Novell's. CNA Smstudy Guide for NetWare. 5.1 [With CDROM]

All you need to pass the C.N.A. exam 50-653 is the patience to read this book and an understanding of the concepts presented therein. I easily passed the test with a greater than 700 score. I read the book twice and set up my own Novell test network so I could do all the labs, which is probably more than most people need to do.BOOK LAYOUT The chapters are clear, well organized, and the author really tried to emphasize the test material. There are no conventional questions at the end of the chapter. Instead there are word searches and cross word puzzles? However, the author goes to great pains to include workable examples (labs) in each chapter that help to reinforce the chapter material. These labs are great if you have a test Novell box to practice on or just setting up your first Novell network will be a great learning experience. The appendix includes many useful bits of information about becoming a C.N.A., C.N.E., Novell websites, and how to setup Netware for the first time.MINOR GRIPESThe author does try to inject some life into what could be a boring topic by using comic book references. It really depends on your taste as to what you will think of his references but mostly they are ignorable. Where they really get annoying is in his design of the NDS tree. An example, "Click the Calculator.WHITE.CRIME.TOKYO.ACME." It gets a bit confusing if you don't want to master his fictional tree. What I did was create more business-oriented names for all my containers and users so I could easily identify them.EXTRA MATERIALS WITH BOOKThe book does come with two CDs that contain a demo version of Netware 5.1 and the Novell client. These come in handy if you do not have a broadband connection to download ISOs of NW 6 and the Novell Client.OVERALLThe book is a great resource that covers all the material found on the test. I will be keeping it as a reference book. If you read the book with the intent of learning how to become a C.N.A. then you will not find many if any "shocker questions" on the cert test.

I passed the 50-653 Netware 5.1 Admin test yesterday with a score of 714/800. Passing was 568/800. This is the only book I used to study, and I can tell you that all of the exam questions referenced things I had learned/remembered from this book. It took me 3 weeks of hard studying, I read it carefully once then reviewed it a second time.

I give David a 5 on this book. 1st off, it has what you need to pass the test, and then some. On top of that, the complaints you've seen about superheroes and long story lines and confusion arising when mixing these stories with Netware information really doesn't apply so much to the 5.1 version of this book. I read his 4.1 and 5.0 CNA versions previously, and that's where the reputation for filler was earned. I was very relieved that he kept it to a minimum in this book, earning him a 5-star from me. I got everything I expected from this book, including a 725 mark (584 to pass) for the test. Install the server from the companion cd and run through the excercises. Makes all the difference in the world. Thanks Dave.

In my opinion, this book itself is enough to pass the exam. I am not kidding, I passed it by 70 points more than the water level. I did NOT go to training class, NOT buy any testing software, NOT even have 2 computers to connect! Actually I never installed the two CDs shipped with this book. So my suggestion is: Read every page and understand it (or at least trying to). Every thing he wrote is to the point, although not comprehensive( like Zenworks and NDPS is too little)But if you goal is passing it instead of making 800 score, this book is enough. Another book by synbex is also helpful for practice, although that one is not as good as this one. This book lacks questions to practice, this is the most regretful drawback.

I think this book was very helpfull. I had no experience at all with Netware and with only this book and the hands on info that it had in it I passed the test the first time, with lest than 1 month of reading and practice. As to one of the other reviews the book does only cover test 050-653, however this is the only test required to be CNA, the other test the reviewer mentions is toward the CNE track, which it does mention in the books appendix. If your new to CNA this book is a must have, well worth the money!!