The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-433 Prep Kit: Database Design [Paperback]

Mark Horninger (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1597494216 | ISBN-13: 978-1597494212 | Publication Date: April 29, 2009 | Edition: 1st

SQL Server 2008 is the latest update to Microsoft's flagship database management system. This is the largest update since SQL Server 2005, and it brings increased ability to deliver data across more platforms, and thus many different types of devices. New functionality also allows for easy storage and retrieval of digitized images and video. These attributes address the recent explosion in the popularity of web-based video and server and desktop virtualization. The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-433 Prep Kit prepares readers for the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist exam: SQL Server 2008, Database Development. This is a new exam in the SQL Server product family, and is comprised of some objectives from exam 70-431 from SQL Server 2005, and covers new, expanded query capabilities in SQL Server 2008. According to Microsoft:

• Exam 70-431 for SQL Server 2005 was passed by over 35,000 people.
• ~ 150,000 people passed a similar exam for SQL Server 2000.

Additionally, this exam is a pre-requisite for those going on to obtain the MCITP: Database Developer 2008:

• Successful candidates for the SQL Server 2005 MCITP ~ 2,500.

The Prep Kit offers practice exams via the book's companion site.

• This is The 'Real' Microsoft Exam Prep Kit, and provides the reader with independent and unbiased exam tips and warnings everything they need to know to ensure certification success.


• Authored by Mark Horninger, a nationally recognized leader in SQL Server with over 50 Microsoft certifications to his credit; Mark knows what it takes to successfully navigate Microsoft exams.


• Complete study package offers Syngress proven pedagogy including practice exams via the book's companion site
  

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mark Horninger , A+, Net+, Security+, MCSE+I, MCSD, MCAD,MCDBA, MCTS, MCITP, MCPD is President and founder of Haverford Consultants Inc.( http://www.haverford-consultants.com/ ), located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. He develops custom applications and system engineering solutions, specializing primarily in Microsoft operating systems and Microsoft BackOffice products. He is also an adjunct professor at Kaplan University in the Web department. He has over 15 years of computer consulting experience and has passed 50+ Microsoft Certified Exams. During his career Mark has worked on many extensive and diverse projects including database development, application development, training, embedded systems development and Windows NT and 200x project rollout planning and implementations. Mark lives with his wife Debbie and two children in Havertown, PA. He is the author of Configuring and Troubleshooting Windows XP Professional MCSE Windows 2000 Professional Study Guide and Designing SQL Server 2000 Databases for .NET Enterprise Servers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 632 pages
• Publisher: Syngress; 1st edition (April 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597494216
• ISBN-13: 978-1597494212
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #728,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Be Advised: It's a Prep BOOK, not a Prep KIT, May 23, 2009

By 

T. Williams "pinstripe_louie" (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-433 Prep Kit: Database Design (Paperback)

As of May 23, 2009, the description of the "kit" on Amazon, which is copied directly from that on the publisher's website, indicates that "The Prep Kit offers an exam-prep guide book, practice exams and a test engine, access to a searchable e-book, and podcasts and PowerPoints for exam-day review." Be advised that the book includes access to none of these supplemental materials. The book does not come with any electronic media, such as a CD-ROM, and the companion website includes only two appendices to the book, in PDF format. After much frustration, I learned from the publisher that there are no plans to offer access to a test engine, e-book, podcasts, or PowerPoints, in association with this book. On the plus side, I was informed that their website will be updated to remove the erroneous information to the contrary.

The book itself is fairly well written, and each chapter concludes with 20 self-test questions. The questions seem to cover a good cross section of what might appear on the real exam. Judged on its own merits, I would likely give this book 4 stars, but since I was seeking a more comprehensive "prep kit", it fell far short of my expectations. I plan to just stick with Microsoft Press for my certification preparation in the future.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 70% of the way, October 14, 2009

By 

Reinis (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-433 Prep Kit: Database Design (Paperback)

I bought this book because I found the Microsoft test kit to be full of missing information compared to the practice questions.

This book helped a lot, but only got me about 70% of the way to what i needed to know. It's actually a very good book to basically cover all over SQL Server 2008 even if you have no experience with previous versions either. However, to actually pass the exam, it's not quite enough. There are some sections missing that are covered in the Microsoft book but not in the "Real" test kit (service broker for example).

I would recommend it if you are taking the exam - in fact I would probably get this first, then maybe the Microsoft book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Too many inaccuracies to be a single source for exam prep, February 14, 2011

By 

patrick2525 "patrick2525" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real MCTS SQL Server 2008 Exam 70-433 Prep Kit: Database Design (Paperback)

Like Horninger's 70-432 book, this book also has so many inaccuracies that you cannot rely on it as a single-source for exam prep. The only reason that I'm reading the 70-433 book is because its free for me through my company's Skillport/books24x7 account. I use this along with other 'free-to-me' books to prepare.

I've been reading this for about a week now and have to keep going to the internet to verify things in almost every section. Although this 'verification' further enhances my understanding, it would be nice to be able to just read the book and trust it. Today I was taking the Chapter 6 practice exam and one of the 'correct' answers/ explanation was so blatantly wrong that I was prompted to write this review after verifying the mistruth myself. The book states "[wrong answer] uses a named transaction, which cannot be used when rolling back." Yes Mr. Horninger, named trasactions CAN be rolled back. FAIL again.

Doesn't anyone peer review these books before they get published??