Passed. Screw you beast!

Chivalry1Chivalry1 Member Posts: 569
Well after failing the first time. I have now completed the awful exam. 4 months of strong studying. Truthfully guys I dont have any good resources to recommend for this exam. They all suck....
"The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and
content with your knowledge. " Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)

Comments

  • Ricka182Ricka182 Member Posts: 3,359
    congrats!
    i remain, he who remains to be....
  • seuss_ssuesseuss_ssues Member Posts: 629
    First i must say congrats on the pass.

    Ive been avoiding my 70-291 for the last couple of months and finally got back to studying for it. It has been easy to keep finding excuses, but since university finals are over i do actually have the time. Additionally its only 1 more exam till i get my MCSA.

    I was planning on taking a break from microsoft after getting my MCSA but may go ahead and get the MCSA:Security because it will only be 1 more exam.

    Any thoughts on trying one of the security exams?
  • evanderburgevanderburg Member Posts: 229 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats on the pass. Why didn't you like any of the resources?
    "You can never know everything and part of what you know is always wrong. Perhaps even the most important part. A portion of wisdom lies in knowing that. A portion of courage lies in going on anyway. " - Lan, Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan
  • TeKniquesTeKniques Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congrats on the pass! icon_cool.gif

    I think the MS Press book does a good job going over the concepts and with Transcender to supplement that material it was enough. Of course reading the forums here is a good resource as well like always. Johan also put up some good practice questions.

    On the other hand I thought the Sybex book was dreadful for this exam. Some guy posted a while ago about the Sybex book being only good enough to prop up your car to change a flat tire ... I would have to agree, it was trash IMO.

    Anyways, congrats and good luck on the next one!
  • OlajuwonOlajuwon Inactive Imported Users Posts: 356
    Congrats on the pass. This exam is not that hard. It's just tricky.
    "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years"
  • Chivalry1Chivalry1 Member Posts: 569
    I thought about taking the 70-299. But I going to push on to 70-293 ---> MCSE track. 3 more to go for MCSE. I can always come back and take that 70-299 exam and pick up that extra MCSA Security cert (Sounds Tempting).


    **MCSE here I come.**
    "The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and
    content with your knowledge. " Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)
  • Chivalry1Chivalry1 Member Posts: 569
    I tried the MS book, Syngress Book, and the AWFUL Sybex book; all of them sucked. Somebody needs to tell the author of that Sybex book to take a course before deciding to write a book on the topic. The MS book was worse it just tells you what buttons do and dont give you real world examples. Typical of MS books they all suck. I guess if I had to choose it would be Syngress book, but again I was NOT impressed.

    **SideNote: Cisco book was a great resource for subnetting, IP Configuration and routing protocols.**
    "The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and
    content with your knowledge. " Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)
  • TrailerisfTrailerisf Member Posts: 455
    TeKniques wrote:
    On the other hand I thought the Sybex book was dreadful for this exam. Some guy posted a while ago about the Sybex book being only good enough to prop up your car to change a flat tire ... I would have to agree, it was trash IMO.
    Strange. I used the sybex book and rocked the exam in under 50 minutes without any sleep the night before. I guess it depends on what content your grasp easily.

    Congrats on the pass.
    On the road to Cisco. Will I hunt it, or will it hunt me?
  • TeKniquesTeKniques Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Trailerisf wrote:
    Strange. I used the sybex book and rocked the exam in under 50 minutes without any sleep the night before. I guess it depends on what content your grasp easily.

    I have most of the Sybex books for MCSA/MCSE:
    270, 290, 291, 293, 294, 297, 298, 299, and 227

    I can flat out tell you, I have read them all but 294 and the 291 is perhaps one of the worse books from Sybex I have ever read. I just checked to make sure I wasn't crazy, but there is very little coverage on DNS and RRAS to name a few. The book barely touches on Aging/Scavenging, DNS Forwarding, VPNs, Static Routes, working with ISA with RRAS.

    The 227 and the 298 were the best Sybex books I have ever read for MS exams. And although I passed 270 by just reading Sybex, I have gone out and bought all the MS Press books because ALL of the Sybex core books are lacking quite a bit IMO. I just am baffled how an author can write a book 700 pages with such little substance. Oh yeah, the CD questions with the 291 book are about 110% easier than the real thing, don't rely on it folks.

    But hey, if the 291 Sybex worked for you, more power to you.
  • BeefchiefBeefchief Member Posts: 13 ■□□□□□□□□□
    TeKniques wrote:
    Oh yeah, the CD questions with the 291 book are about 110% easier than the real thing, don't rely on it folks.

    Can you clarify this statement? I've used the MS Press book for 270 and 290 and I've found the actual exam questions are harder than the Objective Review tests but easier than the Practice tests for both exams...
  • jkstechjkstech Member Posts: 330
    congrats
    get back to studying!!!
  • solo79solo79 Member Posts: 64 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Beefchief wrote:
    TeKniques wrote:
    Oh yeah, the CD questions with the 291 book are about 110% easier than the real thing, don't rely on it folks.

    Can you clarify this statement? I've used the MS Press book for 270 and 290 and I've found the actual exam questions are harder than the Objective Review tests but easier than the Practice tests for both exams...

