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Rating: 
Summary: excellent book for preparing for exam 70-028
Review: I am in the process of obtaining my MCSE. After reading the reviews on Amazon.com, I went ahead and ordered the book. This has been an excellent study guide, especially if you read the examples and actually do the examples in SQL 7.0. Only downfall, there is several errors throughout the book and practice tests. I will respond again after I have taken my test
Rating: 
Summary: A good basis but not the be all
Review: I am no stranger to Microsoft and certifications. This book assumes that the reader knows the lingo of databases, and yet it fails utterly to prepare one for the certification exam. It does not give enough detail for a beginner, but would probably bore the advanced user of Microsoft SQL. I have the latest version of this book, and the errata posted on Sybex's website are already corrected in it. Nonetheless, after a year in circulation, most of the T-SQL statements printed in the exercises STILL have incorrect syntax. Imagine spending 2 hours to debug an excercise which should have taken 5 minutes! I used this book in conjunction with the Transcender test (which was previously a "guaranteed pass" combination for me). As always, I learned some from the book, more from the BOL, but the most about practical application from the Transcender test. Sybex has a lot of work to do to make this volume worth the price I paid. I'm buying the Microsoft SQL Self-Study Kit right now...
Rating: 
Summary: Too many errors; not enough practical application...
Review: I am no stranger to Microsoft and certifications. This book assumes that the reader knows the lingo of databases, and yet it fails utterly to prepare one for the certification exam. It does not give enough detail for a beginner, but would probably bore the advanced user of Microsoft SQL. I have the latest version of this book, and the errata posted on Sybex's website are already corrected in it. Nonetheless, after a year in circulation, most of the T-SQL statements printed in the exercises STILL have incorrect syntax. Imagine spending 2 hours to debug an excercise which should have taken 5 minutes! I used this book in conjunction with the Transcender test (which was previously a "guaranteed pass" combination for me). As always, I learned some from the book, more from the BOL, but the most about practical application from the Transcender test. Sybex has a lot of work to do to make this volume worth the price I paid. I'm buying the Microsoft SQL Self-Study Kit right now...
Rating:
Summary: Read Couple of Times
Review: I have found this book to be adequate in assisting future MCDBA's or MCSE+I or MCSD on the exam. I have just recently passed the exam with almost perfect score out of 50 questions. You must read this book at the same time do the following exercises in the book. If the book wants you to create a DB then create one. If the book wants you setup some type of replication then do it also. This will enble you to understand the functionality of the DB and how to administer it. You may have to read the book few times like I have. I bought the book and passed the exam in four weeks. Not to boost myself. But if you follow the exercises in the book and review prior to going to the exam you should do well. Good Luck.....ALL.
Rating: 
Summary: Good
Review: I have started reading the first few chapters and found it as another awesome study guide. I don't know how well it prepares me for the exam, but definitely it's easier to read, and well organised. I will write another review after taking the exam. However, a recommended book to read and to learn SQL 7.
Rating:
Summary: TOLERABLE
Review: I recently took and passed the SQL Server 7 administration test (70-028). I used this book as a reference. As a study guide for this test, I found this book to be the best available. That is still not saying much. My first gripe about Sybex study guides in general, is that Microsoft sets up their exam objectives in 5 or 6 sections, in this case 6. This book is laid out in twelve chapters. If you are trying to write an outline to answer Microsoft's exam objectives from this book you have to jump around a lot. Some of the other Sybex study guides have a cross reference sheet, this one does not. My second gripe is that the review questions are almost worthless. The questions are to short. The text itself is good at explaining administration ideas but has to many screen shots. It is much easier to study for the test from Sybex's Exam Notes. For review questions I would recommend Trancender. For a more in depth book, although this one is geared more for the 70-029 test and for programmers, I would recommend Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 from Microsoft Press. Ramsay Sinclair MCSE+I, MCP+I, CNA
Rating:
Summary: Read Couple of Times
Review: Note the worst book in the world, but fairly darn close. I bought three study guides for this exam and the only one that seemed to be helpful was the Coriolis Exam Prep by Talbert. It got a bit detailed in parts but was the clear winner of the three I read.
Rating:
Summary: Errors
Review: This book seems to be fairly thorough when discussing SQL. However, there are many bugs in the Exercises causing the student to spend a great deal of time debugging the T-SQL statements. It appears that the editors didn't understand the subject matter well enough to catch the typo's and other sytax errors. I finally gave up on this book and purchased the Microsoft Self Paced Training Guide where the Exercises actually work. Exam 70-028 is my 6th exam for my MCSE.
Rating:
Summary: Errors
Review: This book seems to be fairly thorough when discussing SQL. However, there are many bugs in the Exercises causing the student to spend a great deal of time debugging the T-SQL statements. It appears that the editors didn't understand the subject matter well enough to catch the typo's and other sytax errors. I finally gave up on this book and purchased the Microsoft Self Paced Training Guide where the Exercises actually work. Exam 70-028 is my 6th exam for my MCSE.
Rating:
Summary: Great study guide
Review: This book together with the "MS SQL Server 7.0 Test Success" helped me to pass the exam on the first try. Nonetheless this is a tough cookie, and you'll have to use the actual product a lot, a lot, a lot. I highly recommend this book.
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