Customer Reviews

Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Database Implementation Training Kit

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was the first book I read in preparation for the Implementing a Database Design on Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 (Exam 70-029). The first thing I noticed was that a good portion of what I had been tested on for the System Administration for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 (Exam 70-028) was covered in this text. It is clear that you really need to work through both the Administration and Design books to be prepared for either of Microsoft's SQL 7.0 Exams.

This book left me with questions. For example, I could not understand cursors after reading it through but when I consulted Transact-SQL Programming by Kline, Gould, and Zanevsky and Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 by Soukup and Delaney I found the concept very clear and understandable. After reading through all of these I took the Microsoft Official Curriculum course and the 700-page notebook that came with that was my favorite study guide. I was surprised that the MOC material was the most complete even though the Self Study Kit overlaps with a lot of the material covered. I only saw one concept on my version of the 70-029 exam that was not covered in the course material but there were probably 4 or 5 concepts that were not covered in the books I read. Note: None of this reading really prepares you for the rigors of the 70-029 exam. This test really cries out for drilling on good prep software like Transcender so that you can spot the easier questions and answer them quickly to save time for the more demanding questions that require extensive analysis. I spent 20 minutes diagramming the database described in my first question so that I could make sense of what was being asked. Many of the questions appear to require this kind of detailed analysis unless you know to look for the flaws that invalidate all but one of the answers.

The Design book may be overpriced in comparison to other books but it does seem to be the lowest cost access to enough of the material you need to comprehend the range of concepts tested in 70-029. By supplementing it with a lot of reading in Books On Line you might get everything you need. I don't regret paying $1500.00 for the MOC and spending 5 days in class but I understand that not everyone can choose that route.

You have to keep in mind that a great many of the negative comments you'll be reading are being made by people who failed the test and desperately need someone to blame other than themselves. This is a superb book from start to finish and best of all it provides you with a 120-day evaluation copy of SQL Server 7.0. There is no magic "single-copy" edition of any book for any exam. You need to supplement your studies with several books along with the required hands on experience. Use this book with Microsoft's Resource Guide, Kalen Delaney's "Inside SQL Server 7.0", Exam Cram, and Transcenders. SQL is fierce beyond belief and you have to be willing to do an extraordinary amount of work in order to master it. Be willing to do what's necessary and you'll be writing rave reviews about this book after you pass the exam. If you fail to do the required amount of work, I guarantee you'll be back here firing off Microsoft flames and blaming them for your failing grade. If you need further motivation for hitting the books, just think of the bushels full of money that employers will be throwing at you for passing this exam.

This is a pretty good test preparation book. It is the only volume I read cover to cover to prepare for the System Administration for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 exam (70-028). I had spot read several other volumes to prepare a maintenance guide for SQL Server 7.0 installations so had become familiar with admin topics on the job. I did find after passing the Admin test that my margin of safety would have been greater if I had read the companion volume on Implementing a Database Design on Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 (Exam 70-029) before I tested. It is clear that you really need to work through both the Administration and Design books to be prepared for either of Microsoft's SQL 7.0 Exams.

Great book for regular work reference for SQL Server directly related topics, but if you needed to drill down to the details, the best source is definitely SQL Books Online. The book assumes RDBMS logical design knowledge, and the exam drills you on it. Unlike other exams, if you don't have actual experiences with any RDBMS, you won't pass.

I have used this book, BOL and Transcenders to help me pass the exam on first try. I still love this book and its very useful from time to time.

The exam is very very difficult. It took me 3 tries to pass it. And I studied this book, the BOL, the Exam Cram, the braindumps, and had been working with DBs including Oracle for 6 months. Some of the exam questions are very detailed and long (7+ choices, 1 wrong all wrong). However, this book, I feel, best captures all the necessary information in one place. Yes, do consult the BOL as well, but there are questions on the exam that are not even covered on the BOL, so be prepared. This books give good hands on training, clear explanations, not to mention a 120-day trial of the software with practice files. Overall a DECENT value. If the price had been lower, I may have given it 5 stars.

