microsoft.public.cert.mcdba - Good study for 70-228?

Author

Good study for 70-228?

Dustin

2002-06-23, 6:15 am

Hi all, I am somewhat new to SQL server, and I am working towards the
MCSA/MCSE currently. I am attending a tech school, which I feel is
rather expensive, slow paced, and pretty much not worth it. We do not
do much hands-on stuff in class, we pretty much just go over the book.
I am quite dissatisfied with it, and I am planning on skipping the
4th quarter. Our first class covered 70-210, and was 3 months long, I
took 210 a month into the class and became very bored, so I took
70-218, since it wasn't covered in our curriculm. I am not in the
second quarter, which covers 70-215 & 70-228. I have completed 70-215,
and we have a few weeks of it left, then we start on 70-217. I figure
that I will go for another exam, and since 70-216 is covered in
quarter 3, I will not be an MCSA until then without another exam.
70-228 counts as an elective for MCSA & MCSE so I will be an MCSA and
have my electives done for the MCSE. Although I am the admin at work,
and we use SQL Server 7, and I previously held a development job, for
about 6 months, that used SQL Server 7 extensively, I do not feel that
I have much experience with it. I have nailed all of the previous
exams fairly easily. I have been at this job for a year, and have
successfully converted our network from NT 4 to 2K. At home I have a
nice network, and I have the SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition
evaluation disk that I plan on using. Since this isn't covered in my
curriculm, I do not have any books, so I am going to get a book from
the library, and I am wondering how it is for study purposes. It is
"MCSE Training Kit: Microsoft(r) SQL Server(tm) 2000 System
Administration" from Microsoft Press. This is the only book at the
library that covers exam 70-228. Is that a good book? With this book
and some online resources, should I be good to go? Thanks in advance.

Dustin
Network+, MCP(x3)

Me2

2002-06-23, 6:15 am

You will find that the SQL Books Online(commonly refered to as BOL) is an
execlent study element as well. You must understand that different people
respond to different study resources in differing ways. You seem to be very
good at self study, many others need more directed study. I had taken
training which was much shorter period, about a week for each test using the
MOC materials. I then reread the MOC's and used pratice tests to prepare
for the exams.

Good Luck,
--

Ralph Page MBA, MCP
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."
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Dustin

2002-06-23, 6:15 am

Well, I won't be getting the MOC stuff, as it is expensive, and I am
trying to spend no money, other than the exam itself. I have been
stopping in at a bookstore at lunch and readding chapters from the
Sybex book for 228. I read chapter 2 yesterday, which was on
installation. It seemed pretty light-weight. This is what I took
from it:

- Understanding the different versions of SQL Server 2K, what they
offer and such, that is pretty self explanitory.

- Understand a few of the installation procedures. Basically picking
which type of install, Default or Named Instance, and why, and what
character sets and rules to apply server-wide.

- In upgrades, always backup all of your databases regardless of what
upgrade type you do, and that if you decide to only upgrade certain
databases, it will wipe out the rest.

- Licensing options, like Per Processor (Like Per Server in 2K
Server), and Per Seat.

- Types of authentication, whether to use Windows Auth or both Windows
and SQL Server auth.

- Service accounts, and permissions they must have (Log on as Service)

- Post-install configuration options like setting the amount RAM
allocation, CPU usage, number of connections to allow (0 meaning
unlimited as far as the software goes, limited by hardware) and such.

This seems a bit to easy if you ask me. After reading it, I went back
to work. When I got home last night, I install SQL Server 2K on my
Win2K Adv Server at home. Pretty straight forward. Just like the
excersices in the book. I setup a default instance "SERVER" and a
named instance "SERVER\named". I am hoping that I am just not
underestimating this. I understand that the pass score (when there
were scores) was 755 or something around there. That is kind of high.
So, is the test difficult because of that? Or are the questions
pretty easy or what? I am looking for someone with some experience
with this exam to shed some light on things. I don't want to go in
there underprepared. Thanks in advance.

Dustin
Network+, MCP(x3)

Dustin

2002-06-23, 6:15 am

I found out that the library carries 2 copies of this book, which is a
big surprise, but there is a waiting list, and I am number 3, and one
of the books is overdue... I will be waiting months for those books.
So, I decided to actually spend some money and I got the Osborne book
coming in for 70-228, and I also have the MS Press Readiness Review
coming in. What do you guys think of those. I am going to study
those and BOL, hopefully that will have me prepared by the 28th.

Dustin
Network+, MCP(x3)

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