MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-432): Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008 Implementation and Maintenance

The "Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Training Kit" series was highly recommended to me by an Instructor. I agree with the Instructor's recommendation. The Microsoft Training Kit series includes sample exams that also give you the following info. after you've completed the exam: 1) detailed explanations (with additional references) for the correct answers, 2) an assessment of your total score and the areas to concentrate on to improve your score. --- My money was sell spent. --- Lynne

As previous reviewers have already pointed out, there are a plethora of inaccuracies with the SQL Server 2008 edition comparisons in Chapter 1. For this, I'd suggest referencing Microsoft's edition comparison list at [...]Other than Chapter 1, the information in this book is there but a bit thin. I also noticed the lesson reviews tend to "jump ahead", so to speak. For example, the lesson review for Chapter 6 Lesson 2 is on page 144. It gives a scenario about moving orders older than 30 days from the orders table with the least amount of performance hit. It's a 2 part answer and one involves the SWITCH operator. The book doesn't explicitly delve into SWITCH until Chapter 6 Lesson 4 (page 151).The practice test engine, on the other hand, is one of the best I've ever seen from MeasureUp (their test engines are usually solid anyways). There were a lot of real-life scenario-type questions on there that were scarce in the book. It was also very good about pointing you to good reference materials for each question (some of which were obviously not the book). I took the exam yesterday and passed on the first try, but firmly believe it was the MeasureUp test engine that put me over the top.In most cases, the practice exams are supplemental to the book. In this case, however, the book seems to be the supplement. Overall, I found this book to be okay at best. If you're wise, you'll do outside referencing anyways... while both on the job and studying. With that said, there's probably better material out there for 70-432. I must give this one an average review because the Chapter 1 epic fail, in particular, just cannot go unpunished :(

I want to start out by identifying myself. I'm a SQL DBA I've got around 8 years of experience, I've got my MCITP for SQL 2005 for Database Administration. So I've read the 70-431 book cover to cover and I can understand some of the criticism of this book, but will address that later.I bought this book to train for the 70-431 test, I didn't upgrade my cert but choose to take 70-431 & 70-450. Now I studied the book like crazy, I made flash cards, I used the CD in the back of the book, but I did not rely on it. Anything that I felt was not flushed out as well as I liked I would study on MSDN, or great blogs like Paul Randal's. I read several white papers, and was able to use a lot of the knowledge in the work place, which re-enforced my studies..... And I passed the Cert test. Mike's knowledge of SQL Server is great, but there are a lot of sections where Deep Dives will reveal more detail and may even contradict what is written. But bottom line if you study the book, the concepts, and the practices, and know them inside and out then this book is enough to prep you for the exam.If you want to be a SQL Rockstar, (Google Brent Ozar and SQL Rockstar and read his article), then this is a beginning and you have a lot more work to do. But that goes with a lot of things in life, if all you are willing to do is crack open this book, study it's questions, and do nothing more to prepare for this exam then you are missing a lot of SQL Server Knowledge and while you *might* pass the test you will be a so/so DBA, then that is your choice.But Dear Reader it is up to you to get that knowledge and Mike does a great job of providing you a diving board to spring from. The question remains, how far do you want to go as a SQL DBA and how hard are you willing to chase it? A book is a book. The reader determines what is achieved with the knowledge they derive from the book.IN COMPARISON TO 70-431There is a review that states that this book is far inferior to the 70-431 book. And I would agree.I would, however, like to point out that Microsoft has tried to specify the SCOPE of DBA training. Whereas 70-431 had to address DBA, Database Developer, and BI (until BI was later split out on it's own path), 70-432 only covers DBA items, and the scope of the exam is also narrowed.So is 70-431 a better more inclusive book? Yes, but it should be.It is like saying the Star Wars Trilogy is a more complete story than just Empire Strikes Back.Yes it should be it is 3 movies not 1.And yes 70-431 should be, it was meant to cover 3 subjects not 1 (even thoug it was weak on BI which is why they split it out).This is a very Good book, and I recommend it to anyone who is studying to take the 70-432 exam.Let's see, (pull's out check list)Fan boy mentions of Paul Randal and Brent Ozar.....CheckFind a way to bring Star Wars into the conversation....Checkwell I think that covers it I hope this review helps you decide if you will buy the book or not.