MCSE/McSa Training Guide (70-215): Windows 2000 Server [With CDROM]

Maione certainly seems to live up to the "CramSession" appelation on the cover. He writes chapters that are focused on key issues. The text is to the point. Concepts are clearly described. And where appropriate, the diagrams of screen captures show what you should be seeing, if you're attempting the tasks. But to many readers, the more valuable parts may be the exercises at the end of the chapters. Vital in helping you assimilate the chapters. If you concentrate on the exercises, the active steps you have to perform on the computer and the results you see on the screen help drive the understanding in a way that just reading is unlikely to do. This particular book covers a lot of ground. Backups, file compression, networking and more. The gamut of running an operating system. None of the topics seem to be covered deeply. Hopefully, this is an accurate reflection of the actual exams. It should also be added that there is another very helpful feature. A chapter might contain suggestions as to what the exam is likely to emphasize. No guarantees from the author. But it could still be useful in suggesting what you focus on.

It would be hard for me to imagine studying for the Win2k Server test without this book. Well written; good labs and excellent written exam questions at the end of each chapter. The "Fast Facts" chapter in the book of the book is just what you need to review 30 minutes before you take the test. The test simulation software is good also. Not as good as Transcender's, but the price is right. When I went to the New Riders web site, they provided the codes to unlock the additional questions also; at no additional cost. I had little formal networking experience when I took the test. Get yourself a good book on basic networking, study it, and then read this book and do the labs before you take the test.

It would be hard for me to imagine studying for the Win2k Server test without this book. Well written; good labs and excellent written exam questions at the end of each chapter. The "Fast Facts" chapter in the back of the book is just what you need to review 30 minutes before you take the test.The test simulation software is good also. Not as good as Transcender's, but the price is right. When I went to the New Riders web site, they provided the codes to unlock the additional questions also; at no additional cost.I had little formal networking experience when I took the test. Get yourself a good book on basic networking, study it, and then read this book and do the labs before you take the test.

This book contains a smaller number of errors than New Rider's 70-210 book. Again, I used this book to fill in the Win2k 'blanks', and it did just that for me, thus the '4' stars. However, had I wanted a book to take me from ground zero, this would NOT have covered it...

You cannot say much bad things about the book. The book is packed with screenshots of Windows 2000 and I can read the book without turning on the computer at all. Also, the author has shown clearly the steps in performing an action and a screenshot and explanation for each step. The exam questions in the book are quite good and they summarise the important points that you should have learnt in a chapter. I have not taken the real exam yet, so I cannot tell whether the questions are up to par like the real exam.All in all, I am a happy customer. This time NewRiders has done a good job. Watch out, Sybex.