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70-224 Exam Report
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| Hi Everyone,
Sat 70-224 today, cost £103.40 since VUE became Pearson VUE and now
include VAT, even if you book on-line :-( Fortunately I now have company
sponsorship but it's still annoying. I think the exam was about 1 hour 50
minutes to complete 45 questions which is plenty, even for someone like
myself who always spends far too long pondering the first few questions. I
had about 14 minutes to review the 5 or so questions I marked (but didn't
change) which was plenty.
The main emphasis for the exam I got was definately on backup and
recovery, with optimisation a close second, often tied in with performance
monitoring. Lot's of exibits (thanks for the 17" monitors Learning IT Ltd).
The questions covered the full range of difficulty levels and most single
answers could quickly be weeded down to 2 possible answers.
Resources used were:
1. Sybex Study Guide - I always end up buying these and moan about
them afterwards and, as usual, I was not impressed with this book. For me,
the text just didn't flow and I've always hated their awful EdgeTest test
software and the poor standard of questions they churn out.
2. Mastering Exchange 2000 Server - A much better publication which I
would have really loved to have read whilst sat behind a Server but had to
read on the train going to and from work. Unfortunately, IM and Chat is not
covered but plenty more is.
3. MCSE Readiness Review - An great revision guide with some
excellent (and quite lengthy) labs to try. The suggested labs really help
you grasp the concepts and the questions are quite "sneaky" which is good
for sharpening up your question answereing technique just prior to the exam.
Difficulty level probably a little harder than the real thing.
4. CramSession - OK for £7.50 but there was too much reliance on
links to other resources and I could have lived without it.
5. Trancenders - I wasn't going to buy these but was glad that I
did. Excellent breakdown of the answers with explanations that rival any
Training Guide. Difficulty level about the same as the real thing.
6. www.msexchange.org - Nope, not a dodgey web site but an extremely
useful resouce with bite size articles on many subjects relevent to
certification not to mention administration of E5.5/2k in general.
7.
http://www.2000trainers.com/section...3&tab=articles. - Some
nicely written articles and a couple of free short practice exams.
To summarise, for someone like me who had no prior experience with
Exchange, this was quite a challenge. I think the exam was fair and the
difficulty level was about right for the level at which they are testing.
Fortunately, I'm now working with both E5.5 and 2k on an almost daily basis.
So after the best part of 2 years spending most evenings and weekend
buried in books and with my self-built 5 PC test lab, I can finally look
forward to yet another letter from Bill with my MCSE Certificate. At the
risk of sounding smug, to those who seem to have a unhealthy preoccupation
with slagging off the MCSE I say this. I'm quite happy with what I've got
out of this certification (After 23 years service in the Royal Navy I have
just over 2 years in this industry, have worked as a PC Technician and am
currently a Network Support Technician) and I know for a fact that I am a
better Support Professional for it. Your own MCSE will be worth as little
or as much as you decide to make it worth through your own efforts. Goodbye
and good luck to all who continue along this well trodden, but no less
difficult path.
Regards,
DJKJ
| |
| Paisleyskye 2003-08-02, 12:25 am |
| Awesome! That's for the tips, and congrats on the pass!
--
Tracey J. Rosenblath
www.icertify.net
"DJKJ" <djkj@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:bge85b$34b$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Sat 70-224 today, cost £103.40 since VUE became Pearson VUE and now
> include VAT, even if you book on-line :-( Fortunately I now have company
> sponsorship but it's still annoying. I think the exam was about 1 hour 50
> minutes to complete 45 questions which is plenty, even for someone like
> myself who always spends far too long pondering the first few questions.
I
> had about 14 minutes to review the 5 or so questions I marked (but didn't
> change) which was plenty.
>
> The main emphasis for the exam I got was definately on backup and
> recovery, with optimisation a close second, often tied in with performance
> monitoring. Lot's of exibits (thanks for the 17" monitors Learning IT
Ltd).
> The questions covered the full range of difficulty levels and most single
> answers could quickly be weeded down to 2 possible answers.
>
> Resources used were:
>
> 1. Sybex Study Guide - I always end up buying these and moan about
> them afterwards and, as usual, I was not impressed with this book. For
me,
> the text just didn't flow and I've always hated their awful EdgeTest test
> software and the poor standard of questions they churn out.
>
> 2. Mastering Exchange 2000 Server - A much better publication which
I
> would have really loved to have read whilst sat behind a Server but had to
> read on the train going to and from work. Unfortunately, IM and Chat is
not
> covered but plenty more is.
>
> 3. MCSE Readiness Review - An great revision guide with some
> excellent (and quite lengthy) labs to try. The suggested labs really help
> you grasp the concepts and the questions are quite "sneaky" which is good
> for sharpening up your question answereing technique just prior to the
exam.
> Difficulty level probably a little harder than the real thing.
>
> 4. CramSession - OK for £7.50 but there was too much reliance on
> links to other resources and I could have lived without it.
>
> 5. Trancenders - I wasn't going to buy these but was glad that I
> did. Excellent breakdown of the answers with explanations that rival any
> Training Guide. Difficulty level about the same as the real thing.
>
> 6. www.msexchange.org - Nope, not a dodgey web site but an
extremely
> useful resouce with bite size articles on many subjects relevent to
> certification not to mention administration of E5.5/2k in general.
