In the certification craze of 1999-2001, tens of thousands of people earned their Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) ratings. Those certifications are expiring now, just as Microsoft is coming out with Windows Server 2003 to replace the Windows 2000 family of operating systems. There may be a real opportunity for those who earn the Windows Server 2003 certification--and that's where MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Core Requirements comes in. This four-book set (which comes with quiz software and a 180-day laboratory version of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, plus a coupon for 15 percent off the cost of each of the four exams), combined with some hands-on practical work, should be all you need to earn the new MCSE rating or the Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) certification.

Each of the four books (each with a separate author) covers the published requirements of a single exam. Coverage tends to be text-heavy--even procedures rely mostly on text and use few screen shots. This goes to reinforce the fact that these are serious books for people with a pretty good idea of what they're doing already. Chapters typically begin with conceptual coverage of their subjects (using diagrams to illustrate the relationships among network entities in many cases) and move on to illustrative procedures to try. Chapters then conclude with carefully considered discussion questions. The answers to the questions appear in an appendix, complete with explanations of why the correct answers are what they are. --David Wall

Just getting Started with this Kit

I am only just getting started with this Kit and am 5 Chapters into the 70-290 Exam book. The Server 2003 Evaluation copy is great and I used a WinXP machine and a roll over cable and I have the needed network to do all the Exercises. Then the problems start. There are MANY errors and typos in the Exercises. They constantly use ? instead of ". They also have you run command line scripts that DO NOT work that the chapter just got done explaining to you why they won't work (and knowing that it is not suppose to be part of the exercise). They also have you run commands from the command prompt and forget to tell you that you need to be in the Root of C:\

If you have experience you will troubleshoot your way through the exercises. If not, you will probably give up. I ordered the Sybase books for exams 70-290 and 70-291 before I finished chapter 2. I will continue to drudge through until they get here. There is very good information MOST of the time.

Come on Microsoft; Proof your text and Excercises for functionality before going to press.

Great books for the price

I think the books are very good. I am an MCSE currently upgrading my certifications. I dont know why some people are bashing these books, they are detailed, contain labs, practice questions and even a copy of server 2003 Enterprise. I am using these books in addition to Selftest exam sims. If you can find a better self-paced training kit for less I want to know about it.

Dont' waste your time or money

I am an MCT/MCSE/MCBDA and have read scores of technical books.

Don't let the fact that it's Microsoft Press fool you.
These books are shallow and do not offer the depth of information needed to pass these exams. There is no continuity between the books either. I read someone's comment posted below that said they had trouble with some of the technologies because the technologies are new to them. That is not the case; the fact is you are having trouble with the concepts because these books are horrible.

Craig Zacker - The author of two of these books is not even an MCP! This guy couldn't pass these exams if his life depended on it.

To sum up these books are shallow, plagued with inaccuracies, and have horrible explanations of many important concepts.

With these books you probably won't pass the exams, and you certainly won't be able to perform the job function of a systems engineer.