Welcome to the MCSA/MCSE 70-291 Exam Cram! Whether this is your first or your fifteenth Exam Cram series book, you'll find information here that will help ensure your success as you pursue knowledge, experience, and certification. This introduction explains Microsoft's certification programs in general and talks about how the Exam Cram series can help you prepare for Microsoft's Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Microsoft's Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) exams. Chapter 1, "Microsoft Certification Exams," discusses the basics of Microsoft certification exams, including a description of the testing environment and a discussion of test-taking strategies. Chapters 26 are designed to remind you of everything you'll need to know to takeand passthe 70-291 Microsoft MCSE/MCSA certification exam. The two sample tests at the end of the book should give you a reasonably accurate assessment of your knowledgeand, yes, we've provided the answers (and their explanations) to the tests. Read the book and understand the material, and you'll stand a very good chance of passing the test. Exam Cram books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass Microsoft certification exams. Exam Cram books are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything you need to know about a topic. Instead, I present and dissect the questions and problems I've found that you're likely to encounter on a test. I've worked to bring together as much information as possible about Microsoft certification exams. Nevertheless, to completely prepare yourself for any Microsoft test, I recommend that you begin by taking the Self-Assessment that is included in this book, immediately following this introduction. The Self-Assessment tool will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) or Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification under both ideal and real circumstances. Based on what you learn from the Self-Assessment, you might decide to begin your studies with some classroom training, some practice with Windows Server 2003, or some background reading. On the other hand, you might decide to pick up and read one of the many study guides available from Microsoft or third-party vendors on certain topics. We also recommend that you supplement your study program with visits to www.examcram.com to receive additional practice questions, get advice, and track the MCSE and MCSA program. I also strongly recommend that you install, configure, and spend some time working with Windows Server 2003 and the various services that you'll be tested on. Nothing beats hands-on experience and familiarity when it comes to understanding the questions you're likely to encounter on a certification test. Book learning is essential, but without a doubt, hands-on experience is the best teacher of all! Many of the chapters include step-by-step instructions on how to perform various tasks in Windows Server 2003 to assist you in getting familiar with the product. Taking a Certification ExamAfter you've prepared for your exam, you need to register with a testing center. Each computer-based MCP exam costs $125; if you don't pass, you can retest for an additional $125 for each additional try. In the United States and Canada, tests are administered by Prometric and by VUE. Here's how you can contact them:
To sign up for a test, you must possess a valid credit card or contact either Prometric or VUE for mailing instructions to send a check (in the United States). Only when payment is verified or your check has cleared can you actually register for the test. To schedule an exam, you need to call the number or visit either of the web pages at least one day in advance. To cancel or reschedule an exam, you must call before 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time the day before the scheduled test time (or you might be charged, even if you don't show up to take the test). When you want to schedule a test, you should have the following information ready:
After you sign up for a test, you are told when and where the test is scheduled. You should try to arrive at least 15 minutes early. You must supply two forms of identificationone of which must be a photo IDand sign a nondisclosure agreement to be admitted into the testing room. All Microsoft exams are completely closed book. In fact, you are not permitted to take anything with you into the testing area, but you are given a blank sheet of paper and a pen (or, in some cases, an erasable plastic sheet and an erasable pen). We suggest that you immediately write down on that sheet of paper all the information you've memorized for the test. You are given some time to compose yourself, record this information, and take a sample orientation exam before you begin the real thing. I suggest that you take the orientation test before taking your first exam, but because all the certification exams are more or less identical in layout, behavior, and controls, you probably don't need to do this more than once. When you complete a Microsoft certification exam, the software tells you immediately whether you've passed or failed. If you need to retake an exam, you have to schedule a new test with Prometric or VUE and pay another $125. Note The first time you fail a test, you can retake the test as soon as the next day. However, if you fail a second time, you must wait 14 days before retaking that test. The 14-day waiting period remains in effect for all retakes after the second failure. Tracking MCP StatusAs soon as you pass any Microsoft exam, you attain MCP status. Microsoft generates transcripts that indicate which exams you have passed. You can view a copy of your transcript at any time by going to the MCP secured site and selecting Transcript Tool. This tool enables you to print a copy of your current transcript and confirm your certification status. After you pass the necessary set of exams, you are certified. Official certification is normally granted after three to six weeks, so you shouldn't expect to get your credentials overnight. The package for official certification that arrives includes a Welcome Kit that contains a number of elements (see Microsoft's website for other benefits of specific certifications):
