Microsoft Books and Certifications?

ozTravman asks: "I have been doing my Microsoft MCSE exams, so far I have completed 70-270 and 79-290 and I am about to start preparing for 70-291 'Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure'. I currently work as a Systems Engineer and for the previous two tests I simply read the Microsoft Press books related to the test. However, I found those particular books to be quite useless and found that cramming for the test using Braindumps and practice exams the night before was far more effective and relevant to the test content. I did not even bother finishing the 70-290 book. So what books have other Slashdot readers have used to help them to prepare for these tests?"

Comments

Re:Is this what you're asking?

[Kick the Donkey]

Not to defend Microsoft in anyway, but most certifications aren't worth the paper they are printed on. They're supposed to mean that the person that holds the certificate has worked with the tech in the field, and ALSO passed a rigerous exam.

With all the training centers out there, if you pay them enough money, you'll pass the tests without ever working a day in the field.

Why would an Engineer get an MCSE?

[Anonymous Coward]

I currently work as a Systems Engineer

If you have a degree in Engineering, why are you pursuing an MCSE?

Seriously, as an Engineer I despise it when the term is abused. The AMA and ABA would never allow Microsoft et alia to churn out "Microsoft Certified Systems Doctors" or "C# Lawyers" so why does the IEEE/SAE/etc. sit on their hands when the word "Engineer" is abused?

The purpose of taking the exam is to pass it.

[mosel-saar-ruwer]

However, I found those particular books to be quite useless and found that cramming for the test using Braindumps and practice exams the night before was far more effective and relevant to the test content. I did not even bother finishing the 70-290 book.

The purpose of taking the exam is to pass it. Short of outright cheating, it doesn't matter how you pass it, only that you pass it.

It also doesn't matter whether you retain any of the knowledge afterwards: ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU RECEIVE THE SHEEPSKIN.*

I'm with you: Purchase the practice exams, and study backwards from there, i.e. investigate the theory behind only those questions you can't answer correctly a priori.

*If you are wondering, the purpose of the sheepskin is to help you get your foot in the door, or, if you're already inside, to help in justifying a raise in salary [and maybe a promotion to a more chi-chi sounding job title].

Re:The purpose of taking the exam is to pass it.

[bhtooefr]

The rationale behind going for a 4 year is that if you spent all that time working towards it, and taking bullsh!t classes along the way, then you'll be a hard worker that can take bullsh!t.

MS books seem written for ease of the writers.

[Futurepower(R)]

"... I simply read the Microsoft Press books related to the test. However, I found those particular books to be quite useless..."

Thank you for saying that. It's good to see the relative uselessness of Microsoft publications be discussed publically.

When I try to analyze why MS books and web sites are so useless, I come to the conclusion it is because they are written with the philosophy that most important issue is the ease of the writers, not the ease of the readers.

I suppose that Microsoft writers and editors think "Why try harder?" Anything they publish will be sold to people who don't have enough expertise in the subject of the book to realize that the book is very scattered and that it leaves out important information.

For example, consider the file encryption in Windows XP, called EFS, Encryping File System. EFS is very poorly documented. The encryption is tied to the user's password in a way that is apparently not documented. EFS depends on being part of a Windows 2003 Server domain in a way that is not clearly documented; if you are using Windows XP on a stand alone computer, there are situations in which you can lose your files forever, even if you have made all the backups suggested in the Microsoft books and web sites.

(Microsoft Technical Support agrees with what I just said, and provides no help or workarounds.)

The official Microsoft forums contain complaints of many people who have lost their files due to problems with EFS.

--
If your gov't chose killing as policy, expect others to choose the same.

Exam Cram Books or Why MCSE is a good thing.

[MichaelMarch]

These little red books ar the best books out there. As for reading the Braindumps, I myself have read those over from time to time. Here's the math on the exams, from what I've noticed and been told. The number might not be correct but they are close as each exam is a little unique in there numbers. There is a total of 600 questions they can ask you for the exams, so say there is only six topics that divides up into 100 selectable questions for each topic. Now in each topic there is 10 questions. So each time you do the exam you get a 1/10 chances of seeing the same question. The point is, if you can read and remember 600 questions and assume that braindump has all those questions and all the questions are correct.. Then all the power to you. The real reason any MCP exam is worth anything, is to get your foot into the job interview. Seeing a MCSE 2000 or even a MCSE 2003 certification means they are serious about working in the IT field and they are not just some joe who likes computers and spends all his spare time talking on IM with people he will never meet and thinks he knows it all about computers. Any REAL computer/network experince comes from doing it and not READing about it.+

There is still value in haveing them.

[Saeed al-Sahaf]

Unfortunately, yes, that is the best use for them. Today, to get a job in many places, these worthless certs are required. So why NOT cheat with testing aids? If these things are worthless as skill indicators but still needed to land a PAYING gig, than there is still value in having them.

Real BAD Advice

[Saeed al-Sahaf]

Avoid Braindumps. You goals should be to learn not just pass the test.

In an ideal world, yes. But if the primary goal of obtaining a cert is to get a better position with a company that for whatever reason requires MS certs, than I see no problem at all with braindumps and cramming.

Everyone around here says that MS certs are worthless as indicators of practical knowledge, so why mess around with anything that is not designed to help you pass in the quickest possible way? Of course knowing what you are doing is a good idea, but that's not why most people study for MS certs, and I'm not even sure it's why companies require MS certs.