Rating: 
Summary: Used this book and passed!
Review: As I said in the title, I used this book and passed the exam. I used a couple of other resources but this book was by far the most important and best. The only downside is that it is not the book for someone who is completely new to relational database development. Although it makes an effort you really need to have at least a basic understanding of relational databases and how they work. I had a fair bit of experience with MS Access so I knew some of the fundamentals of using cursors and SELECT statements.The other downside to this book is that it will make a lousy reference. I will be selling this book now that I am done since the way that it is ordered in lessons results in much detailed information being left out. The Nutshell book looks to be more helpful in this regard. Martin Ritchie MCP (VB6 desk, VB6 dist and not SQL 7.0 Impl.)
Rating:
Summary: Not Perfect, But It Beats Whatever Is In Second Place
Review: Everything the other reviewers have said is true. Regardless, I looked for something better and came back to this book. Today I passed 70-029 and added an MCDBA to my MCSE. Be prepared to be tenacious with this material. It took me a year of catch-as-catch can study. This book should be your main study material with Transcender exams your proof of understanding. However, if you're just starting, go directly to SQL 2000 and skip SQL 7.0. From a job perspective, the best part of SQL is that it's in demand, and there aren't many people who can pass the exam.
Rating: 
Summary: The best stuff for SQL Server 7.0 Design & Implementation
Review: I am always amazed with the training kits from MS Press, with no exception of this kit. Buy this kit and you'll get a 4 months trial edition CD of SQL Server 7.0, a complimentary CD with exercise and multimedia files, a really good book from the Microsoft experts - concise, complete, crystal clear, and cover all materials needed for Exam 70-028. But, you won't get any exam simulators that you'll probably have from the other publishers. Don't worry, because in my opinion not a single exam simulator can help someone passing this exam! This exam is an all-in-one nightmare you can expect from any kind of written computer certification exams. The questions are extremely long as well as the exam time - 3 hours (even the answers are very long, too!) Exam takers will certainly be knocked-out if they don't have real good hands-on experience and theory in design and implementation of SQL Server 7.0 or the previous releases of SQL Server. Using this book alone combined with my previous experience of SQL Server 6.5 and MS Access 97 I had successfully passed this *!@ (read: terrified) exam on my first try several weeks ago to complete my MCDBA title! :) CCNA, MCDBA, MCSE+I
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not enough for 70-029
Review: I purchased this book with the 70-029 exam in mind. Dislike other reviewers I didn't have any experience in Microsoft SQL Server, I was migrating from the AI/X DB2 world. This book is superficial in important aspects like index tunning and distributed queries. I finally had to adopt a different strategy based on sample tests and Microsoft Books On Line to pass the 70-029 with a less than satisfactory 755 mark.
Rating:
Summary: Solid and Organized
Review: I used this book after purchasing the Online version of this kit (ISBN 0735606781). This kit does a better job of going in depth on a lot of the items that will be tested than the Online Kit(which I have also reviewed). The practice exercises are good, and the included evaluation copy of SQL Server allows you to experiment and become more familiar with the product, along with giving you the books online for additional reference. The organization of topics is well done, something that I have had issues with with MSPress books in the past.
Rating:
Summary: Almost perfect
Review: It should have 4.5 stars. This book is great for learning everything you need to know for getting SQL Sever 7.0 up and running (and I mean running not walking). This book is a well structured course that takes you through all the way for implementing databases on SQL Server. The only con I found is that It promotes Client-server arquitecture and has no mention on n-tier system (except for the beginning where it's barely mentioned). But at the end this is a very good book for learning SQL 7 administration .
Rating:
Summary: Indispensible book for exam prep and SQL 7.0 features
Review: Last week I passed the dreaded implementation exam on my first try. Needless to say, I have over 5 years SQL server experience. This experience helped me answer the more practical scenario based questions (there are lots of them). What the book does not teach is database design fundementals, normalization, and things that really come from experience. That is fair enough. A person with no experience should not expect to pass the exam. Read up and study relational database design. Set up databases, normalize them, understand all the whys of everything. This is not a syntax exam. Use the book to understand query tuning, all the details of DBCC and Set Showplan commands, and indexing. The author presented the material in a very structured way. The explanations are clear and the labs are helpful. If you understand relational design in general, then this book will definitely help you pass the exam. If you are a developer and would like to study the best SQL Server book in the market, get a copy of Inside SQL Server 7.0 from Microsoft Press. This is the best book on SQL Server 7.0 ins and outs. Period...
Rating:
Summary: Helps to pass the exam
Review: The book is easy to read and it covers material in more detail than Exam Cram books. It helped me to understand the indexes better. I can't say that you can pass the exam just by reading this book (I used Exam Cram and Transcender tests as well and I passed on the first attempt) but it is a good supplemental material.
Rating:
Summary: Recommeded for clear expanations.
Review: The explanations are easy enough to follow along. The SQL code works for the chapters I read. I'd recommend it especially at the Amazon used price.
Rating:
Summary: Good Preparation Tool
Review: The SQL exams are designed for experienced users. For those, like myself, without experience, be prepared to spend a little more time than the other exams getting ready for this one. Based on all of the information I gathered, including the exam itself, I agree with the general sentiments,"It is a hard exam, not due to the difficult level of questions, but from the lack of information available." I used Sybex, Microsoft Press, Exam Cram, and Readiness Review, along with the transcender software. While I passed, on the first try, it highlighted the deficiencies of the study guides. Recommendation: The Books OnLine on the Trial SQL CD-ROM and / or the "Inside SQL" by Microsoft Press (title may be a little off...) came through as strong candidates to help you get your MCDBA. As a DB novice the Microsoft Readiness Review was helpful in understanding the logic behind choosing say clustered vs. non clustered indexes; and using entity relationships with normalization to improve performance. RE: SQL Admin, however, I found the Microsoft Press dual titles on SQL Admin and SQL Design to be very useful; after the Admin exam unfortunately... Hopefully, this may be of some benefit for you. Best of luck!
| 
