"Note"-Worthy

Follows the 70-210 exam objectives, but we've seen better guides out there.

The first chapter, on installing or upgrading W2K workstation is not only hard to follow, but also there are no screen shots, making studying for the exam from this book very difficult. Though intended as an exam review, the questions dispersed throughout the seven chapters are over simplified to the point of being nearly useless.
Pros: Organized by exam objectives; Exam Essentials, topics that are on exam; no major errors
Cons:
Sample questions simplified, chapter on Installing hard to follow; insufficient screen shots
Verdict: Good information, but uneven quality means there are better choices out there.
On the other hand, the Exam Essentials break out boxes are very well done: short, concise summaries of what you are expected to know. But they don't cover all topics. The tables, usually of options for various functions which are required for the exam, are hard to visualize.

Later chapters, including screen shots, are presented in much more convincing fashion than chapter 1. There are some typos throughout—more likely, editing mistakes; some questions aren't answered within the text, sometimes multiple questions require the same trivial answer. In addition to rare, poor "jokes," there is an unnecessary blurb for two of the authors' book covering Internet Services Manager (W2K Server) in a sidelight. There are better study guides out there, though this guide shares the Sybex line's superb organization, exactly by exam objective. Some will find that comforting.

About the Author

Douglas Mechaber, MCSE, MCNE, CCDA, is a network consultant and dive instructor and is always on the lookout for utilities that make his life easier, or panulirus interruptus, the California spiny lobster.

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