Rating: 
Summary: Looks like I gave it 4 stars!!!
Review: After 5 weeks of studying, I passed this exam.
Overall, the book did a pretty good job. The chapters/lessons that lack the most, when relaying the information presented in the book to the test, are the chapter concerning managing disks and the lesson on IIS 6.0. Real world experience is the best I could find to help me when presented with many of the disk management questions. (In case you're wondering, I had the fixed length test.) There just wasn't enough "meat" in that area. The lesson on IIS 6 was just a bit shy of a teaser. It's on the CD... install it. Everything else in the book was covered rather well.
If you want to pass this exam, start reading section one, then move on to section two and do all of the related readings. Keep in mind that no book is absolutely flawless. Anything that you don't know like the back of your hand, research on Technet. Most importantly of all... an evaluation version of Windows Server 2003 (Enterprise Edition) comes with the book; install it, use it, and push yourself to your limit. Then push some more.
Rating: 
Summary: Great way to learn 2003
Review: Having worked in the training industry for several years, I've found that learning through questions (i.e. the Socratic method) is one of the most effective methods of knowledge transfer. That's one of the reasons why I enjoyed the Self-Paced Training Kit. In addition, I thought the questions were very appropriate. By that I mean that they were very similar to the actual exam in format and difficulty. However, unlike some of the illicit practice exams floating around the Internet, they aren't word-for-word rip-offs of the actual exam (a practice I abhor).The treatment of the material is certainly adequate and given the relative lack of Server 2003 information currently in existence, actually quite a pleasant surprise. The references provided are also sufficient and other readers will enjoy the fact that many of them are available free of charge. In addition, I thought there was a good amount of value-added provided through the CD (e-book is great because it is searchable making for easy location of key concepts) and the discounted exam voucher. It'll be a while before we can judge how this book will stack up against its competition but given the fact that there is relatively little competition out there right now I'm pretty certain this book is the best of what's currently available.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's Alan Carter?
Review: I achieved my MCSE/NT4.0 primarily with the use of Alan Carter's MCSE Study Guide and some hands-on experience in the work place. I was able to successfully install multiple W2K servers for a client with Carter's Windows 2000 Study Guide. Now I figure it's time to upgrade the cert and read the best book I could find --- The MCSA/MCSE Windows Server 2003 Environment Self-Paced Training Kit by Microsoft Press. Wow, this book is NOTHING compared to Carter's books. I DO NOT recommend solely relying on this book. First, it starts off with some cockamamey directions on installing W2K3 Server (180-day version comes with the book). The instructions throughout this book (AND other MS Press books) have been written BACKWARDS. In the REAL WOLRD, we tell someone, "Click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Defrag..." --- in these books they say, "Use the {tool} in the System Tool Folder, from Accessories, in Programs, Start." No joke. The next chapter doesn't deal with configuring the Server, but rather jumps to "Administering" it with Tools (MMC, Remote Assistance, Terminal Services) BEFORE there is anything there to administer. Service Packs and Licensing aren't addressed until CHAPTER 9 --- AFTER Printers. Where's the logic in this presentation? FINALLY, to make matters worse for those who desire to pass the exam, try using the "MeasureUp" testing software that comes with these books. There are 132 questions in the Objective Review / 300 in the Practice Test mode. By the time I got to the 21st question I had already found THREE errors in the answers they presented --- and one of those answers even said it was incorrect! I DO NOT recommend MeasureUp as a reliable testing tool. Double-check all your answers against mulitple resources, and check out other products (like selftest/transcender). Be wary, nothing is perfect, but geeze, with as much cash as MS has you'd THINK that they'd be able to hire some logical book writers and pay some technical proof-readers before giving MeasureUp their stamp of approval???
Rating: 
Summary: Not for beginner
Review: I bought the whole set of MCSE. I took the first one 70-290. I found that it is difficult to follow.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Intro but Inadequate for Exam
Review: I did the exam 2 weeks ago (passed) after using this book along with Trancenders but struggled in the exam. You would need to have a second book to give you a rounded view of the subject areas. Also the exam is based on a lot of real world examples not covered in the text (a lot of stuff on backing-up) also a lot of areas in the book were not in the exam. If you are new to 2003 spend some time working with the material before tackling the exam.
Rating:
Summary: Great Preparation Material
Review: I hold an MCSE in NT4 and 2000 (and soon 2003). This text covers all of the objectives in a good, if occasionally dry, fashion. Including an exam discount voucher and the book in ebook format was a good idea, though reading such a long text on a PocketPC is a bit of a strain. The objectives themselves are covered, though not at a level of detail higher than is required to pass the exam. If you are looking for a straigh reference on Windows Server 2003, rather than a reference for the 70-290 exam, you would do better waiting for the Resource Kit to be published. Good pointers are given on where to seek further information if you wish to drill down into a particular topic, but when trying to cover so many topics some readers might find them a little brief. This isn't really a criticism of the book itself as all certification texts suffer from this problem. This particular title suffers less than most from this particular issue. The questions supplied in the latter chapters are sometimes a little long, though I found them to be of similar length to what I actually encountered in the exam. Some of the questions are harder and some are easier than what you will face on test day. It is fair to say that if you can pass the questions in the written chapters you are in good shape. Some of the questions provided on the bonus test CD are simpler are simpler than the real exam questions. Unlike the questions in the book, passing the questions on the companion CD won't give an accurate indication of your readiness to face the real exam. Overall I found no glaring errors and I'd recommend this text to other students looking to pursue Windows 2003 MCSA/MCSE certifications.
Rating:
Summary: It was everything I needed to pass.
Review: I thought that Holme and Thomas did an excellent job of writing a book designed to help students prepare for and pass the 70-290 exam. They provide a credible alternative to memorizing the thousands of pages in the win2003 Admin Companion, Deployment Kit, Security Guide, etc. The authors were able to distill it down to a dozen or so chapters, plus additional recommended readings before taking the test. Some other reviews seem to criticize it for being disjointed, but the book is clearly designed to help you pass the test, not administer a server (there are lots of other good books for that). Two weeks after buying this book I passed the test on my first try. 'Nuff said.
Rating:
Summary: MS Press can do better...
Review: I'm a current MCSE in Windows 2000, but as a trainer, I decided to get caught up on the current 2003 titles. I recently picked up this book, after taking this exam already. I can tell you without a doubt, this book does not dig deep enough into what you will need to prepare for the exam. The questions themselves are way too easy, there are a number of topics not touched on, and in geneal, this book is very dry. Personally, I feel this book was rushed out the door.
Rating:
Summary: A solid comprehensive read
Review: I've just finished reading this book, it contained almost everything I needed to know for the exam. It was written in easy to understand language and coupled with the recommended experience in the server field should be a breeze for others to comprehend. Great to see an Australian writing such an important MSPress book too!
Rating:
Summary: disappointment
Review: I've yet to find this book to be any help. It makes it sound simple and easy but there are a lot of easy examples and a lot of filler. I've done the real test twice, making worse the second time even after buying Measure-Up practice tests and re reading the books I have. Microsoft makes the test even harder the second time and have the nerve to claim that they don't. The manager at the testing center admitted that they do but he doesn't know why.
I'm beginning to understand why a lot of people don't really like Microsoft.
I'm disappointed in much of the so called training material that is being offered for this test and am beginning to think that it's all a big plot to relieve poor slobs of their money, me included.
Read and use this book at your own risk.
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