Introduction

Welcome to Analyzing Requirements and Defining Microsoft .NET Solution Architectures Exam Cram 2 (Exam 70-300). This book is intended to prepare you for taking and passing the Microsoft exam of the same name, number 70-300.

Exam Cram 2 books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass certification exams. Exam Cram 2 books are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything you need to know about a topic. I'm sure a lot of you will find that some of your favorite tricks or tips for architecting solutions are not found in this book.

Instead, the series presents the questions and topics you are likely to encounter on a test. In preparing this book, I have worked from Microsoft's published objectives, my own test experiences, and online discussions with those who have taken the current exam. The aim of the Exam Cram 2 series is to bring together as much information as possible about certification exams in a compact format, thus getting you "in and out" in the most efficient way possible. So if you don't see anything on using index cards to do Use Case scenarios, doing "lo-fidelity" prototypes, or creating a self-referencing, object-oriented database, you know that it probably won't be on the exam.

Of course, I might "accidentally" throw in a few things that aren't on the exam, but I've had to be as brief as possible. Not to worry, however; I've included lots of Web references to keep you busy right up to the day of the exam.

I recommend that you begin by taking the Self-Assessment immediately following this Introduction. This tool will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for the 70-300 exam.

Based on what you learn from that exercise, you might decide to begin your studies with some classroom training, read one of the many study guides available from third-party vendors, or wait until you've gained more experience before taking the exam. It's still true that nothing beats hands-on experience and familiarity when it comes to understanding the questions you are likely to encounter on a certification test. Book learning is useful, but hands-on experience is the best teacher of all.