70-642 - done

rsutton

Another one down...

I felt under prepared for this one as I was failing my practice tests (MeasureUp) with a 40-50% pass rate. The funny thing is that the areas I was weak on in the practice tests were the areas I did best on in the real exam.

Now that the 640 & 642 are out of the way I am going to start on the 70-646 for the MCITP: SA.

shon541

Congrats and good luck with 70-646!

Piers

congrats! we're in the same boat, good luck with your 646 studies!

valen

Another 646 taker here. Good luck everybody

valen

What materials are you guys using to prep for the test? I had a fantastic little book (exam cram series) for 83-642, but they don't make that one for 646...

earweed

Congratulations on passing. I'll be taking 70-640,642 in the coming months.
What's the difference between the 83-642 and the 70-642?

rsutton

earweed wrote: »

What's the difference between the 83-642 and the 70-642?

The content is the same, however the 83-640 includes a simulator. Make sure you lab up everything to be prepared for the 83-640.

earweed

The 70-620 was improperly named then. My test was a third simulations

neathneathneath

valen wrote: »

What materials are you guys using to prep for the test? I had a fantastic little book (exam cram series) for 83-642, but they don't make that one for 646...

Don't seem to be many books on the 646

I've started reading the MS Press Training Kit for this, not as bad as some of the others in the series. I'm toying with getting the Syngress book but seen indifferent report on that one. I used the MS and syngress for 70-648 and found the syngress an easier read.

Are the Transcenders on the 646 any good?

rsutton

neathneathneath wrote: »

Don't seem to be many books on the 646

I've started reading the MS Press Training Kit for this, not as bad as some of the others in the series. I'm toying with getting the Syngress book but seen indifferent report on that one. I used the MS and syngress for 70-648 and found the syngress an easier read.

Are the Transcenders on the 646 any good?

I've primarily been using the MS Press books. I just signed up for CBT Nuggets to fill in the gaps. With this exam I expect there to be quite a bit of review of the last two I did so I don't really see the need for more books.

valen

neathneathneath wrote: »

Don't seem to be many books on the 646

I've started reading the MS Press Training Kit for this, not as bad as some of the others in the series. I'm toying with getting the Syngress book but seen indifferent report on that one. I used the MS and syngress for 70-648 and found the syngress an easier read.

Are the Transcenders on the 646 any good?

I've noticed the lack of books too. I almost bought the Syngress book the other day, but the $59.99 sticker price put me off. It can be had for much cheaper online. I used nuggets for 642 and I'm considering them again. The Syngress CCNA book was very good, so that give me some confidence for the 646 book.

-Foxer-

Did the 70-642 test have the VM servers like the 83-640 has? Or was it a straight multiple choice test? I'm going to be taking it in a few weeks, and want to be ready for whichever it is.

rsutton

They are all multiple choice in the 70-642.

-Foxer-

rsutton wrote: »

They are all multiple choice in the 70-642.

Thanks. I was kind of hoping for the VM's again. I really liked those.

rsutton

The VM's were great, I much prefer them to memorizing trivia.

valen

rsutton wrote: »

The VM's were great, I much prefer them to memorizing trivia.

Agreed. I found the 83 series VMs to be easy points.

contentpros

I have the Sybex book for the 70-646 and it is a pretty easy read I just wish it was available in the kindle edition =( (pdf conversion is less then stellar). My initial quickscan of the books seems like the 83/70-640 & 642 built a pretty good familiarity level for much of the material in the 646.

earweed

rsutton wrote: »

They are all multiple choice in the 70-642.

Congrats on the pass

Was hoping you wouldn't say that. I like VM'ing it. I'll be ready for my 70-640 by may and 70-642 by July at the rate I'm going(and plan to keep up). Having all MC questions just means that much more reading and less labbing. I'll still do the labs in the MS Press books though.

valen

contentpros wrote: »

I have the Sybex book for the 70-646 and it is a pretty easy read I just wish it was available in the kindle edition =( (pdf conversion is less then stellar). My initial quickscan of the books seems like the 83/70-640 & 642 built a pretty good familiarity level for much of the material in the 646.

I agree, especially about kindle

I'm expecting this exam to be pretty easy to follow up 640 & 642 with.

alokin123

valen wrote: »

I agree, especially about kindle

I'm expecting this exam to be pretty easy to follow up 640 & 642 with.

If memory serves me correctly, this exam doesnt delve that deeply into topics covered in 640 and 642. The only real stuff related to those exams is on this exam is group policy and WSUS (WSUS seems to pop a bit on this exam). It seems to cover a lot of the the 70-643 exam. It doesnt cover the specifics but expect questions on WDS, Server versions,DFS and a lot on, iSCSI, NLB, Clustering, SANs, Terminal Servers and application deployment. You don't need to know them in depth but you need to recognize situations and the technologies appropriate to them.