MCSD Training Guide: Solution Architectures (The Training Guide Series) - Hardcover

Cornish, Randy; Qaisar, Eeraj; Ferguson, Derek; Dayton, Denny

3.25

8 ratings by Goodreads

9780735700260: MCSD Training Guide: Solution Architectures (The Training Guide Series)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0735700265 ISBN 13: 9780735700260

Publisher: Pearson IT Certification, 1999

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Each Training Guide will be organized around the exam objectives. This makes it very easy for readers to focus on areas where they need to improve. It also helps them identify what the key topics on the exam will be.

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Review:

The MCSD Solution Architectures Training Guide is a fine, well-thought out, solidly put together book on software construction. It is thorough--detailing everything that may affect the independent programmer, from UI considerations to how to tell if a company may be getting ready to downsize. And it even has a quality shared by few other computer books: it's enjoyable to read.

There is only one problem: It may not help you pass the test.

While a very good introduction to the issues surrounding the MCSD: SA test, the book is a large (600-page) mass of information that lacks a critical focus on the "hotspots" that routinely come up on tests. The information is, by and large, presented all at once without any weighting, as if every fact was as crucial as every other--which, from a test-taker's perspective, is demonstrably not true. In other words, it is an extremely good book but doesn't give you an idea on what sorts of topics are likely to come up on the MCSD.

And that's a shame, because otherwise the book is a wonderful primer. A large case study at the beginning of every chapter details the problems of a fictitious company, complete with quotes from imaginary interviews had with various executives and end-users. The rest of the chapter is then spent analysing the case study's information and dissecting what it means. You will learn to listen to end-user speak and translate it into what they really want technology-wise, guess what kind of funding may be available for your project just from careful analysis of senior management's guarded comments, and talk to the IT guy and learn what challenges lie ahead of you.

Scalability requirements are covered, as are user interface design, project scope, the basics of database design and normalisation, n-tier computing, ROI calculations, the PASS ME analysis that all software projects should be subjected to, and conceptual design of a project.

But still, there does seem to be some cluelessness by the authors regarding what comes up on the test. There are comments like, "Because the 70-100 exam is about designing solutions and because Microsoft has a published framework for solutions design, it seems reasonable to suggest that you do some background research on this topic in MSDN..."--and then they provide no further information on the topic, which indicates that the authors are unclear on what topics are tested.

The end-of-chapter exams are extremely good and thorough, as is usual for this series, and do help to mitigate some of the underlying problems. As does the ExamGear software, known for providing reasonably brutal sample questions to help you pass your tests. But a nagging worry about whether these were the types of questions that would show up on the exam haunted me.

As previously stated, this is an outstanding book with a major flaw. If you are buying two books to prepare for the MCSD, this should definitely be one of them. But if you're buying one book, this might not be it. --William Steinmetz, amazon.com

Synopsis:

For courses in Certification-MCSE, MCSD, Networking, and Other Professional Certifications. The Solution Architectures Exam, Exam 70-100, is only exam that all MCSD certification candidates MUST take to become MCSD-certified. In addition to the three core exams (total) candidates must take, they must also take one elective exam. The Training Guide series from New Riders is the best way for students to prepare. Organized around the exam objectives, Training Guides make it easy for you to focus on areas where you need to improve. It also helps you identify what the key topics on the exam will be. This book offers concise, clearly delineated coverage of the key concepts necessary to pass the Solution Architectures exam. An added bonus is the exclusive ExamGear, Training Guide Edition. This is light version of our retail product that gives students exposure to all the available question types including case study, drag & drop, ordered tree, ordered list, and multiple choice. The software includes three modes: Practice Exam, Study Mode, and Adaptive Exam mode, giving students flexibility in their studying. Approved by Microsoft as an Official Study Guide.

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