggets until the 70-291 and am currently using it for the 70-293.

They are AWESOME!!!!

James Chellis (I think that is right) is the instructor on these 2 exams and he is great.

I also have the CBT Nuggets for the 70-294 and 70-284.....not sure who the instructor is on these yet, but if they are as good of quality as what I have seen so far then I will be pleased.

Edited to remove "is is"

kadshah

i 've just checked out the MCSA info at MS no mention about retiring any of these exams. I'm just trying to decide on whether I should go for the messaging 2003 pack, security 2003 or the MCSA package which is about a $100 less and cover only the material needed to pass the MCSA certification but i'll definitely get one of these CBT packages. Thanks for your input. How long did it take for you to pass the 3 core exams what
books did you use to prepare for the MSA exams?

-k

Slowhand

It took me around a month per test, (not including the week between my first attempt at 70-291 and the second, passing, attempt.) Balanced out, it took about three months, using about 20 - 25 hours per week of reading, watching videos, and hacking away at my lab. The lab consisted of two PC's with Server 2003 Standard Edition installed, with a Linksys switch between them. As for books, I only used the MS Press books since I was working my way through the TestOut courses as well as using the CBT Nuggets.

Silver Bullet

Silver Bullet wrote:

James Chellis (I think that is right) is the instructor on these 2 exams and he is great.

I apologize...his name is James Conrad

Slowhand

Yup. James Conrad is a great instructor. I learned all about network infrastructure from him, as well as a little something about Geronimo and Native American history.

(Anyone who did the 70-291 CBT Nugget knows what I'm talking about.

)

Silver Bullet

Slowhand wrote:

Yup. James Conrad is a great instructor. I learned all about network infrastructure from him, as well as a little something about Geronimo and Native American history.

(Anyone who did the 70-291 CBT Nugget knows what I'm talking about. )

Right...

I now know that he has had at least 2 scorpions in his house and his wife pounded one of them with a trophy.

But yes.... he is a very good instructor

kadshah

The lab consisted of two PC's with Server 2003 Standard Edition installed

Was this the 3 month trial period version of Server 2003 ? The books i have at home are WinXP Pro resource kit, MCSE XP Pro by MS press, Windows Server 2003 Environment by Sybex and
MCSE Windows Server 2003 Network Infrasture would this be sufficent
for my studies along with the CBT nuggets? I also have 2 PCs one running WinXP Pro the other Win 2000 Pro 2 along with 1 1900 Cisco switch, 2 2500 Cisco routers and 1 Linksys router. I also have the trial version of Server 2003 but some of the features are disabled don't know if i will be able to perform some of the labs because of this.

peace smiles,

-k

Slowhand

I used the full editions for my actual MCSA studies, but we used the 180-day trials for the classes I took at the college. The trial editions are somewhat crippled in terms of performance and scalability, but they have everything you need to set up a small lab and practice the concepts you need to pass the MCSE exams. If you run out of time after installing them, just reinstall and call up Microsoft for another activation, I believe you can activate them twice on the same machine.

geekie

(Anyone who did the 70-291 CBT Nugget knows what I'm talking about. )

Wasn't it a one eyed apache indian..?

kadshah

thanks buddy.

Slowhand

geekie wrote:

(Anyone who did the 70-291 CBT Nugget knows what I'm talking about. )

Wasn't it a one eyed apache indian..?

LOL, yeah. I think you're right. It might have been another recognizable Native American name. Guess that's why I was always a "C" student in history.

kadshah

i down loaded and burned the ISO image of Windows Server 2003 R2 trial
software to a CD but my software didn't regonize the ISO format. MS sent me a beta kit back in 2003 of Windows .Net server 2003 could I use this software to prepare for the exams instead? just curious what does the R2 stand for?

Slowhand

R2 is the latest edition of Windows 2003. Basically, it's just updated with some new wizards and a couple of nifty features. Think of it as "Server 2003: Second Edition". It's still the same OS, just with a few tweaked features. Check out Microsoft's site for the details of how it differs.

kadshah

ok thanks again.