Many people believe that the benefits of MCP certification go well beyond the perks that Microsoft provides to newly anointed members of this elite group. We're seeing more job listings that request or require applicants to have MCP, MCSA, and other certifications, and many individuals who complete Microsoft certification programs can qualify for increases in pay or responsibility. As an official recognition of hard work and broad knowledge, one of the MCP credentials is a badge of honor in many IT organizations. How to Prepare for an ExamPreparing for any MCSE- or MCSA-related test (including Exam 70-291) requires that you obtain and study materials designed to provide comprehensive information about the product and its capabilities that will appear on the specific exam for which you are preparing. The following list of materials can help you study and prepare:
In addition, you might find any or all of the following materials useful in your quest for Windows Server 2003 expertise:
This set of recommended materials represents an unparalleled collection of sources and resources for Windows Server 2003 and related topics. I hope you'll find that this book belongs in this company. What This Book Will Not DoThis book will not teach you everything you need to know about computers, or even about a given topic. Nor is this book an introduction to computer technology. If you're new to network administration or networking in general and are looking for an initial preparation guide, check out www.examcram.com, where you will find a whole section dedicated to the MCSE/MCSA certifications. This book reviews what you need to know before you take the test, with the fundamental purpose dedicated to reviewing the information needed on the Microsoft 70-291 certification exam. This book uses a variety of teaching and memorization techniques to analyze the exam-related topics and to provide you with ways to input, index, and retrieve everything you'll need to know to pass the test. Once again, it is not an introduction to networking and network administration, nor does it cover introductory topics as they pertain to Windows Server 2003. What This Book Is Designed to DoThis book is designed to be read as a pointer to the areas of knowledge you will be tested on. In other words, you might want to read the book one time, just to get an insight into how comprehensive your knowledge of computers is. The book is also designed to be read shortly before you go for the actual test and to give you a distillation of the entire field of implementing, managing, and maintaining a Windows Server 2003 network infrastructure in as few pages as possible. We think you can use this book to get a sense of the underlying context of any topic in the chaptersor to skim for Exam Alerts, bulleted points, summaries, and topic headings. The material covered in this book is based on Microsoft's own listing of exam objectives. These are the topics that Microsoft intends to test you on during the exam. The book also covers a number of other topics that you are likely to encounter both on the exam and on the job. Exam 70-291 makes a basic assumption that you already have a strong background of experience with Windows Server 2003 and its related technologies and terminology. I've tried to demystify the jargon, acronyms, terms, and concepts. Also, wherever I think you're likely to zip past an important concept, I've defined the assumptions and premises behind that concept. About This BookThe topics in this book have been structured around the objectives outlined by Microsoft for Exam 70-291. This ensures that you are familiar with the topics that you'll encounter on the exam. Some of the topics covered later in the book might require an understanding of topics covered in earlier chapters. Therefore, it's recommended that you read the book from start to finish for your initial reading. After you've read the book, you can brush up on a certain area by using the index or the table of contents to go straight to the topics and questions that you want to reexamine. I've tried to use the headings and subheadings to provide outline information about each given topic. After you've been certified, I think you'll find this book useful as a tightly focused reference and an essential foundation of Windows Server 2003 reference material. Chapter FormatsEach Exam Cram chapter follows a regular structure, along with graphical cues about especially important or useful material. The structure of a typical chapter is as follows:
The bulk of the book follows this chapter structure, but there are a few other elements that we would like to point out:
Contacting the AuthorI've tried to create a real-world tool that you can use to prepare for and pass the 70-291 MCSE/MCSA certification exam. I'm interested in any feedback you would care to share about the book, especially if you have ideas about how I can improve it for future test takers. I'll consider everything you say carefully and will respond to all reasonable suggestions and comments. You can reach me via email at dhuggins@skyweb.ca. Let me know if you found this book to be helpful in your preparation efforts. I'd also like to know how you felt about your chances of passing the exam before you read the book and then after you read the book. Of course, I'd love to hear that you passed the exam, so even if you just want to share your triumph, I'd be happy to hear from you. Thanks for choosing me as your personal trainer, and enjoy the book. I would wish you luck on the exam, but I know that if you read through all the chapters and work with the product, you won't need luckyou'll pass the test on the strength of real knowledge! |