Another one bites the dust...

amp2030

Passed with 980 this time. 30 questions, 4 sims, very straightforward. Not as easy as 620, easier than 270, all in all a nice experience for the first server exam.

Time to get ready to slay the beast.

janmike

Congratulations for passing!

Zerubb

Way to go! I'm currently studying for 290. thanks for the info regarding the difficulty of the test.

J-Dubs

980, that's dang near perfect! Congratulations on passing and the score! I would agree that it was easier than 270 because it was a much narrower scope.

-J

gravyjoe

Congrats amp2030 . That's the best score I've seen for the 290!! How did you study and what material did you use?

amp2030

Thanks, all!

I used MS Press and CBT Nuggets. I found MS Press kind of dry and the Nuggets kind of goofy, but they complemented each other quite well for this test. For practice I set up a VMware lab of two servers (one DC one member server) and one XP client. I think one server and one client would have been enough. And for practice exams, as usual, I found the ones that came with MS Press spot-on, when it comes to difficulty.

motogpman

EXCELLENT SCORE!!!!!!! I hope to do as good. Thanks for the headup on the MS material. A lot of people have commented on other threads as well as to how the MS books help which they should. I will pick this one up as well, although with Testout ( that has sims), CBTNuggets (James Conrad), TechExams material, and ExamCram2, I figure that would suffice. I will be setting up VM sessions as well, like you have.

In the MS book, how are the labs structured? Good luck on the beast!

amp2030

motogpman wrote:

In the MS book, how are the labs structured? Good luck on the beast!

I really don't like following book labs, I mean, they feel very cookie-cutter. They do have plenty of them in the MS Press, though: each big chapter has one or two where they take you step by step through it. The problem is, they give too much detail, and it feels like you might as well just read what they say the result is.

I prefer making my own labs, that is, make stuff up, that uses the material I just learned, and try to apply it. It pretty much all amounts to playing around and what-if scenarios: it's really like LEGO. You can follow the instructions and build the machine illustrated on the box, or you could get pieces together from many sets and build your own stuff.

titantek

Congrats on the pass and very good and accurate analogy.

ULWiz

Nice score and congrats.


Whats next for you

amp2030

ULWiz wrote:

Nice score and congrats.


Whats next for you

Next on my list - 291. I plan to give it about a month of full-time study. I'd really like to take it before the year ends so I can make use of the Second Shot voucher, but I won't hurry it either. I skimmed over the MS Press book though and a month looks enough.

motogpman

Cool, thaks for the input! I guess I will stick with my home lab and the Testout sim since I have the second shot offer, hopefully I won't have to use though. Dec. 4th is my test date, this month is already flying by.....

Honky007

Fantastic score!! Congrats mate, you nailed it!