Failed 297 for third time. Options well and truly run out

kamikaze_worm

515

What do I do now?? Any Suggestions Feel like crying!

earweed

Don't give up man! Work on your weak areas and try again. The 70-643 took me 4 tries but I finally brought home a win.
One word of caution though if you fail 5 times you have to wait a year for a retake.

kamikaze_worm

Thanks guys means alot.

Funny enough I was just looking at my 3 sheets from failed exams. If you look at the areas of skills messured

Designing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure

Its the bottom one thats got me everytime. The bar has never reached half way. Not sure where im going wrong with that one. I also struggle with questions based on designing OU's and on External and internal network questions.

I was same regarding NT however I really enjoy questions based on that and looking at weak areas it isnt one of them.

Ive used CBT nuggets and transcdeners/ mesure up questions but now ive run out of questions...

Is it worth me starting over with the 298 instead.

citinerd

I opted for the 298 because I read on this site that 297 had a lot of NT4 migration questions. And I know almost nothing about NT4.

I think the design exams are more knowledge of the process than know how to implement, so it might not hurt to try another book or get a CBT.

Good luck! We are all rooting for you.

Devilsbane

citinerd wrote: »

I opted for the 298 because I read on this site that 297 had a lot of NT4 migration questions. And I know almost nothing about NT4.

The entire last chapter of my 294 book was on migration, mainly NT. I couldn't bare reading it, can't imagine being tested on it.

I'm also going with the 298, but that is because I want the security specialty. If you failed this test 3 times already and are still that far from passing, maybe it is worth trying one of the other exams.

And if you want to stick with it, I'd personally start over from scratch. Start on page 1 of your book, or get a new book. Find some videos and watch them, and lab lab lab.

Another tip is see if you can find someone who is working on the same exam, either a real life friend or someone on here. Work together and start discussing things you don't get.

Good luck

kamikaze_worm

Right i've picked myself back off the floor (Again) and now i'm deciding what to do.

I need to decide by end of today what i'm going to do. Any suggestions?

Option 1 - Retake 297 - I still have another 2 attempts at this one, however Im a clear 185 marks away from passing. The bottom section (One im struggerling on) is all about subnetting, sites, placing roles and services (DNS, DHCP WINS ect) Not sure if I do go this route how to attack it.

Option 2 - Attempt 298 - I never did 299 as an optional exam (Did 620) so I havent cover alot of the topics in great depth.

As said any suggestions.

Thanks

Devilsbane

I'm studying the 298/299 combo right now. So far everything has been review from the prior MCSE tests. Certificates, IPSec, Security policies, authentication/authorization, auditing. All stuff you have done before, now you just need to have a higher understanding. Not only how to do it, but when.

I'm not saying it will be easy, (especially since I've seen a lot of people around here struggle with the test) but it isn't as difficult as you think it is.

kamikaze_worm

I have decided to retake 297. If I put everything into it I can do it. Still struggerling with OU for GP and delegation. Anyone know any good study sources for this topic?

Regards

Kamikaze_worm

Devilsbane

kamikaze_worm wrote: »

Still struggerling with OU for GP and delegation. Anyone know any good study sources for this topic?

Regards

Kamikaze_worm

Do you mean building an OU tree or the actual process of delegating?

kamikaze_worm

I dont know exactly how to word it but its more like what structure do i use what do I base my top level 2nd level ous and so on. Really have a hard time working that out from case studies in the exam.

Devilsbane

I had the same problem from the 294 exam. I understood the difference between a good structure and a bad one, but based on the question I had trouble implementing what they needed. Especially when they give you stupid constraints like you can only create 1 link per gpo. That would never fly in the real world.

If you do find any good references, I wouldn't mind taking a second look.

mikedisd2

kamikaze_worm wrote: »

I dont know exactly how to word it but its more like what structure do i use what do I base my top level 2nd level ous and so on. Really have a hard time working that out from case studies in the exam.

Have you passed 70-294? This one ought be done before 297. With a score of 515 on your 3rd attempt, you really need to step back and consider another plan of attack. If you keep trying to resit it you'll just keep ending up with the same score. Maybe leave it and try another exam like ITIL or Exchange or something. Or maybe you just need more job experience with AD if you're having trouble with its concepts. I left 70-291 for a year after failing it 6x times. I was so desperate to just pass it I couldn't see what was wrong. I needed to just stop for a while and start again with a different study method (CBTs over reading books + more hands on experience).

kamikaze_worm

I have passed 294 (2nd attempt) first fail wasnt miles away so I didnt think i'd have a problem. This exam it seams to be the structure rather than the topics. I re-reviewed CBT nugget videos last night and there wasnt anything I wasnt sure about (apart from the OU structures)

Just gotta keep working at getting better at the design structure. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Kamikaze_worm

kamikaze_worm

Also can I ask? Why I have this post up, does anyone have any tips on the exam well design exams in general and there structure and the best way to approach.

Devilsbane

kamikaze_worm wrote: »

Also can I ask? Why I have this post up, does anyone have any tips on the exam well design exams in general and there structure and the best way to approach.

Good question. I found a trial practice test software yesterday (certguard confirmed it wasn't a ****, only took 20 pages of **** to sift through). Trial is 10 questions, and gives you a 10 minute time limit. The 10 minutes is fine if you just read and answer the question, but there is also an exibit which is a 3 or 4 page document detailing the history of the company and what their policies are.

How do you do all of that in 10 minutes?

kamikaze_worm

I also don't understand microsoft on these exams. I understand they want to simulate "Real world" for this exam however ask yourself in the "Real world" would you really get 10-25 mins to design a network based on requirements. I don't think so!

Does anyone know are there Design exams in the 2008 path?

Kamikaze_worm

mikedisd2

kamikaze_worm wrote: »

I also don't understand microsoft on these exams. I understand they want to simulate "Real world" for this exam however ask yourself in the "Real world" would you really get 10-25 mins to design a network based on requirements. I don't think so!

This sort of statement really shows you're not focussed properly on the exam. Take it for what it is; questions to be answered, certification to be got.

Don't if this has been said yet. If you have done other MCP exams, you will know how Microsoft word questions and what kind of thought process they are looking for. If you have passed 291, 293 and 294 then this test will be virtually revision. My, and other people's method for the design exam has been this;
Read the last sentence of the question first. Then read the answers. By this time you should have an idea of what MS are actually asking for. Then search through the scenario to make find the solution.

mikedisd2

Devilsbane wrote: »

Trial is 10 questions, and gives you a 10 minute time limit. The 10 minutes is fine if you just read and answer the question, but there is also an exibit which is a 3 or 4 page document detailing the history of the company and what their policies are.

How do you do all of that in 10 minutes?

You don't. You read the question at the end then hunt through the filler to scan for the answer.

kamikaze_worm

mikedisd2 wrote: »

My, and other people's method for the design exam has been this;
Read the last sentence of the question first. Then read the answers. By this time you should have an idea of what MS are actually asking for. Then search through the scenario to make find the solution.

Yeah I tried that after my first fail. Problem i found with that method was you can look at what the question is asking but there are always things that contrdict each other in the case study. So sureley if you do it this way you are still going to have to read all the case study to find the answer!

If this method could be refined, I would use it.

Kamikaze_worm