Rating:  Summary: Sub-par, a real disappointment Review: I would recommend this book, but only with grave reservations -- don't use it as your only study material. I have been using Sybex's excellent study guides for years (all the way through my NT MCSE certification and now on Windows 2000), and this 70-216 study guide is definitely inferior. The material presented is handled well, but numerous omissions make it unreliable. The chapter tests are particularly atrocious. Questions are badly worded; several tests contain duplicate questions; there are numerous questions on material that is not covered at all in the book (e.g., WINS proxy, DNS round robin, DHCP database migration). I've come to expect far better from Sybex; this has been a major disappointment.
Rating:  Summary: 2nd Edition much improved Review: I'm a teacher at a technical training center and we have the opportunity to try several training products. Sybex typically delivers the best all-around package, but of course we also encourage our students to use additional training resources such as the Transcender practice tests. In the case of the Sybex Network Infrastructure book, the first edition was hampered by overly-simplistic practice questions. The second edition is much improved in this regard. Overall, the book provides excellent coverage of both the exam and the skills you will be required to perform in the real-world. In particular, DDNS, DHCP, WINS, routing, RAS, and NAT are fundamental network infrastructure topics that this book nails. Like some other reviewers stated, the voice-work on the included videos leaves much to be desired, but this really doesn't detract from the book itself.
Rating:  Summary: LOTS of great info... Review: Paul Robichaux and James Chellis have done a great job with this book. There is a LOT of information here, and enough sample questions to pass exam twice over! You will definitely be prepared after reading this book and using the accompanying CD. I did notice that there weren't as many WinSim exercises as in the other MCSE Windows 2000 Study Guides, but to be honest this exam is more theoretical than hands-on. A definite recommendation.
Rating:  Summary: Sybex dropped the ball Review: Please don't think you can pass this exam with this book alone. I used Sybex for my CCNA and passed with a 967, but they dropped the ball on this one. I knew every word of this book, cover to cover, and was shocked by the exam. You need situational knowledge to pass this test and Sybex doesn't deliver. The book is oddly arranged, going over broad details of services in the 1st 4 chapters and then re-visiting each one of them in the later chapters. This book also fails to cover subjects like IIS and SMNP. Finally, the exam practice tests are horrible and nothing like the actual test, (this is what was mainly revised in the 2nd addition). It might be a good reference book, but certainly not what your looking for to pass the test.
Rating:  Summary: Sybex dropped the ball Review: Please don't think you can pass this exam with this book alone. I used Sybex for my CCNA and passed with a 967, but they dropped the ball on this one. I knew every word of this book, cover to cover, and was shocked by the exam. You need situational knowledge to pass this test and Sybex doesn't deliver. The book is oddly arranged, going over broad details of services in the 1st 4 chapters and then re-visiting each one of them in the later chapters. This book also fails to cover subjects like IIS and SMNP. Finally, the exam practice tests are horrible and nothing like the actual test, (this is what was mainly revised in the 2nd addition). It might be a good reference book, but certainly not what your looking for to pass the test.
Rating:  Summary: Good Introduction Review: The book is full of information but doesn't really prepare you for the exam. It may be a good thorough introductory piece but it doesn't cover the in-depth theory needed to pass the test. The test questions are the equivalent of a vocabulary test in Elementary school. They did absolutely nothing to assist with the exam.If self-study is your preferred method of study, this would be a good start but don't rely on it for the exam!
Rating:  Summary: Insufficient Review: The introduction declares this book isn't for you if you just want to pass the exam. This book is for people wishing to acquire a solid foundation in Windows 2000 network infrastructure. I thought to myself, great, just what I'm looking for! Unfortunately, I found it failed on both accounts. This book is not on the technical level readers will need to have a comprehensive understanding of this material. And if you're just looking for a test prep, find something else. You'll find yourself extremely under prepared. I've used many Sybex publications to prepare for certification exams and I usually find them helpful. This one was a disappointment.
Rating:  Summary: The worst in a good series. Review: This book is so poorly layed out that I had a hard time following it. The first half of the book seems to be an introduction to DHCP, DNS,and WINS. Basic fluff that a reader most likely knows. There is not even an exercise to fill the void. The second half of the book starts over with DHCP, DNS, and yes...WINS. You would think the exercises would be a relief, but they are very poorly written. The amount of useless detail and fluff, combined with the authors constant attempt at humor made the book very difficult to use. The pertinent material is so far off what the exam calls for, I find it difficult to tell my students what to look for. As an MCSE, MCDBA and MCT that has taken and passed this exam, I would not recomend this material.
Rating:  Summary: Pretty good Review: Used in conjunction with Exam Cram & Transcenders. Between those 3 sources I got enough ground covered to pass the exam. I think this would be an extremely difficult test to write a book for as it covers so much ground. I did find a few typos (in practice exam) and inconsistencies in the DNS chapter that were quite troubling though. I think the author did a good job taking an exceedingly dry topic and making it kind of fun to read. I have been happy with Sybex shtuff overall.
Rating:  Summary: Passed the exam Review: Using this book and the Virtul Lab they sell I was able to pass the exam. I also briefly looked through a friends' Transcender. This, though, was the toughest MCSE exam for me. Know DHCP, WINS, and DNS well. While it's true that the author gets a bit verbose at times, I, like several reviewers below, like the fact that such depth was given to the topics. The exam is hard and you need to work hard to pass it. Don't expect it to be a breeze. Anyhow, the book did the trick for me.
|