MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-293): Planning and Maintaining a Microsoft(r) Windows Server(tm) 2003 Network Infrastructure: Planning and Maint

by Craig Zacker

Book Overview

Ace your preparation for the skills measured by MCP Exam 70-293 and on the job with this official Microsoft study guide, now updated for Service Pack 1. Work at your own pace through a system of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0735618933
• ISBN13: 9780735618930
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Microsoft Press
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 3.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.1" x 7.5" x 9.4"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 and higher

Customer Reviews

Most of planning and security feature discuss in this book...

As I complete this book, this book was focus on planning the network infrastructure and security feature. But you need to read additional book in order to cover most of security feature in windows 2003 such as the book of Windows Security and Windows 2003 PKI and Certificate infrastructure. I feel this book has less practice thant the previous exam (70-291).

Training Aid

This book was essential for me as a reference for an MCSE boot camp. It is now part of my reference library. Will answer many questions that pop up during the study process.

Not comprehensive, but definitely worthwhile

I currently have my MCSA with relatively little experience(comparatively speaking). Therefore, I knew I needed to be thorough with my reading for this particular test. A lot of what's in here is stuff I've never dealt with hands on(ie Clusters, NLB, RRAS, and CA). That said, I figured the most comprehensive route would be LearnKey training videos coupled with a cover to cover reading of this book. I've heard the second edition of these books are much better. While this book does do a very good job covering all the exam topics, it's fatal flaw is that it mentions nearely nothing about dealing with legacy systems within a AD Infrastructure. I was horrified to discover about 10-15% of the questions(and even a simulation) that require you to maintain support for NT4 and Windows 98 clients while simultaneously requiring you to meet the requirements for security or GPO assignments. The book only mentions these OS's in passing really, and says nothing regarding how you handle these scenarios. Needless to say, I was very unprepared for these questions despite a good solid month and a half of comprehensive preparation. However, I did pass with a 775, and if you can find something else to make up for this lapse in coverage(be it experience or another book), you can ace the exam with a thorough reading of this book. Just don't skip the practice questions at the end! They may be tedious and not be anything like the actual exam questions, but they actually do a very good job focusing you on the things you should know for the exam.

Got my MCSA next up MCSE

One of two texts I used to study for Exams 70-290 and 70-291. The text is well written with good practices and questions. For the more indepth learning I used Windows Server 2003 Inside Out. I did very well on my exams and now have my MCSA. Next I am working toward MCSE and plan to take 70-293 in a few months.

Self Study Kit - Buy this, you will need it.

You will need this kit. The Evaluation 2003 Server installation alone is critical to your success. The books themselves are quite long, have a technical tone, and aren't light reading. That being said, they are extremely valuable and filled with good information. If you are an entry level student, plan on spending many quiet hours with the study kit. Make sure you install the 2003 Server Eval. copy. Make sure you do all the exercises, whether you feel like it or not. When you are reading you will want to follow along on your test machine, even when you are not instructed to do so. I have found that the only reliable way to learn the material is by repetition of performing tasks, as much as necessary until it becomes second nature.Read at least one more book from another author before taking the test. Using multiple books is a must in my opinion. Different books provide different points of view on the test material. Its the difference between seeing a statue, and taking a walk around a statue.Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't pass your first test. I didn't pass my first test and I remember feeling pretty disappointed as well. Most people don't pass their first test, even the 'experts.' The Windows 2000 tests were harder than the NT tests, and from what I can tell the Windows 2003 tests seem to be harder than the 2000 tests. It should be some comfort to consider that the difficulty of test is going to have an effect on the number of people that get certified. Simply put, you are starting to realize how valuable the MCSE certification will be when you get it.A warning; in the introduction you are told that these books and this certification are for IT Professionals with an extended period of on the job experience. Its easy to gloss over this, but they aren't kidding. You should probably have a CompTIA A+ level of PC knowledge or the equivalent. Without breaking my MS confidentiality agreement, I can say that you will be expected to have a strong foundation in networking and systems administration. You will need to be able to troubleshoot networked environments and you will need to have, at least in the beginning, an understanding of subnetting. Lets be honest, you can't talk about troubleshooting a networked environment for very long at all without touching some aspect of subnetting and routing.Also, and this is important, the MS Books don't like to repeat themselves. If they tell you how to do something, they don't like to tell you again. You may find yourself in Chapter 10 and being told to perform a complex operation that you learned about in Chapter 2. Basically, if you don't have the prerequisite knowledge, they aren't going to help you find it. You won't have your hand held through the learning process. But keep in mind, these books have a target audience; experienced and employed Windows Technicians.Its seems like I have been highly critical of the MS Press study kit, but really I'm just trying to conve