Advice Please!!

DjScientist

hi guys,am taking 284 end of this month and i been goin through this forums.I see most post here rule Ms Press out and recommend Sybex and other resources.How bad is this Ms Press?I have both Ms Press and Sybex so i thot a good combination will do it for me but having read most of the post here,am not sure anymore.I also have Learning Exchange Server 2003 by William Boswell(not sure how good it is),testout and CBT Nuggets.I just want to take this exam once and nail it thats why i got as much resources as i can.
Thank and hoping to get more information from those who took this exam and where to focus more from this exam.Any more useful resources that can be used,please let me know so i can get right into it..

Thank you all in advance..

Essendon

I picked up the Sybex book after reading terrible reviews for the MSPress book. IMHO, the Sybex would probably be just as bad, if not worse. There is no depth in the explanations, it's as if the author is giving you an overview of the subject. The questions at the end of the chapters are too easy, the ones on the CD are slightly better but some of them are poorly worded.

Front-end/Back-end is a fairly important part of the test and as you probably know ISA server is used as a firewall. The book just skims this topic. In my test, I got a fair few questions on this topic. Similar story with connectors and clustering.

I'd say, dont use a book for this test. Read TechNet and read the exam blueprint. Repeat till you cover all the topics. TechNet may be a bit verbose in some instances but it helps drill in the material. I highly recommend using TechNet and the Exchange Server 2003 Resource Kit (I think once recommended by Claymoore). The Exchange Server 2003 24Seven book by McBee isnt bad either.

Transcender as usual for practice tests. Lab it up till you digest the material. There is a fairly huge amount of information to take down. Good luck.

EDIT : Direct link to Exchange Server 2003 TechNet
Microsoft Exchange Server 2003

DjScientist

Thanx man,i really appreciate all the information that will help me learn and gain more experience in Exchange Server 2003.In my organisation,we are using Exchange Server 2007,its only that i had already started studying for 2003 and the materials are readily available so i just want to get it done with and take other exams for MCSE.Any other recommended resources,please let me know,i will get right down into it.Provide the links if possible,thanx again..