Rating: 
Summary: Still great, but the target audience has changed
Review: February 28th, 2001. A day which shall live in infamy... the day when Microsoft retired the Windows NT MCSE exams, making hundreds of certification prep books obsolete.But not this one. The core exams may be gone, but the products they taught and tested - NT Server, NT Workstation, Windows 95 - are still omnipresent on corporate networks and technician's workbenches. If you are responsible for the care and feeding of older versions of Windows, and most Win2k MCSEs are, then you need to understand everything in this book. Additionally, much of this material has been added to CompTIA's revised A+ exam, so this book remains an excellent certification study guide (just for a different certification!). Forget the title - if you need a quick reference or refresher on Windows NT networking, this is still one of the best on the shelf. [Note: in the second edition of this book, the Windows 95 section has been replaced by an equivalent section on Windows 98. They are otherwise identical].
Rating:
Summary: Incredible amount info in such a little book!
Review: I am mostly reiterating what others say here. This is a GREAT exam review book, especially considering the small size and price. It helped me pass 3 exams so far - Workstation, Server, and Enterprise. I used it along with Alan Carter's book and my in house network lab. It will reinforce what you know and show you what you need to bone up on in the more in depth books. The test questions are a lttle on the easy side but defineatley help you progress in the learning process and there a lot of them - 80 for each exam section. There are a lot of helpful summary tables of important information you need to know. This is a great book to take to work or the in-laws for quick study sessions. Don't let the size fool you - this book is packed with very helpful information.
Rating: 
Summary: Vague enough to be useless
Review: I just didn't see the point of this book. It was so short and vague on the details that I really didn't understand what the point of the book was. It was of no use in helping to get me certified. I regretted purchasing it. It is the only O'reilly book I have ever gotten that was not worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT REVIEW BOOK Winnt4 Core Exams
Review: I'm probably sounding like a repeat of the other reviewers, but, this book is a great review/prep book for the MCSE NT4 Core Exams. The sections are concise and get to the point with the stuff you need to know to pass the exams!! If you are a novice, one piece of advice is to get LOTS of hands-on experience installing, configuring, troubleshooting, and administrating Windows NT! It's the only real way to make sure you will do well on the exams.
Rating: 
Summary: This book rocks- but you'll need additional information
Review: If you have Windows NT experience and just want the facts to prepare for the exams, this is the book. Anything by O'reilly press is usually pretty good. Even if you are do not have experience, this is an excellent companion to a more indepth study guide, like Alan Carter's Windows NT 4.0 MCSE Study Guide. Great for day of exam cramming.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book for Quick and Dirty Exam Prep
Review: If you have Windows NT experience and just want the facts to prepare for the exams, this is the book. Anything by O'reilly press is usually pretty good. Even if you are do not have experience, this is an excellent companion to a more indepth study guide, like Alan Carter's Windows NT 4.0 MCSE Study Guide. Great for day of exam cramming.
Rating:
Summary: Defragment your Microsoft Networking knowledge!
Review: IT Professionals will find this an excellent certification review, in fact it can function as the only resource necessary for those with on the job experience. For newbies this makes a solid primer for basic LAN education. However, DO NOT expect this book to make an instant MCSE out of you! This book is straightforward enough for the intelligent reader to understand the information as it is presented, but true comprehension requires exposure to the subject material. If you have been working in and around Microsoft networks for a while, you will find that this tome is perfect for filling in holes in your practical knowledge. The superflouous babble found in other books is not found here, just a tight little package that can clarify your gray areas and tie together the information you already have into one contiguous unit. The "Nutshell" Series, and O'Reilly publishing in general, cater to the IT community by producing books that are straight to the point and deliver just what they say...the facts, in a nutshell. If you don't already have a clue, and aren't a squirrel, then bite the bullet and buy those enormous tomes put out by other companies. If you grok IT already, then this is your pony. One last thing...the above counts doubly for the '98 and NT Workstation material; you MUST be used to using/supporting the desktop OS if you wish to pass those exams with this as your main resource. Because of the stripped down nature of this book, it will not teach you to visualize the GUI interface used to work with Windows, and that may cause problems when working through "how to" on the exam.
Rating:
Summary: Defragment your Microsoft Networking knowledge!
Review: IT Professionals will find this an excellent certification review, in fact it can function as the only resource necessary for those with on the job experience. For newbies this makes a solid primer for basic LAN education. However, DO NOT expect this book to make an instant MCSE out of you! This book is straightforward enough for the intelligent reader to understand the information as it is presented, but true comprehension requires exposure to the subject material. If you have been working in and around Microsoft networks for a while, you will find that this tome is perfect for filling in holes in your practical knowledge. The superflouous babble found in other books is not found here, just a tight little package that can clarify your gray areas and tie together the information you already have into one contiguous unit. The "Nutshell" Series, and O'Reilly publishing in general, cater to the IT community by producing books that are straight to the point and deliver just what they say...the facts, in a nutshell. If you don't already have a clue, and aren't a squirrel, then bite the bullet and buy those enormous tomes put out by other companies. If you grok IT already, then this is your pony. One last thing...the above counts doubly for the '98 and NT Workstation material; you MUST be used to using/supporting the desktop OS if you wish to pass those exams with this as your main resource. Because of the stripped down nature of this book, it will not teach you to visualize the GUI interface used to work with Windows, and that may cause problems when working through "how to" on the exam.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: This book and the "Elective Exams in a Nutshell" were the primary references I used for getting my MCSE (NT 4.0). There is about 70 pages on each exam to study. Some books take 400 pages to deliver the exact same information. The beginner will probably want additional references along with this book though. (because it is so compact the beginner might have trouble with it if they don't have other references) I passed all of my exams on the first try with very little studying because of this book. It is absolutely the best source of information for passing the exams (not to mention one of the cheapest). I found it much better then the Trancender Exams which are so popular (and expensive I might add). (note: this book will be out of date very soon though and you should probably look for a newer edition)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent resource to read before the exam!
Review: This book is an ideal complement for all your other study materials. It's useful to review concepts just before the exam. It's clear and friendly language makes it perfect for everyone seeking the MS Certifications. One piece of advise: Don't use it alone, because its true function is to act as a complement to other more in-depth materials. Has been a great help to me in my MCSE certification roadmap. Don't hesitate, it's a good buy!
| 
