Customer Reviews

McSe: Exchange 5 Study Guide

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been studying for my MCSE through an ATEC provider, and therefore have been using "Microsoft Official Curriculum". Needless to say, Microsoft does not write textbooks nearly as user-friendly or useful as they do software. Sybex's Exchange Server 5 Study Guide is twice as informative as and ten times easier to read than Microsoft's offering. This book is the perfect example of why Microsoft has finally changed their mind and is allowing ATEC providers to use textbooks other than their own - because, in the case of textbooks, the competition is actually better than Microsoft's own.

If we state passing the exam as our main goal, the book is well written. I readed the entire book several times during the last month and I passed the exam at the first attempt with 720 over 1000. You can skip the Forms chapter. It is not an exam objective.

I have read the Mastering Exchange Server book, and found it to be a story book - didn't like it. The MCSE: Study Guide for Exchange 5 at least gives you the information up front, without having to read through the "story" to get the information. They cover the core components very well, without leaving too much out. I did find that there were a few advanced features that it didn't quite cover, but I suppose that is why there are "Study Guides" and "Reference Books." I would rate it as one of the better study guides, but I would also look for another book to use as a reference guide.

Anyone preparing for the Exchange 5.0 exam for certification should seriously consider this book for their review of the basic application. Although the book does not cover all the details necessary to pass the exam, all the core components of Exchange 5.0 are covered in detail-- this includes diagrams and tables that are EXCELLENT for making a hard subject easier to tear down. Specifically, the chapters that discuss the 4 Exchange Core Components and how they operate independently AND cooperatively are worth the price of the book. Also, the discussions of the connectors (X.400, MSMail, IMS, etc.) are very important because at least 30% of the exam covers these important components. The chapter on Forms is not covered on the exam and is therefore not very valuable except as a personal "need to know" section. And the Troubleshooting chapter is not as complete as it should be-- but again, this book is not complete enough to pass the exam. I will recommend this book ONLY as a reference guide because the exam questions build off of these basic ideas with more complex scenarios. But for someone with little or no experience with Exchange 5.0, this book should be the first step before tackling the more advanced topics needed to pass the exam. By the way, I passed the exam with flying colors and this was my first study guide on Exchange-- well worth the investment.

A very concise book for preprations for the exam. I read it as the only study guide, from cover to cover and passed first time. Highly reccomended.

My background of Exchange 5 was nill when I picked up this book to study for the exam. While it was easy to read, it did not really highlight the important information that was on the actual exam. I ordered the 400 test question software package from Self Test Software and that in addition to the book was enough to pass. I would not recommend this book as the only source of study material but it supplies a good source of information.

I purchased this book to prepare for the MS Exchange Exam. I found the end-of- chapter questions far too easy, with too many true or false type questions, which of course, do not appear in the MS exams. Specific details, if existing, are hard to find. I do not recommend this book to anyone preparing for their MCSE exams. I am very disappointed with it.

I read the book from front to back, with a recommendation that the Sybex books would be good preparation for the Exchange 5.0 exam 70-076. As I was reading through the book, I started to have doubts that this book was preparing me. The end of the chapter questions we way to easy. One would expect the questions to actually challenge you the way the actual exam does, and the exam is very challenging. I doubt I will buy anymore Sybex books as this one as left me really disappointed. If anyone is trying to prepare for the Exchange exam, I suggest the Special Edition Using Microsoft Exchange Server 5 from Que.