MCTS: Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Exam 70-431

by Thomas Moore

Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft registered] SQL Server 2005 Exam covers the exam 70-431. A smart way to study, this book covers the critical information you'll need to know to score higher on... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0789735881
• ISBN13: 9780789735881
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Que
• Length: 337 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Good for just the test

First of all, I just passed the test with very comfortable score. I did prepare for this test with this book along with MS training guide. It is very difficult to remember exactly where did the questions come from, but here is the overview to those who are starting to prepare. This book is meant just for this test. It has a very direct focus on the test. Many times, it is much more useful if one has the background information which this book does not necessarily cover. So, in my opinion, starting the preparation with the training guide and finishing with this book is a good strategy to pass the test and also, to become a good DBA ( which is more important).

Excellent preparation!!

I would suggest you invest in the Exam Cram 2 book for 70-431. I also bought the MS Press book but didn't use it much. I found that the cram book was better at condensing the material down into what I needed to know. I liked the MS Press book but it is HUGE. I was crunched on time (I bought one of the voucher from VS 2005 launch), so I didn't take any exam prep tests. However, I wouldn't suggest anyone follow my lead there!! I would stress that you need to know the product hands-on (I was weak in this area) and you need to know about the new features. I think everyone can figure out what those new features are, so I won't list them. You, of course, need to be strong on database concepts ie. the various objects supported by SQL Server in general. Good luck! Jonathan

One of the best ExamCram books written.

I would recommend this book to anybody that is about to take 70-431. I would say a word of caution though about this book. If you have never worked with Microsoft SQL 2000 or 2005, I would recommend getting the microsoft press self training guide. Otherwise, this book covers all the material you will need to pass the test. It also includes a free test exam from MeasureUp. Microsoft's prefered pratice exam provider. Also, I would recommend exam insurance from Microsoft if your testing center allows it.

Sailing Through SQL 2005

I have six years experience working with earlier versions of SQL Server. SQL 2000 was also the only Microsoft Professional Exam I ever failed (in all honesty I wasn't really ready for the test and still only missed by 2 questions). With the new Vista/Longhorn series coming out I need to update my MCSE and this is the first of the new electives available and a product series I really want to document my competency in. What makes SQL Server harder than many of the other exams in the MCSE/MCSA track is that you have to deal with a lot of programming issues and on top of that nearly everything can be done from the Command Line (SQL Queries), so you really need to go in knowing a lot of SQL commands. In addition SQL 2005 has packed in a lot of features - CLR (which lets developers interface other programming languages directly to SQL Server), enhanced XML support, a variety of distributed database configurations that can be created, etc. There was a lot to cover, and there wasn't any test topic area that wasn't covered by this book. After studying the book the next important things are the practice tests at the end. The two practice tests I found to be more difficult than the real test. This is something I consider to be important for a good exam review, because studying the questions I got wrong definitely helped me improve my score. While my poor practice test performance had me anxious on the way in, I ended up scoring .894 vs a passing grade of .700.

A Pretty Good Introduction and Sample Exams

This is a book designed purely to get you a passing grade on the Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist 70-431 test on Implementing and Maintaining Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Note that this test is not concerned with the use of a database, there's nothing on areas like programming in T-SQL. Instead it's oriented more to the database administrator. A lot of exam preperation books are oriented around just the test. This book is written more in a standard text format, and it's a pretty good introduction to setting up the database. Each chapter has a small test to see what you learned, then at the end of the book there are two separate sample tests that are in the same format as in the real examination. Of course here you can then turn to the next chapter and there is the answers to all of the practice questions, something you won't find on the real test. The book is written in a fairly simple tone so that reading it doesn't put you to sleep quite as fast as a lot of books.