Best books/videos for the MCSA tests 70-290/70-291?

Dr_Atomic

I'm ready to get the books/videos to begin studying for the MCSA tests 70-290 and 70-291 - both of which cover the Windows Server 2003 technology. I've read that the Microsoft "official" books are rather dry, but I suppose all vendor's books are that way, including Cisco. Is there a book(s) which covers both of these tests which are easy to understand and sufficient for these tests?

Also, what about videos? Any good one out there covering these tests? Any recommendations?

I've gotten a comment or two about possible books in a different post, but I thought I'd put the question front and center here in order to get maximum exposure before I cough up a boatload of money.

Dakinggamer87

I'm currently using MS Press books and Exam Cram for my book resources in addition to videos from CBT Nuggets. The press books are pretty long but they do have good information in them. It also comes with Server 2003 CD as well which is good for labs and doing questions.

Dr_Atomic

Dakinggamer87 wrote: »

I'm currently using MS Press books and Exam Cram for my book resources in addition to videos from CBT Nuggets. The press books are pretty long but they do have good information in them. It also comes with Server 2003 CD as well which is good for labs and doing questions.

Do you have a link to the MS books? I've seen a number of books, but I'm not sure which are the "official" MS books for those. Thanks.

Slowhand

These are the official MS Press books for the tests you're asking about:

• MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-290): Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
• MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-291): Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure

I preferred these to most other material I've seen out there, but the Sybex books for 70-290 and 70-291 are also pretty good. The MS Press books are going to be your best bet for these exams, though.

The video courses you'll want to look into for these exams are from CBT Nuggets. I used them for these exams and I wouldn't have understood the material as well without them, and it would have been much harder to pass.

• CBT Nuggets for 70-290
• CBT Nuggets for 70-291

Jarhead2011

I used for both the MS Press books and videos I used CBT Nuggets and Testout is a good resource and the the links in this forums helped me pass the exam.

Dr_Atomic

Slowhand wrote: »

These are the official MS Press books for the tests you're asking about:

• MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-290): Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
• MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-291): Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure

I preferred these to most other material I've seen out there, but the Sybex books for 70-290 and 70-291 are also pretty good. The MS Press books are going to be your best bet for these exams, though.

Would you recommend learning the 70-290 first, then move on to learning the 70-291 or does it matter? I see from your links that I could get both of these books used for a ridiculously cheap price, which is good news for me.

Also, I read the Sybex book for my CCNA, and it was a good, readable book. Is there one Sybex book which covers both of these 2003 Server tests, or two different books?

Slowhand

I'd highly recommend you do 70-290 first, the 70-291 study material assumes a lot of knowledge about Windows Server 2003 that you'll learn in 70-290.

Daniel333

Unfortunately you are going to need the Microsoft press and probably the Sybex book. I would recommend topping it off with vtc.com or CBTnuggets also. Finally I would say Transenders' tests.

Good luck!