REVIEW: MCTS Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Implementation and Maintenance Training Kit

"MCTS Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Implementation and Maintenance Self Paced Training Kit"

by

Solid Quality Learning

Unlike the previous generation of MCP exams, the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) exam for SQL Server 2005 covers all aspects of the product, from installation to stored procedures to database tuning. The seeming expectation from Microsoft is that you need to be a major expert in every area of the product before you can become a Database Administrator or a Database Developer which are the higher level Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) exams in this product (there is a third MCITP for Business Intelligence).

The authors therefore have a difficult job trying to get you confident enough to pass exam 70-431.

Pros

• Practice test on CD
• 180 day free trial of SQL Server 2005 Enterprise
• 15% discount on exam 70-431
• eBook version of the book (Acrobat)
• General introduction to all the features of SQL Server 2005

Cons

• Questions from the book repeated on CD
• All CD questions presented in multiple choice i.e. no simulations
• Some areas not covered in enough depth e.g. Service Broker and HTPP End-points

Overall

As a general introduction to what SQL Server 2005 is capable of, this book is excellent. The DBA stories at the beginning of each chapter prevent it from becoming too dry. However, it does not appear to have enough depth to pass the exam as simply reading the book enough times will be enough to pass the practice exam on the CD.