Just started studying for the test

hey guys, finally motivated myself to do this!!

i got a laptop that i just put windows server 2003 on (the cd that came in the training book)

what else do i need?
i know some labs require 2 computers?

so switch some cables? how do you guys do it?

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dynamik

How beefy is your laptop? You should look into virtualization if you have a decent system. VMWare Workstation/Server, Virtual PC, VirtualBox, etc. will allow you to run multiple OSes on a single machine. It'll definitely simply your studies.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=04D26402-3199-48A3-AFA2-2DC0B40A73B6&displaylang=en

http://www.virtualbox.org/

http://vmware.com/products/ws/
http://vmware.com/products/server/

absolut1

that MS virtual pc 2007 looks really good.

the laptop is beefy, can handle 2-3os no problem.

Slowhand

Dynamik hit it right on the head, virtual machines is the way to go. Just follow through the chapters in the book, do the labs and scenarios at the end of each, and you'll be fine. The more hands-on work you do, the better. If you still feel like you're not ready, check out the technotes on this site, CBT Nuggets, TestOut, or go and see if you can find another book to be a cross-reference for what you've already got. The more resources you use, the better off you'll be, but only you can decide when you're ready. A practice test engine, along the lines of Transcender, will help you judge how far along you are, as will the practice tests in the book(s).

Daniel333

For 70-290 you are only going to need 2 VMs. One VM with 2003 server and another with XP.

If you really want to to take it to the next level though, you are probably gonna need 5-6 VM up at once. Couple domain controllers. Legacy clients (NT/2000). Vista client and maybe even RedHat/CentOS.

If your laptop is pretty new, you can use Windows 2008 to host the OSs with Hyper-V which is the new virtulization product from Microsoft.

Have you done the 70-270 xp exam yet? or the Vista one?

absolut1

Daniel:

i will have a laptop running w2003, and a VM with xp, should work ok i take it?

Daniel333

Just to pass, probably. I find most people pass just by reading the Sybex book, running the labs and doing the transcender questions over a few weeks.

IMHO...
But trust me, once your sleeves up you are going to want to check out a dozen other things in every chapter. Especially when you keep in mind, 2003/Xp and the MCSE itself are getting old. Linux is exploding on the scene and Microsoft's new stuff is just amazing as well. In the end, it's about brining it all together, not just the exam.

Why you are taking 70-290 anyway?

Slowhand

Daniel333 has some good suggestions for you to follow, absolut1. The only thing I can tell you is, that if you're interested in pursuing the MCSA/MCSE path, stick with focusing on Windows only, at this time. Mixing Linux, Unix, or Mac into the network is a fun exercise, and it can be very useful knowledge for working out in the world. However, right now you've got your hands full just learning the ins and outs of Windows Server 2003, let alone the full spectrum of Active Drectory, Terminal Services, just to name a few. Wait until you're a bit more comfortable with what you're studying before trying to integrate other operating systems into the lab-network. The same could be said for Linux, it's a good idea to understand some fundamentals before trying to make it play nice with a Windows environment.

Also, if you're looking for something newer than Windows Server 2003, there is also the Windows Server 2008 path, which includes MCITP: Server Administrator and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator. While the MCSE is still very much in demand, it may be worth your while to think about working towards the latest certification Microsoft has to offer, since you haven't started on either path yet.

absolut1

pursuing MCSA, so this will be my first exam.

there is a lot of stuff to take in.

the simulations on t he test? what are they like?

dynamik

absolut1 wrote:

the simulations on t he test? what are they like?

They're basic tasks, but they'll trip you up if you haven't done them before. The MS Press books have good exercises at the end of most sections, and the sims aren't going to be any more complex than anything you encounter going through those. I'm sure books by other publishers have comparable exercises in their books as well.

absolut1

anything like setting up a dhcp pool? or dns?

bencairney

absolut1 wrote:

anything like setting up a dhcp pool? or dns?

I wouldn't expect dhcp/dns sims on 290, more likely on 291.

Good Luck on the exam

dynamik

Please don't disclose sim content. That's a big NDA violation.

bencairney

dynamik wrote:

Please don't disclose sim content. That's a big NDA violation.

Sorry about that, I've removed that part now.

proteus71

dynamik wrote:

How beefy is your laptop? You should look into virtualization if you have a decent system. VMWare Workstation/Server, Virtual PC, VirtualBox, etc. will allow you to run multiple OSes on a single machine. It'll definitely simply your studies.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=04D26402-3199-48A3-AFA2-2DC0B40A73B6&displaylang=en

http://www.virtualbox.org/

http://vmware.com/products/ws/
http://vmware.com/products/server/

What's the trick with these? I can't get any of them to work. I have XP Home so I can't use the MS one. The other two install fine, but when I create a virtual machine, it says I need a bootable CD? I thought these were going to be simple.

dynamik

Once you create a VM, you will need to install an OS, just like any physical machine.

proteus71

dynamik wrote:

Once you create a VM, you will need to install an OS, just like any physical machine.

I get it. Thanks.