Rating: 
Summary: There are better choices than Microsoft Press.
Review: This book presents way more information than the reader will ever be presented with on the MCSE/MCP Windows 2000 Professional Test. Microsoft has their own strange way of explaining things that don't always come across to the reader as easily. In a classroom environment the instructor will be spending a lot of time adlibbing.Unfortunately, many places feel that official Microsoft (or Microsoft Approved) curriculum is the best way to teach Microsoft applications. That's a poor assumption. Students and schools would be better off finding some 3rd party material. Sybex's "Mastering Windows 2000 Server" is a MUCH better choice for learning and using Windows 2000. The best part is, months down the line you can at least continue to use it as a good reference.
Rating: 
Summary: Too advanced for some, not advanced enough for others
Review: This is not an appropriate book for those just starting into networking without some basic knowledge to fall back upon. The book is clear about that position though as it states right in the beginning that it is for "IT Professionals working with 2000 Server or who plan to take the exam". It also states that it "Assumes a fundamental networking windows interface knowledge and BIOS settings and changing them". Each chapter is followed by a lab exercise that helps the reader to apply the lessons learned in that chapter. The problem is that in order to install the Windows 2000 Server software and be able to do the lab exercise you need two computers that meet the minimum requirements for Windows 2000 Server. For most people they probable don't have two of them just sitting around. A lot of people have complained that the book covered a lot of topics that were not on the exam. While this may have been the case, I think that it is a good thing. If you want something to make yourself another Microsoft clone who can pass an exam but not know anything about how to really do anything in the real world then get a book that focuses just on passing the exam and not one that has any additional information. If all you want to do is pass the exam then look at something else like Transcender that does not require a Windows 2000 Server to learn on. This book is suited to study for the exam, but does have a lot of other additional information that a real administrator (as compared to a Microsoft Certified certificate holder) might need. On the other hand, much of the information assumes a fairly strong knowledge of many networking topics. Many items are given in a cookbook fashion with a `how to do it' focus and little or no explanation as to why you would do it that way. For most people this book is firmly in the middle ground; too much additional information for just test preparation, not enough detail for understanding true administration. Too much of one, not enough of the other. If this is where you are at in your knowledge level then it would be a good book. If you can afford only one book then it would be a good book. On the other hand there are better test preparation books and better administration book, but the cost is much higher for two books than one that is somewhere in the middle.
Rating:
Summary: Too advanced for some, not advanced enough for others
Review: This is not an appropriate book for those just starting into networking without some basic knowledge to fall back upon. The book is clear about that position though as it states right in the beginning that it is for "IT Professionals working with 2000 Server or who plan to take the exam". It also states that it "Assumes a fundamental networking windows interface knowledge and BIOS settings and changing them". Each chapter is followed by a lab exercise that helps the reader to apply the lessons learned in that chapter. The problem is that in order to install the Windows 2000 Server software and be able to do the lab exercise you need two computers that meet the minimum requirements for Windows 2000 Server. For most people they probable don't have two of them just sitting around. A lot of people have complained that the book covered a lot of topics that were not on the exam. While this may have been the case, I think that it is a good thing. If you want something to make yourself another Microsoft clone who can pass an exam but not know anything about how to really do anything in the real world then get a book that focuses just on passing the exam and not one that has any additional information. If all you want to do is pass the exam then look at something else like Transcender that does not require a Windows 2000 Server to learn on. This book is suited to study for the exam, but does have a lot of other additional information that a real administrator (as compared to a Microsoft Certified certificate holder) might need. On the other hand, much of the information assumes a fairly strong knowledge of many networking topics. Many items are given in a cookbook fashion with a 'how to do it' focus and little or no explanation as to why you would do it that way. For most people this book is firmly in the middle ground; too much additional information for just test preparation, not enough detail for understanding true administration. Too much of one, not enough of the other. If this is where you are at in your knowledge level then it would be a good book. If you can afford only one book then it would be a good book. On the other hand there are better test preparation books and better administration book, but the cost is much higher for two books than one that is somewhere in the middle.
Rating:
Summary: Yet another ambiguous book
Review: This volume should only be used as a reference (at best) and not for exam preparation. I think Microsoft should stick to writing pamphlets that sell their products, and refrain from books explaining them. Many concepts are "introduced" at an advanced level, making the reader (me in this case) reread its passage and finally reference other books to get a clear notion of what this book is trying to relay. All in all, this book is a waste of time if you want to prepare for the 70-215 exam. CERT should issue a warning about reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Yet another ambiguous book
Review: This volume should only be used as a reference (at best) and not for exam preparation. I think Microsoft should stick to writing pamphlets that sell their products, and refrain from books explaining them. Many concepts are "introduced" at an advanced level, making the reader (me in this case) reread its passage and finally reference other books to get a clear notion of what this book is trying to relay. All in all, this book is a waste of time if you want to prepare for the 70-215 exam. CERT should issue a warning about reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: comment about the reviews
Review: two bad reviews are listed from the same reader for ISBN: 1572319038 MCSE Training Kit -- Microsoft(r) Windows(r) 2000 Server Please remove or consolidate one of these two reviews. Please do not post this comment, just correct the noted error. Thanks
Rating: 
Summary: Useless waste of money.
Review: Unless you already have a copy of the Windows 2000 Server Cd, or $1000 to spend getting one, this book is useless. The "CD-ROM Included" on the cover doesn't refer to the evaluation copy of Windows Server CD that's needed for all the exercises in the book. The web address the book points you to in order to download a copy is wrong. After hours of searching other Microsoft web sites looking for an evaluation copy to use, I gave up. I think I'll give up on everything Microshaft and learn linux.
| 
