70-290 Review

[zimbo]

My original review disappeared into binary heaven last week when our database crashed and since some people are asking me about it ill try write this out again.

Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment

Learning Material
It took about 3 1/2 months for this exam.. doing atleast an hour a day study.. It was my first experience with Server 2003 so for someone who works with it could find themselves doing it much quicker. I used 2 primary study texts:
MS Press Self-Paced
Sybex's 70-290 guide part of this kit

I also used two other books as reference and extra reading:

Windows Server 2003 Inside Out
Mastering Active Directory

The inside out is a mammoth book - alot bigger than mike meyers a+ all in one but it has alot of extra information that i didnt find in either study guide but popped up in the exam. How i based my study was that i read the chapters associated with both books then looked up the topic again in the inside out book. Did my labs while it was still fresh and progressed slowly from there (thus why i take so long for each exam!)

The mastering AD book is as the title mentions all about AD BUT it gave me the easiest explaintion to Domain Local, Global and Universal groups -when they are used and the differences.

The Exam! (within legal limits!)
Areas i feel you guys doing this exam should know very well are:

NTFS permissions - if you didnt get them done properly from 270 learn them otherwise its unforgiving this time!
IIS - 270's exam had questions on this yet very little of this was covered in the book. In 290 its different we have loads of info (more in the inside out). Security of IIS is very heavy! Spend time on the technet for IIS. Click here
Terminal Services - this was my Microsoft suprise - full of TS questions! - Open the MS press book on 290 and its an appendix with barely little info! If there is a book on TS get it! I only read the appendix so i lost a few questions as i thought i was covered.. dont do the same mistake! Look on the Technet again as it seems the info might be there....

Other areas you should make sure you know are Group Scopes (nice little table to learn!), Domain Functional levels (used this ), SUS - info in the books is okay for this exam.. just deploy one and look at all the options infront of you! Backups and Performance monitoring also featured a lot!.. infact i could go on and on.. If you not sure about something make sure you know it before the exam because it WILL pop up!

Get as much hands on as possible- dont go try do the exam without spending more time on your lab than with your book.. what i did was but the pdf on my server and followed the stuff as i was reading.

Well good luck and i hope i have covered everything... if i remember anything else ill update.

UPDATE1: Printer Administration!

[simongrahamuk]

Great Review Zimbo!

[Jakamoko]

First class, even second time around, Zim. Pinned.

[Luddym]

Cheers Zimbo, I'm sure it will come in handy as I'm learning the 290.

[zimbo]

if you need any help Luddym just shout or PM mate!

[Sparky]

Thanks for the heads up Zimbo.

Question: Did you read all the books you have listed from start to finish?

[zimbo]

no no! the two study guides yes... sybex's book is alot thinner than MS Press's but i managed to read topic for topic when i could but i primarily used the MS press and did all the labs in that... No matter how much you read (im sure you picked this up from 270) alot of info is missing from the books and you are required to use technet and MS knowledgebase to find answers and info! I was very suprised in 270 so i expected to find questions with info not in the books thats why i spent alot of time with technet.. printed out alot too - enought to right a book!
Terminal Services & IIS + Technet..... thats all im saying mate!

[Sparky]

LOL, thanks!

I’m using the MS press pack along with the cramsession pdf as my text for the 270. I’ve also got a couple of Windows XP PCs hooked up to my Windows 2003 small business server for testing.

I agree that Technet and MS knowledgebase has to be used to get a better understanding of the material. Completing some of the labs and troubleshooting problems can mean using Technet and gaining more knowledge for the exam.

I’ve been thinking about buying more books while I’m studying towards the MCSE but in all honesty I don’t think I’ll have enough time to read them and I need to get certified fairly quickly. Not that I’m taking any shortcuts but taking 6 months for each cert towards the MCSE is not an option!

[slypie]

Yeah this exam is next on my list and I'm part way through it. I'm just struggling to find the motivation to pull my finger out and get it done. Has anyone used either the passport or exam cram books and are they any good for a study aid? (I know they are not in depth but used as a refresher book). I'm using Microsoft's study aid and have the Mastering AD book but have never read it yet.

[tuvanit]

I will take this exam about one month ^^.
I'm using Testout and MS Press Training kit.
Hope that all we do good job.

[riaz.hasan]

MS Press books r really good, i dont know about testout, have u considered transcender (clickable link)

[PaulC]

Thanks Zimbo for the info. Due to start this next week. I expected a lot on permissions, but will have to study on IIS as not really ever looked at that. I use Server 2003 at work, but not at the depth this exam will cover. Got the MS Press and Sybex books, plus the SelfTest/Transcender tests. Got my 180 day eval version and a test machine so all ready to go! Hoping to do the exam in December, so a full 3 months to work on it.

[zimbo]

Originally Posted by PaulC

Thanks Zimbo for the info. Due to start this next week. I expected a lot on permissions, but will have to study on IIS as not really ever looked at that. I use Server 2003 at work, but not at the depth this exam will cover. Got the MS Press and Sybex books, plus the SelfTest/Transcender tests. Got my 180 day eval version and a test machine so all ready to go! Hoping to do the exam in December, so a full 3 months to work on it.

Thats the way to go! Try get another machine... one so you can test with XP and Server 2003... enjoy this exam because they only get tougher matie!

Good luck and shout if you need help!

[PaulC]

Originally Posted by zimbo

Thats the way to go! Try get another machine... one so you can test with XP and Server 2003... enjoy this exam because they only get tougher matie!

Good luck and shout if you need help!

I've got a little HP Compaq 2.4Ghz for my server 2003 machine and I've got a Windows XP Pro desktop and a XP Pro laptop, so I can give it a good messing with I understand 291 is hard, not looking forward to that. Don't worry, if I get stuck I'll certainly post for some help.

[maydenec]

I have never Read these Books.

But i pass MCP by using ******.com material

Mod edit (Z): Removed reference to braindump