MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Core Requirements, Second Edition, Exams 70-210, 70-215, 70-216, 70-217: Microsoft ... Exams 70-210, 70-215, 70-216, 70-217 [Paperback]

This boxed set helps you prepare for the four examinations you must pass to qualify as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) under the Windows 2000 curriculum. You'll find lots of information on Windows 2000 and its networking capabilities in this kit. Specifically, the set consists of four books and a CD-ROM:

• Windows 2000 Server
• Windows 2000 Professional
• Active Directory Services
• Network Infrastructure Administration
• A 120-day evaluation version of Windows 2000 Server

This kit is among the first Windows 2000 MCSE packages on the market, and the books are pretty accurate and detailed. Written mostly by Microsoft internal documentation staff, they use a standard formula. Each module begins with a statement of concepts and facts, such as what log files are and what each of the three Windows 2000 log files is for. Then you get "how-to" information in the form of stepped procedures for viewing log contents; option tables and other material that explain how to deal with non-standard situations come next. Finally, carefully scripted exercises allow you to practise your new skills and get predictable results.

Sections on Domain Name Service (DNS), the IPsec protocol, and the management of network protocols are particularly good. As you might expect from a training kit on a product whose main new feature is Active Directory, the coverage of Active Directory services is top-drawer. Concepts, as well as practicalities, get their due. If only the CD-ROM included a copy of Windows 2000 Professional so that you could set up an experimental network.

The CD-ROM also ought to include an exam simulator, and more test-prep material in the bodies of the books themselves would have been nice. As they stand, they're fine tutorials and references, but not great test preparation aids. Each chapter includes review questions that allow a free response rather than selection from a list of options. The questions will test your knowledge, and answer keys do appear in appendices, but they don't simulate the multiple-choice format of the actual MCSE exams. Read these books for the information they contain, but wait for an Exam Cram or other question repository to get simulation tests. --David Wall

Topics covered: The Microsoft-published objectives of the four required Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) exams. Specifically, this kit contains material on the Windows 2000 Server exam (70-215), the Windows 2000 Professional exam (70-210), the Network Administration Infrastructure exam (70-216), and the Active Directory Services exam (70-217). --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Get in-depth training and practice for the four exams every Windows® 2000 MCSE candidate must pass. Covering Exams 70-210, 70-215, 70-216, and 70-217, these official Microsoft® study guides pack the core knowledge you need to successfully set up and manage the Windows 2000 operating system. Work at your own pace through the lessons and hands-on exercises. And use the exam-prep questions and testing tool to measure your progress and sharpen your test-taking skills. As you gain practical experience supporting the Windows 2000-based desktop and server environment, you’re also preparing for MCSE certification. Here’s what you’ll learn: CORE EXAM 70-210 Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional • Install or upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional • Administer access to shared files, folders, and printers • Configure and manage hardware devices and drivers • Optimize system memory, disk, and application performance • Troubleshoot the desktop environment • Implement network protocols and services • Help ensure data and system security CORE EXAM 70-215 Microsoft Windows 2000 Server • Install or upgrade to Windows 2000 Server • Configure network services for interoperability • Manage access to shared system and Web-based resources • Administer Windows 2000 disks and data storage • Set up and troubleshoot hardware devices and drivers • Optimize system performance, reliability, and availability • Implement network protocols and services • Help ensure system security CORE EXAM 70-216 Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure Administration • Plan the infrastructure for your network • Install and configure TCP/IP • Resolve host names with WINS and DNS • Automate and centrally manage address configuration • Implement and manage remote access • Share a single Internet connection with Network Address Translation • Help secure network communications CORE EXAM 70-217 Microsoft Windows 2000 Active Directory® Services • Plan, configure, and administer your Active Directory infrastructure • Manage and troubleshoot DNS name resolution • Administer software and the user environment with Group Policy • Deploy Windows 2000 using Remote Installation Services (RIS) • Use Active Directory technology to centrally manage user and group accounts, shared folders, and network resources • Implement and troubleshoot security in a directory services infrastructure • Monitor and optimize Active Directory performance Here’s what’s inside: • Comprehensive self-paced training that maps to MCP exam goals and objectives • Skill-building exercises on CD-ROM • NEW—Test-readiness tool that generates timed, 50-question practice exams with automated scoring • NEW—More than 200 pages of exam prep and objective-by-objective review inside each book • NEW—Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking, Second Edition, eBook • 120-day evaluation version of Windows 2000 Server • Searchable eBooks for all four study guides LIMITED TIME OFFER! This kit includes a voucher for a 15% discount at VUE Testing Centers, good toward all four exams (70-210, 70-215, 70-216, 70-217). Offer valid from VUE on exams taken by 12/31/03. Minimum System Requirements: • 133-MHz or higher Pentium-compatible processor • Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Millennium Edition (Me), 2000 Professional, XP, or Microsoft Windows NT® 4 with SP3 or later operating system • Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1 or later browser software • 128-MB RAM minimum; 256 MB recommended • 2-GB hard disk with a minimum of 1 GB of free space • SuperVGA monitor; 256-color display card recommended • 8X CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive • Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device NOTE: To complete the exercises for Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure Administration, you need two computers, each equipped with a network card and the minimum configuration above. Exercises for Windows 2000 Server also require internal modems on each computer. Running the evaluation copy of Windows 2000 Server requires 256 MB RAM.