This is a good book that follows MOC to the point and is very close to BOL. In fact, I found many paragraphs in this book that are exact copies of the same information from BOL and this is good, since BOL should be your Bible during preparation for this exam. You can find anything in there, it just takes some effort. A word of caution for the beginners: your brain will be smoking at first. This is not an easy book to read! (hence four stars) I myself had a little experience with SQL, but zero with MS SQL Server. After first few days of reading I was about to give up and go on to something different.

Remember that persistence pays, I passed this exam today with 870! Good luck everybody!

I am always amazed with the training kits from MS Press, with no exception of this kit. Buy this kit and you'll get a 4 months trial edition CD of SQL Server 7.0, a complimentary CD with exercise and multimedia files, a really good book from the Microsoft experts - concise, complete, crystal clear, and cover all materials needed for Exam 70-028.

But, you won't get any exam simulators that you'll probably have from the other publishers. Don't worry, because in my opinion not a single exam simulator can help someone passing this exam! This exam is an all-in-one nightmare you can expect from any kind of written computer certification exams. The questions are extremely long as well as the exam time - 3 hours (even the answers are very long, too!) Exam takers will certainly be knocked-out if they don't have real good hands-on experience and theory in design and implementation of SQL Server 7.0 or the previous releases of SQL Server.

Using this book alone combined with my previous experience of SQL Server 6.5 and MS Access 97 I had successfully passed this *!@ (read: terrified) exam on my first try several weeks ago to complete my MCDBA title! :) CCNA, MCDBA, MCSE+I

After spending about a month studying this book and the "Books Online" (ships with the evaluation version of SQL Server included with this book), I passed the test with ease. The information I gained in studying has been quite useful in supporting production databases. This book is not just for test prep, it helps the new DBA deal with production environment issues. The book is not quite as detailed as I would prefer in some areas (hence the 4 stars). Overall, a good book.

That's the best SQL Admin book I've ever seen. I have no idea about SQL server and zero database experience just 20 days ago. With this book and transcender, I passed Microsoft SQL 7.0 Admin exam (70-28) with 800, and I do fell I've understood some SQL admin now. I hope all the Microsoft books and be as good as this one. Thanks for the good job!

This was the first book I read in preparation for the Implementing a Database Design on Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 (Exam 70-029). The first thing I noticed was that a good portion of what I had been tested on for the System Administration for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 (Exam 70-028) was covered in this text. It is clear that you really need to work through both the Administration and Design books to be prepared for either of Microsoft's SQL 7.0 Exams.

This book left me with questions. For example, I could not understand cursors after reading it through but when I consulted Transact-SQL Programming by Kline, Gould, and Zanevsky and Inside Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 by Soukup and Delaney I found the concept very clear and understandable. After reading through all of these I took the Microsoft Official Curriculum course and the 700-page notebook that came with that was my favorite study guide. I was surprised that the MOC material was the most complete even though the Self Study Kit overlaps with a lot of the material covered. I only saw one concept on my version of the 70-029 exam that was not covered in the course material but there were probably 4 or 5 concepts that were not covered in the books I read. Note: None of this reading really prepares you for the rigors of the 70-029 exam. This test really cries out for drilling on good prep software like Transcender so that you can spot the easier questions and answer them quickly to save time for the more demanding questions that require extensive analysis. I spent 20 minutes diagramming the database described in my first question so that I could make sense of what was being asked. Many of the questions appear to require this kind of detailed analysis unless you know to look for the flaws that invalidate all but one of the answers.

The Design book may be overpriced in comparison to other books but it does seem to be the lowest cost access to enough of the material you need to comprehend the range of concepts tested in 70-029. By supplementing it with a lot of reading in Books On Line you might get everything you need. I don't regret paying $1500.00 for the MOC and spending 5 days in class but I understand that not everyone can choose that route.