MCSA Core

[apeo]

Anyone tried these:

 

MCSA Core Books

 

Are the Microsoft Press ones better?

[dezt]

I haven't used those exact books, but did use sybex books when I did my MCSA 2000, they were quite good, I haven't used the microsoft books so I can't offer a comparison.

[apeo]

Hmmm... I'll have a look a round to see if theres a bundle for the Core ones by Sybex.

 

EDIT: LOL... how dumb am i... the ones i posted are Sybex LOL.

[JamesC]

I have read/studied from the MS Press books. They are very good. I've noticed that other sources of material tend to say 'go read this on technet...' but the MS Press books had everything I needed.

[apeo]

Hmmm i may just risk it and go for the sybex books as i've heard they are pretty good. The microsoft press ones are good but there no bundle for MCSA so i would need to get them all individually which is going to be alot more expensive.

[JamesC]

You could always buy the MCSE books like I did. Here they are:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Training-70-290-70-291-70-293-70-294/dp/0735622906/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203691387&sr=8-1

[DevilsAdvocate]

I don't understand how the MCSE / MCSA qualifications work. If I were to buy the the books from the link above, what exam/exams would I need to take and what do I get at the end of them?

 

Rob.

[john]

The books numbers are the exam numbers so exam 70-290, 70-291, 70-293, 70-294 are the MCSE Core exams with 290 & 291 being for the MCSA and 93 & 94 for the MCSE

[DevilsAdvocate]

Thanks John, it all makes sense now!

 

Rob

[DevilsAdvocate]

Forgive me for being daft. But if I were to take the 4 core exams and pass them, what then would I need in order to be fully MCSE / MCSA qualified? How many exams is it in total? 6? I'm so confused!

 

Rob.

[john]

The core books cover what is seen as the core curriculum for the MCSE, then you have to take a couple of other exams, one on XP Pro or Vista Business / Ultimate (a client exam) which is not part of the Core Book Set, and then one on another program such as SQL, SharePoint, Exchange etc

[JamesC]

I took 7 exams in total:

 

1 client os exam - I took Windows XP

 

4 core windows server exams (the link I provided previously)

 

2 elective exams - I took ISA server and Designing Security for a Windows Server 2003 Network.

 

The first exam I sat (Windows XP) qualified me as an MCP, because of the order of which I took my exams my last exam qualified me as MCSA and more importantly MCSE.

[apeo]

I've been away... is why i havent been on to reply to my own thread.. Anyway, for the MCSA you need 4 exams:

 

1 Client Core - XP or Vista

 

2 Server Core (70-291 & 70-292)

 

1 Elective.

 

Note: The elective you choose for an MCSA may or may not be an elective for the MCSE.

 

To respond to an earlier post, the reason why i didnt want to get the MCSE core books, is because i wasnt sure that i wanted to go for the MCSE and if i didnt i would have 70-293 and 70-294 kinda for nothing, plus i would need to get the elective book and the client core separate so it works out to be expensive.

[plexer]

I'm going to buy that set of books for my mcsa training and I'm also signing up to a cbt site for online training.

 

I'm thinking of doing an exchange 2007 elective 70-236 any recommeded books on that?

 

Ben

[strawberry]

I'm going to buy that set of books for my mcsa training and I'm also signing up to a cbt site for online training.

 

I'm thinking of doing an exchange 2007 elective 70-236 any recommeded books on that?

 

Ben

 

exchange 2007 doens't count towards mcsa does it?. Cbt nuggets or testout will get you through nearly any exam, testout is very thourough.

[plexer]

Yes it does:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/windows2003/default.mspx

 

Ben

[strawberry]

blimey, i know it dones't count for mcse so assumed it wouldn't for mcsa. if your thinking of moving onto the mcse and later the 08 equilivents its worth doing 620. Is the easiest MS i've ever seen and counts towards the mcsa , mcse, mcts, mcitp desktop and mcitp sa/ea.

[Kyle]

I have a full set (never used of MS books for the MCSA/MCSE that i can let you have at a good price if your interested

 

PM me if you are.