>
> 7.
> http://www.2000trainers.com/section...3&tab=articles. -
Some
> nicely written articles and a couple of free short practice exams.
>
> To summarise, for someone like me who had no prior experience with
> Exchange, this was quite a challenge. I think the exam was fair and the
> difficulty level was about right for the level at which they are testing.
> Fortunately, I'm now working with both E5.5 and 2k on an almost daily
basis.
>
> So after the best part of 2 years spending most evenings and weekend
> buried in books and with my self-built 5 PC test lab, I can finally look
> forward to yet another letter from Bill with my MCSE Certificate. At the
> risk of sounding smug, to those who seem to have a unhealthy preoccupation
> with slagging off the MCSE I say this. I'm quite happy with what I've got
> out of this certification (After 23 years service in the Royal Navy I have
> just over 2 years in this industry, have worked as a PC Technician and am
> currently a Network Support Technician) and I know for a fact that I am a
> better Support Professional for it. Your own MCSE will be worth as little
> or as much as you decide to make it worth through your own efforts.
Goodbye
> and good luck to all who continue along this well trodden, but no less
> difficult path.
>
> Regards,
>
> DJKJ
>
>
| |
|
| Cheers! What's with the Scottish handle? Did my CCNA studying at the
University of Paisley. Now work for a small IT support company in Glasgow.
Regards,
DJKJ
"Paisleyskye" < danstevens@nospammountaincable
.net> wrote in message
news:bgfcom$962$1@news1.mountaincable.net...
> Awesome! That's for the tips, and congrats on the pass!
>
> --
> Tracey J. Rosenblath
> www.icertify.net
>
>
> "DJKJ" <djkj@my-deja.com> wrote in message
> news:bge85b$34b$1@news8.svr.pol.co.uk...
> > Hi Everyone,
> >
> > Sat 70-224 today, cost £103.40 since VUE became Pearson VUE and now
> > include VAT, even if you book on-line :-( Fortunately I now have
company
> > sponsorship but it's still annoying. I think the exam was about 1 hour
50
> > minutes to complete 45 questions which is plenty, even for someone like
> > myself who always spends far too long pondering the first few questions.
> I
> > had about 14 minutes to review the 5 or so questions I marked (but
didn't
> > change) which was plenty.
> >
> > The main emphasis for the exam I got was definately on backup and
> > recovery, with optimisation a close second, often tied in with
performance
> > monitoring. Lot's of exibits (thanks for the 17" monitors Learning IT
> Ltd).
> > The questions covered the full range of difficulty levels and most
single
> > answers could quickly be weeded down to 2 possible answers.
> >
> > Resources used were:
> >
> > 1. Sybex Study Guide - I always end up buying these and moan
about
> > them afterwards and, as usual, I was not impressed with this book. For
> me,
> > the text just didn't flow and I've always hated their awful EdgeTest
test
> > software and the poor standard of questions they churn out.
> >
> > 2. Mastering Exchange 2000 Server - A much better publication
which
> I
> > would have really loved to have read whilst sat behind a Server but had
to
> > read on the train going to and from work. Unfortunately, IM and Chat is
> not
> > covered but plenty more is.
> >
> > 3. MCSE Readiness Review - An great revision guide with some
> > excellent (and quite lengthy) labs to try. The suggested labs really
help
> > you grasp the concepts and the questions are quite "sneaky" which is
good
> > for sharpening up your question answereing technique just prior to the
> exam.
> > Difficulty level probably a little harder than the real thing.
> >
> > 4. CramSession - OK for £7.50 but there was too much reliance on
> > links to other resources and I could have lived without it.
> >
> > 5. Trancenders - I wasn't going to buy these but was glad that I
> > did. Excellent breakdown of the answers with explanations that rival
any
> > Training Guide. Difficulty level about the same as the real thing.
> >
> > 6. www.msexchange.org - Nope, not a dodgey web site but an
> extremely
> > useful resouce with bite size articles on many subjects relevent to
> > certification not to mention administration of E5.5/2k in general.
> >
> > 7.
> > http://www.2000trainers.com/section...3&tab=articles. -
> Some
> > nicely written articles and a couple of free short practice exams.
> >
> > To summarise, for someone like me who had no prior experience with
> > Exchange, this was quite a challenge. I think the exam was fair and the
> > difficulty level was about right for the level at which they are
testing.
> > Fortunately, I'm now working with both E5.5 and 2k on an almost daily
> basis.
> >
> > So after the best part of 2 years spending most evenings and weekend
> > buried in books and with my self-built 5 PC test lab, I can finally look
> > forward to yet another letter from Bill with my MCSE Certificate. At the
> > risk of sounding smug, to those who seem to have a unhealthy
preoccupation[colo
r=green]
> > with slagging off the MCSE I say this. I'm quite happy with what I've[/color]
got
> > out of this certification (After 23 years service in the Royal Navy I
have
> > just over 2 years in this industry, have worked as a PC Technician and
am
> > currently a Network Support Technician) and I know for a fact that I am
a
> > better Support Professional for it. Your own MCSE will be worth as
little
> > or as much as you decide to make it worth through your own efforts.
> Goodbye
> > and good luck to all who continue along this well trodden, but no less
> > difficult path.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > DJKJ
> >
> >
>
>
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