Customer Reviews

Network+ Exam Prep 2 (Exam Prep N10-003) (N10-003 Bk. 2)

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This second edition (with 2005 objectives) is perfect for someone taking an academic approach to the Network+ exam. Note that this book is part of the "Exam Prep" series, not the "Exam Cram" series. (Essentially, the "Prep" series goes much more in-depth than the "Cram" series.)

I offer this becuase it took me a costly accident and about a half of a day of shear confusion to figure out that there was a difference. As such, I'm sure some will criticize this book as going into too much depth in some areas. Usually these critiques are arm-chair, after the test comments. (I've read hundreds of Amazon reviews, and I find this comment to be the most frequent and the most frustrating.) I suppose this is fine advise if you are a "crammer," maybe an experienced network administrator just needing some refresher.

If you are like me, however, and want to prepare for the exam and actually learn while doing it, then this is the book for you. It's thorough, but not complex. It can be overwhelming, yet it flows beautifully. It is packed with tips, review questions, exam alerts and (my favorite) mini-senarios to drive the point home.

I have studied for and passed two other certifications, and in both instances I needed multiple study materials. In this case, this was the only book I needed. One read through and I had all the confidence I needed.

I'm reading this book after watching training videos for the Network+ exam. So far I can say with conviction that if I was to choose only one book for my Network+ exam preparations, then this would have to be it. It has that special quality that doesn't just inform the reader, but actually builds confidence that comes from understanding the material. This is the hallmark of good writing.

Each chapter builds logically on the one before it and the paragraphs are brief enough to pass along an idea without weighing the reader down with too much detail. That said, the authors seem fully aware of where more information may be required and promptly allay the reader's concerns by assuring him or her of a fuller treatment of the topic in a later chapter. In this way one is not only prepared to take the exam, but is also shaped into a competent professional.

There's humour but it's just right and the REALLY important stuff is highlighted in Exam Watch boxes.

Would I therefore recommend this book on its own? Probably not. But that's just because I believe in having at least 2 points of view. But if you're short on cash or don't have the time to do the ideal comparative study that 2 books would afford, then this book and maybe the Exam Cram 2 Practice Questions for Network+ Exam N10-003 would make excellent resources for the exam.

All in all I would highly recommend this book. I'm only surprised to be the first person to be reviewing such a good book when it's been available for months.

I used this book in conjunction with the Network+ Study Guide book from Sybex. I found that this book had plenty of information aimed at real world experience and directly to passing the exam, while the Network+ Study Guide (Sybex) book had more concise information for passing the exam. Also, there are some one or two details that are missed here, and are mentioned in the other book. This combination proved to be a winner with regards to not only passing the exam, but understanding the information for real world experience. I mention the combination because there is no 'one stop' shopping, when it comes to study guides. Obviously, for more advanced information with regards to networking, there are other books for that, though this one has a wealth of information. This one is for passing the exam. Other reviewers for this type of book fail to stick to that point. I PASSED! ... and with a very good score. Overall, I would definitely use this series of books (along with Sybex) to study from for other exams, when the time comes. This book is now valued reference material that I can look back on.

I read this book from start to finish and found one or more topics completing lacking. One such area was authentication - in particular Kerberos. In the test, I was asked about Kerberos and had absolutelty no idea what to answer. I went back to the book after the exam but there was only one paragraph about Kerberos. Admittedly, my practice exams were also light on Kerberos.

Apart from that there were some minor typos, but the writing style, in my opinion, was a little more livelier than some other texts.

I certainly wouldn't rely solely on any one text to pass (this book is no different). Get a practice test software as a supplement.

In the end, I did pass and now the book is used as a reference for which it is quite adequate.

THIS IS A GOOD BOOK TO HAVE WHILE USING THE EXAM CRAM 2 NETWORK + REVIEW BOOK. IT IS FULL OF PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERY WELL EXPLAINED ANSWERS. THE QUESTIONS ARE WELL WRITTEN AND REALLY MAKE YOU THINK.