The McSa Training Kit: Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment ( Exam 70-218 ) (Pro-Certification) [Paperback]

Microsoft Press (Author), Msc (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0735615810 | ISBN-13: 978-0735615816 | Publication Date: January 1, 2002 | Edition: Bk&CD-Rom

Osborne Product Differentiation: The Certification Press study guides are the only self-study guides based on proven classroom pedagogy. This Study Guide will have more practice questions; the most complete hands-on, simulation based training CD-ROM; and more step-by-step exercises and Lab Questions than any other competitive certification books.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An excellent beginners' guide to the basics you'll need to know in order to get through the rest of the MCSE/MCSA exams, Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment should be the first book you buy--and it'll continue to come in handy with the rest of the exams you'll take.

Essentially, this book is the absolute minimum you need to know in order to set up and maintain a Win2K environment--how to share a file, how to manage disks, and how to use TCP/IP properly. Advanced users will know these concepts in and out, of course, but this book isn't written for them; it's aimed squarely at the beginning user who's starting from scratch, or close to it.

One of Microsoft's strengths has always been explaining introductory concepts--not necessarily going over every last aspect of each program, but telling you what the program is supposed to do when it's working right--and that's continued here. If you don't know what DNS is or WINS is you'll have a solid idea of what a well-functioning DNS server looks like by the time it's all over.

The writing is heavy on exercises--about a quarter of the book consists of recipes of simple tasks that can be done with two networked computers. The exercises invariably go over what you've just learned, and help to reinforce the basic concepts. An even nicer touch is that certain exercises ask you to purposely "break" something within Windows 2000, then ask you to try what would normally work and see what sorts of error messages you get--this is rarely done, but it's a nice attempt at teaching elementary troubleshooting, and a welcome reminder that not everything goes right in the real world. (Don't worry, they show you how to set it right after you're done.)

Some aspects of the book are a dramatic improvement over past Microsoft books--the section on NTFS permissions, for example, is miles ahead of anything Microsoft has done before, nailing down the reasonably complex issue of overlapping permissions with ease and grace. The section on disk drives is also well done, and while I doubt that anyone will ever be able to write a section on the monstrously dry TCP/IP protocol that could be called enjoyable, Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network nicely communicates the essentials of TCP/IP, DNS, and DHCP.

Likewise, a weakness in previous Microsoft books was real-world experience--the exam itself consists mostly of troubleshooting networks gone awry. This is still a problem, and the book is in no way a substitute for hands-on experience, but the troubleshooting sections sprinkled throughout the book (they give lists of basic problems encountered in Win2K networks and their solutions) are a nice touch.

Unfortunately, the most complex portions of Windows 2000--the infamous Active Directory and Group Policies--are the book's weakest sections. Where the reader really needs some handholding to get them through the moderately complex set of concepts associated with Active Directory, the book instead falls into lists and exercises. Novices will definitely need some hands-on effort here to get their minds around it, and will probably have to read these sections several times.

Another minor problem is that the questions--which, in a near first for Microsoft, actually have MCSE-style multiple-choice questions--still come in essay form, and are relatively simple questions that don't test your ability to fix broken networks. There are also relatively few questions, with perhaps three to five at the end of every section; more would have been an added bonus. However, the book comes with a 120-day trial version of Windows 2000 Server, allowing you to get your hands dirty with your own version.

In short, Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment isn't for experts--but then again, experts will probably pass this exam without really needing a book. For the at-home student and the novice, this book is a top pick. Highly recommended. --William Steinmetz

Product Details

• Paperback: 750 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press; Bk&CD-Rom edition (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735615810
• ISBN-13: 978-0735615816
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,684,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Microsoft Press + Sybex Virtual Lab + Transcender worked, April 30, 2002

By 

Paul Harbin (LA, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The McSa Training Kit: Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment ( Exam 70-218 ) (Pro-Certification) (Paperback)

My friend, who is an computer instructor at a local school, recommended that I get this book, Trancender, and the Sybex MCSE Virtual Lab. The combo worked, as I was able to pass the exam pretty easily. This book was my guide, and the Transcender questions showed what I needed to study, with the Sybex Virtual Lab was sweet because it simulated a network so I could do my lab exercises on it. The Trancenders were the most expensive part, so you might want to skip them if you're trying to do it super-cheap. Read the book. Learn group policies. Practice hands on (on the Sybex simulator). Review with Transcender as needed. Worked for me.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New Microsoft Press, April 26, 2002

By 

Wallace V. French III (Boston MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The McSa Training Kit: Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment ( Exam 70-218 ) (Pro-Certification) (Paperback)

I finished up my MCSA cert a few weeks ago. I only used this book to study for the 218 exam. Microsoft has made some changes to there publishing of exam study guides. I think they are trying to compete with the Exam Cram and other study guide books. Previous MCSE study guides didn't give you any insight into the actual exams. This book does. Since it is coming from the people who write the exam it makes for a great study guide. Some of the sample questions in the book were actually on the exam. Kind of pricey, but if you get the cert it's worth it. Good luck.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Once again, MS Press rushes to be first out, February 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The McSa Training Kit: Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment ( Exam 70-218 ) (Pro-Certification) (Paperback)

You would think that a Microsoft Press certification book would be useful in exam preparation. Again, it seems that this book is rushed. In addition to this book being based on old objectives--there are numberous objectives that do not appear to be covered--the book also seems thrown together. It lacks any organization, and is written more like a White Paper...boring!!!!

I think you will be very surprised after reading this book, and then sitting for the exam. Do yourself a favor, and wait for the other books to come out.