Customer Reviews

MCITP Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-444): Optimizing and Maintaining a Database Administration Solution Using Microsoft® SQL Server(TM) 2005 (Pro-Certification)

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I have done all 3 exams. I did this one last, and barely cracked the book. I passed (1000) easily. This exam is a joke. If you can pass the 70-431, you'll have what you need. I actually got the feeling that Microsoft was giving us a 'slider' as a congrats to passing the other 2 exams.

The exam has answers where it is obvious what the answer is, and not because you know Sql. It actually has simplistic Reading Comprehension type questions. Example:

"database 'A' and database 'B' ... 'A' is bad and needs to be fixed ... what to do?"
1. delete 'A' - omg! why would you delete a database???
2. delete 'B' - why is 'B' even mentioned???
3. restore 'A' - obviously.
4. restore 'B' - again, why 'B' ???

My 7 year old could pass these types of questions.

Read the book, but do not sweat the exam. I never even opened the CD jacket.

I would point out that the sections on Query Optimization are very weak. If you really want a good book on understanding how to analyze a query, get Grant Fritchey's "Execution Plans" book.

Pretty good coverage on measuring and troubleshooting server performance and query performance. Good chapter on index optimization and maintenance. This book also covers replication and security well. All in all, a valuable reference that will also help you pass the exam.

Certainly appreciate how simple it is to understand without being too wordy. I certainly appreciate the Real World sections