Rating: 
Summary: Even if you don't plan to take the exam
Review: Usually, I dislike certification test prep books: they don't tell you much about the topic so much as tell you how to answer certain questions for the test. For example, almost every Microsoft network-oriented test seems to require a slightly different understanding of TCP/IP than the rest of the world uses, based on the books I've seen.This book was different. Sure, there's all the study guide/sample tests/quizzes and the other standard appurtenances used in certification books (I liked the "exam tips") but there is also a real world orientation here. The authors add "real world" notes throughout, so you can use this one when you need an answer, not just to cram for a test. I haven't gotten to the CD, though I imagine it's got the usual stuff on it--one thing, though, is you can only use the "test engine" under Windows. Bleah. But you can get the same content under Linux in .pdf format. The really neat thing, for me, was the "lab exercises". This is what makes a big difference: you can actually use this text to fill in the blanks in your skills, not just to pass the exam. I've never gotten any technical certification, but this book is inspiring me. Who knows, maybe I'll find the time to get certified.
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