MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram (Exam: 70-215) [Paperback]

Natasha Knight (Author)

Book Description

Series: Exam Cram (Coriolis Books) | Publication Date: September 1, 2000

Provides all of the curriculum objectives of the Windows 2000 Server exam, 70-215 and serves as a perfect complement to the MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Prep. Each book includes proven test-taking strategies, warnings on trick questions, timesaving study tips and shortcuts. Contains sample questions and practice tests much like the format of the actual exams. Cram Fitness Assessments give readers a way to determine how to proceed with certification by analyzing their educational and experiential background and their subject knowledge level in order to make suggestions about preparation and study.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Considering that the Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram is supposed to be a last-minute refresher course before the main exam, it seems slightly out of place to wish that it were a bigger book. After all, Exam Crams aren't supposed to be your primary reference--and this book does have enough content to get you past the exam. But Windows 2000 Server is such a large, all-encompassing topic that 300 pages barely covers it--and with so much at stake, you'll want every potentially testable detail you can grab for.

As with the rest of the books in this fine series, you'd have a hard time finding fault with the presentation. Written for the professional who's already got a background in Windows 2000 features, the Exam Cram goes over each of the exam-critical topics with an eye toward clarification, memorization, and test-taking pitfalls. The writing is terse and packed with information, getting the point across in as few sentences as possible. Don't expect tons of screen shots or extensive walk-throughs, but it's a darn sight better than highlighting three or four 700-page preparation books to flesh out the most important facts. And the sample questions, seven or eight at the end of each chapter plus a 50-question exam at the end, are as good as they get, providing fairly complex scenarios with trick questions and similar answers.

But there are certain confusing areas that don't necessarily get the in-depth treatment that other Exam Cram books give. RIS and troubleshooting, a fairly complex topic, is covered in a slim page and a half. MMC snap-in delegations are covered, incompletely at that, in a few scant bullets. The section on DNS skims it at a very high level, giving all of two sentences to zone transfers and not even mentioning topics that might arise in a larger network environment--like zone delegation and areas of authority, which are situations that are certain to come up in an Active Directory forest. And even when many pages are given to certain complex topics, like OUs and group memberships, it all feels slightly compressed. It might have been a bit clearer if it weren't crammed (so to speak) into so few pages--50 or 60 extra pages and a few more charts might have clarified it more.

Now don't get us wrong--it's still got enough to pass, and, for a mere $30, this is still one of the most economical computer books you can purchase. In fact, this book is superior in content and presentation to many Windows 2000 preparation guides that retail for twice the price. But because this is a small book, cuts had to be made, some of which may starve the reader of background details needed to understand more complex topics.

But still, when the worst thing you can say about a book is that it isn't quite as good as the other books in the series, you know it's worth your purchase. Just do what the publishers themselves recommend--using it as a supplement, not a primary source--and don't make this your only purchase. --William Steinmetz

About the Author

Natasha Knight--Salt Lake City (UT MCT, MCSE for Windows 2000, CNA) is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Montana and has been training and testing the Windows 2000 products and has passed the Microsoft Trainer Assessment exams for the Windows 2000 product line.

Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Coriolis Group Books; 1st edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576107132
• ISBN-13: 978-1576107133
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,618,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Use Extreme Caution, June 1, 2001

By 

Mr. Quincy J. Jones (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram (Exam: 70-215) (Paperback)

This is by far the worst Exam Cram Book I have ever purchased. I can say worst, because I would normally rank any book from Exam Cram as either Excellent or very close to that. If you are at all interested in passing Exam 70-215 on your first attempt, then I strongly suggest avoiding this book.

First of all, it's riddled with errors. Additionally, the coverage of key exam topics is far from in-depth. This made the book into more of an annoying companion rather than a critical exam preparation tool. I strongly recommend seeking out other sources of study material to make up for what this book lacks in detail and coverage.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worked for me, I passed!, November 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram (Exam: 70-215) (Paperback)

If you study this book, practice (hands-on) using Windows 2000 Professional and some sort of prep tests, you should have no trouble passing this exam. Beware, there are some errors in the book, but if you are experienced (like MS wants you to be before you sit for any Win2k exams) you should be able to pick up on them easily. However, you can get the errata (corrections) from their website, (....)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Outline, No Depth, September 28, 2001

By 

"ocsmith369" (Washington State) - See all my reviews

This review is from: MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram (Exam: 70-215) (Paperback)

This book did not meet my expectations. With the realization that an "Exam Cram" cannot go into too much depth, I would use this material as a study outline only. This book will give you 1) an understanding of terminology used in the exam, 2) a checklist of what should be covered, and 3) overall concepts you should be familiar with. However, it did NOT help me with any complex or performance-oriented questions (which made up the majority of the exam). I was grateful to have purchased Transcender materials, as well as the Sybex and Syngress books for this Exam. I did pass, but not with much help from this Exam Cram.
As a side note, I was increasingly annoyed by the considerable amount of spelling, syntax, and data errors I found repeatedly throughout this book.