Mindset for 290?

Maagtastic

I just passed the 620 yesterday and after a very short breather I'm diving into 290, will test end of March.
Any tips to get me in the mindset of 290 compared to 620, I notice a lot of similar subjects, with users, groups, shares etc.

TheDonger

Hey maag,

I'd really say that familiarity goes a LONG way. I didn't have very much experience with server 2003 at ALL, so I set up a virtual box and started labbing with it and generally messing around with it over the course of a month between job interviews during a period of unemployment.

In all honesty, we all know that there is a gap between what the real world demands and what the test demands. For instance, I know a ton about printer setup and driver processes for network printers in theory, but I've never actually messed with them on the job because of access rights, etc. With that said I think the 290 tests you on a lot of things that are extreme examples and exclusions as opposed to a variety of basic things you'd need to know so that you can prove you know the core material well enough to examine the chinks in the armor.

I'm very new to IT, and still slightly intimated by the process, so I thought I'd share how I go about getting ready for tests:

1. Read MSpress book (With highlighter, pen, and note cards... make notes for each section about things that are new or that I don't understand)
2. Search for weblinks, forum posts, FAQs, or basic tips for the things I didn't get.
3. Take a preliminary look at practice tests, etc.
4. RE-READ MSpress book (Do the labs this time, nail down the things I don't understand, make more note cards)*
5. Begin taking practice tests, making note on the questions I don't understand and investigating.
6. Talking with pros, forums, etc.

All the while I review the notecards. As my stack grows I manage to retain the basic information I need while expanding upon more intricate things.

*= If I'm still confused after this, I look into buying a second book to cover the material... I try to read 2 or 3 sources so I have two or three explanations of the material, in essence allowing me to learn it over and over.