    I think he was referring to Sybex book with Cd, not MS Press. Correct me if I am wrong...
    Finally ALL Done!!!!!!! MCSE:Messaging - Task Complete
  • Chivalry1Chivalry1 Member Posts: 569
    Yeah I am sure he is referring to the Sybex book questions. Currently I am studying the 70-293 it seems that Syngress is doing a much better job in this series.
    "The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and
    content with your knowledge. " Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)
  • TeKniquesTeKniques Member Posts: 1,262 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Yes, I was talking about the Sybex book. The MS Press CD practice questions by Measure Up are very good and harder then the real exam IMO.
  • BeefchiefBeefchief Member Posts: 13 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Excellent thanks! :D
  • DarkbloodDarkblood Member Posts: 4 ■□□□□□□□□□
    i must have to agree that ms press lacks a lotta depth
    i almost went sit the 290 with just the ms press
    and boy lucky i borrowed the sybex one a week before my exam
    scheude..
    ms press give u enough info to understand the whole diea
    but it wasn't put in a way to prepare u to tackle the actual
    exam questions..
    it barely skim through the IIS and the termial serice part
    which pops up on my exam rather heavily
    plus for some reason i was asked on creating groups and user a/cs under VB scripts.. i was like wtf and it was never brought up in da ms press
    i managed to get 290 done but i must say i was disappointed
    comparing what shows up on the paper to the ms press book
    i guess its not a good idea to go sit any exam with just 1 source
    just my .02
  • Ricardo1Ricardo1 Member Posts: 66 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Well done. Bravoooo!!!

    After reading the above comments about the Books meant for the "Beat", I'm just confused. I don't know which Book to buy for it.

    If you won't mind it Chivalry1,
    which Edition of Ms Press did you used? Is it the most recent new Edition?

    Comments will be appreciated from any one regarding the Books for this Exam.

    Thanks in advance.
    “Be generous without thought of reward”.
    “It takes two to see both sides of a Problem”.
  • Chivalry1Chivalry1 Member Posts: 569
    I could not really determine the version of the MS-Press book. It is not the latest version of the book. I see that MS just released a new version. They probrably got tired of Techs complaining.
    "The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and
    content with your knowledge. " Elbert Hubbard (1856 - 1915)
  • Ricardo1Ricardo1 Member Posts: 66 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thanks man.

    The Latest edition was published a month or two, ago by J Mackin.

    Just hope this one gonna be better.
    “Be generous without thought of reward”.
    “It takes two to see both sides of a Problem”.
  • jpeezy55jpeezy55 Member Posts: 255
    I just passed my Network+ today and am getting back to 291...I failed horribly a few months ago, took a different path with Net+, and now will be MCSA once I pass 291 and I'll use A+/Network as my elective.

    Anyway, does it clearly state on the cover that it is a new edition of the MS book? I have the other one and will throw it away and get the new one as long as I know I am getting the right one...

    I don't think the questions did me in, I think it was the 3-4 sims I had...I need to make sure I have a good home network running on my server here...

    Thanks for all the great info on this site, it really help me with net+ and I know it will help with the rest of my journey to MCSA and beyond! :D
    Tech Support: "Ok, so your monitor is not working, the screen is blank, and no matter what you do it stays blank? Do you see that button on the bottom right hand side just below the screen? Press it. . . . Great, talk to you next time!"
  • Ricardo1Ricardo1 Member Posts: 66 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Yea, it's stated.

    MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-291): Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, Second Edition by J. C. Mackin and Ian McLean (Hardcover - May 17, 2006).

    I haven't got any feedback from anyone in this Forum about the Book.

    I mean someone who have really gone thru the book and take the "Beast" by the horns yet.

    Following the comments from those who have written this exam before the above book was published, it's like there was no book that covered the required skills or material for the exam.

    I'll definately go for this Second Edition as my first source for the "Beast" exam.
    “Be generous without thought of reward”.
    “It takes two to see both sides of a Problem”.
  • rphannrphann Member Posts: 76 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Congrats! :D

    I've taken 6 months off since I passed my last exam (70-290) and I'm ready to get back on track and pass this exam. Hopefully it's not as hard as it sound.
  • jpeezy55jpeezy55 Member Posts: 255
    Well, I broke down and ordered the whole Microsoft Kit (4 books and the Training kit) from Amazon.com and saved about $90 over the bookstore price.

    I did see that there is a large "2" on the front and spine to show that it is second edition. Hopefully it helps! icon_rolleyes.gif

    Also, anyone know about any good Labs to use? I have an old Compaq Proliant Server that I plan to get running with 2003, but are there any Lab Simulators available that would work? Something I might sneak on my machine at work to play with during lunch? icon_wink.gif

    Thanks!
    Tech Support: "Ok, so your monitor is not working, the screen is blank, and no matter what you do it stays blank? Do you see that button on the bottom right hand side just below the screen? Press it. . . . Great, talk to you next time!"
  • BeefchiefBeefchief Member Posts: 13 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Ricardo1 wrote:
    Yea, it's stated.

    MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-291): Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, Second Edition by J. C. Mackin and Ian McLean (Hardcover - May 17, 2006).

    I haven't got any feedback from anyone in this Forum about the Book.

    What about here:

    http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14447 ?

    You probably won't get any in-depth reviews because it hasn't been out for long....
  • Ricardo1Ricardo1 Member Posts: 66 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Read thru to the end of my last paragraph. :D

    I mean someone who have actually gone thru the Book and conquer the "Beast".
    “Be generous without thought of reward”.
    “It takes two to see both sides of a Problem”.
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