Customer Reviews

MCSE Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure: Exam 70-293 Study Guide and DVD Training System

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I read the Microsoft Press 70-293 book as well as taking the Testout video tutorials and Transcender practice exams. I felt pretty good about passing the test, however, I ended up failing it due to simply running out of time. I got this book to go over the subject matter once again, which it does in pretty good detail and from a different perspective than the Microsoft Press publication. If I were trying to learn this material from ground zero, I don't think this book would of been much help because it is somewhat hard to understand at times and the writing style is verbose and more overly complicated than it should be. Also, I feel that on the practice questions and answers, that if they would of explained why something was wrong or right, it would of been more helpful. I did find quite a bit of typographical errors throughout the book, which I feel was unprofessional on Syngress' part. One feature I did like was the Frequently Asked Questions at the end of each chapter which I found helpful.

If you understand the material covered in this book already then you might find it useful. However if you are new to this subject, forget it. Unless you enjoy poorly written books then avoid this book like the plague. I shall explain why.
1. This book uses pages and pages to explain something that could be explained clearly and completely in one paragraph.
2. This style of writing in this book is overly complex. Instead of putting things in clear simple English, the authors decided to use complex words in place of simple ones just to make it sound more complicated than it really is.
3. It goes over topics and does not cover them in enough detail and then says you won't get this in the exam but you should know it anyway.


Let me finish my review by saying this. I understand sub-netting completely. I read the chapter on it to refresh my memory. I ended up not having a clue what the authors were saying and thinking that no beginner would have a clue what they are on about let alone be able to do it.

So in closing, this is a terrible book. Avoid it.

I am studying for my MCSE (all self study) & am no stranger to computer based testing. I had the MS Press Book for this, so I read it cover to cover & then tried to do Testking Exams... big problem, there were plenty of questions that were not even mentioned in the MS Press book. I got this book & after going through the gaps that the MS Press book left was very confident to pass the exam, & I did with a score of 928. It's a great book & I'll be getting a sygness book for my next exam too.