MCSE Training Kit: Microsoft(r) Windows(r) 2000 Advanced Server Clustering Services

Rating:
Summary: Inaccurate account of DHCP Clustering
Review: If a reviewer found this book useful for preparing for a Microsoft test, then judging from results, it must be a useful book.

I found it, however, to be inaccurate in chapter 6, when it discussed how to cluster DHCP & WINS.

Moreover, having created a real cluster on the basis of research in other Microsoft materials, I don't see how anyone could actually understand, from this book, with its overly concise and telegraphic descriptions of cluster activities, how even something as basic as disk groups work.

I hate the way the authors just dump terms like "domainlet" (page 7 & 35) and "dumpconfig" (page 147 & 148), neither of which is mentioned more than once, into the text and expect that the readers understand them.

I hate the way, as in almost all Microsoft training kits, one passage contradicts another.

I hate the way it seems as if the Microsoft Training Kits are written by flunkouts from remedial English classes.

A good example of this is Kay Unkroth's "Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Training Kit." This person isn't a native speaker of English, considering her bizarre sentences.

Moreover, that book is poorly proofread with obvious grammar errors scattered through it.

I do this stuff for a living and poor quality just ticks me off.

Rating:
Summary: Good book on MS clustering however!!!
Review: This is a very good book on preparing to implement a microsoft cluster. The writing is concise and clear. Some of the contect maybe a little difficult for those who have never dealt with clusters. Covers everything you might need to know about quorms and troubleshooting. If you are going to use this to pass the exam(70-224) let me warn you you need to get some experience with the product or you will likely fail. Overall I'd recommend this book to anyone who want to implement a MS Cluster.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty weak book for a difficult topic
Review: Wow, what can I say - this is really a terrible book for preparing for the exam.
My overall impression of the book after working with clusters and taking the exam is it is more introductory and overview than anything else.

First and foremost there is almost 100 pages in the book that the exam doesn't cover. On a 400 page book, including glossary and index, that is pretty bad. Most of what is in the book is straight forward enough taken from the exam objectives, but there was quite a bit covered in the exam that was not included in the book. The end of chapter questions in the book are a minuscule compared to the extremely lengthy questions on the exam.

There is mention of utilities that are required for certain functions of MS clustering but no background or much detail about them. They are mentioned in a "matter of fact" role than anything else. The info is available on the MS site but if a training kit mentions a resource they could have just as easily put some detail from MS instead of searching for it.

It is not all bad, there is a good introduction to some of the concepts of clustering. I gave the book 2 stars because it is not very effective as a study guide for the exam. Some of the info on the MS site is included in the book. Be assured there is little chance of "paper" MCPs in clustering with this as the official MS Study guide for exam 70-223.

This is a difficult exam with little material available on the subject. This book is no where near what it takes to pass the exam. I passed this exam with an excellent LAB, work experience, combing MS site for any and all info I could find, along with this and other books on clustering.