BKNRMTGE.RVW   971128

"MCSE Training Guide Windows NT Server 4 Enterprise", Jason Sirockman
/Brian Komar/Jay Adamson, 1997, 1-56205-770-7, U$49.99/C$70.95
%A   Jason Sirockman
%A   Brian Komar bkomar@online-can.com
%A   Jay Adamson
%C   201 W. 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN   46290
%D   1997
%G   1-56205-770-7
%I   MacMillan Computer Publishing (MCP)
%O   U$49.99/C$70.95/UK#46.99 800-858-7674 317-581-3743 info@mcp.com
%P   658 p. + CD-ROM
%T   "MCSE Training Guide Windows NT Server 4 Enterprise"

This book is intended primarily as exam preparation for the
"Implementing and Supporting Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 in the
Enterprise" exam (#70-68) in the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
program.  It covers the topics of planning, installation and
configuration, managing resources, connectivity, monitoring and
optimization, and troubleshooting.

The exercise model in the book is quite broad.  A pre-test starts each
chapter, intended to allow the reader to determine a comfort level
with the concepts covered, and to estimate how much time needs to be
spent on the topic.  A set of exercises at the end allow practice of
the ideas within the actual Windows NT environment.  The review
questions at the end of the chapter are somewhat limited in both
number and scope, and the answers provided are limited in terms of
explaining the choices.

There are highlighted "ExamTips" throughout.  These help the student
to recognize the giveaways in the exam.  Since many MCSE exam
questions rely on vocabulary rather than knowledge, I consider this to
be a fair procedure and a helpful advantage to the student.

The organization of the book is designed around the logical divisions
consistent with the MCSE exam.  Because of this, the book does not
work well as either a reference or a tutorial.  Given the intention of
the book, this is fair, but the result is that the reader should be
very well familiar with Windows NT before starting with the training
guide.  This book may very well be a training guide, in terms of
pointing out areas that need to be addressed, but it is not a training
resource.  A separate book is probably needed in order to fully
address issues with which the reader is not comfortable.  The authors
state that the reader should be able to pass the exam using only their
book.  This is possibly true, but if so, it applies only to those
field independent learners who are able to memorize and regurgitate
content without needing to understand it.

One aspect of the book is a rather profound trust in diagrams.  While
helpful for many, diagrams are not a useful teaching device for
everyone.  The concepts being expressed are not always clearly evident
in the graphics, at least not for those who don't already know the
material.

Exercises are included at the end of the chapter, so that conceptual
material can be viewed in action onscreen.  In theory, this could be
quite valuable to the student.  In practice, though, many aspects of
the work rely on the existence not only of appropriate hardware and
networking, but also on specific software and design implementations. 
The introduction does suggest a minimum hardware configuration, but
the stipulated system seems to be simply a workstation capable of
running Windows NT.

Even after taking formal training courses, a great many people have
trouble with the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer exams.  A
training guide for test practice is worth serious consideration.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1997   BKNRMTGE.RVW   971128