Certification Books

This is a very well-written study-guide. It gets to the point without getting too wordy. It could serve as a model for other study guides. But, I do have a few minor gripes. First, some of the pages were printed kind of blurry, a kind of shadow image. Second, there is too much preaching about what the author feels are best practices, some of which I question. Best practices questions are not on the exam, at least the one I took, and thus should be left out of a study guide except as perhaps small footnotes. There were also a few minor typos, but being a niche market I can forgive that for technical books.

This is pretty much the only material you need to pass the certification. I was thinking of getting the exam buster as previous reviewer suggested, but exam buster does not promise same day delivery of their products, and with the exam one day away, I had only this guide to rely on.

Here is the approach I took that might work for you as well if you are pressed for time: Work on the end of chapter exercises first, mark all the questions that you are unsure of, if you have the time, go back and read the chapters and correct your own mistakes (I skipped this one because of time issue), and finally check the answers at the back. Note all the ones you were unsure of or didn't get right and studied the reasons provided with each answer. If you don't feel confident of the topic or you have made enough mistakes in the questions, read that chapter.

Before I read the guide, I scored a 70% using Ben's site. After a day of going through the guide using the "algorithm" above, I got an Advanced certification the next day. It goes to show you how good the guide is. One thing to be aware of, some answers are not correct (ran into about 4-5 incorrect answers at the back of the book), thankfully the answer analysis are correct most of the time so you can catch any mistakes in the answers the book provides. Do Ben a favor and get this book, he really deserves the royalty.

Ben Forta's deep experience and practical application overflows from the pages of this book that I highly recommend. Of the dozens of computer books I've ever read, this one kept me astounded me with its perfect-sized chapters, handy reference and cross-reference segments, and the well-written pages. Not only is Ben Forta a good writer, he's an outstanding teacher.
Clarke Schroeder
Advanced Macromedia ColdFusion Certified

This is a very good book, however the coupon for 15% off of the exam is no longer valid. It expired December 31st of 2003.

This book does a good job of giving you information on every possible topic of the certification exam. I used the original study guide to take and pass the first exam. This book includes just about everything in the first book, and goes into topics that are relaevent for MX (i.e. CFCs, XML, Flash intergration, etc.). If you want answers in a few pages vs. a few chapters, then buy this book.

I took the classes & didn't understand much but as soon as I got this book I read it about 20 times before i took the exam. I believe this is the one reason i passed the exam and i recommend this book to anyone that wants to pass the exam. I learned more from this book than the Teachers i had in class and i had no prior knowledge of coding. But I passed the Exam on the first try and I am the youngest coder in the hospital. So it's worth the extra money so you can pass the exam on the first try :) good luck!!!

I believe this book helped me pass my CPC exam. The CD ROM is great because it keeps track of your time (which is just like the real exam). Great product

I thought this book was very informative and helpful in preparing me for the CPC Exam.I liked the Cd-Rom which was included because that helped me monitor my own progress in reference to what i learned from the material in the book and also if I could complete the exam in the time allotted for me to take it.I would recommend future exam books like these to others who may be taking the same exam in the future.

THe content is thorough and well presented. Includes your medical terminology and anatomy with the prospective system being taught within each chapter! Chapter quizes and op reports are terrific. GREAT tool for preparing to take the CPC exam!

This book helped me a great deal to study for my final in the PMCC course. I would reccomend in highly.

I pass ccna2.0 with 935/1000 today. All I have is this book and Boson exams. I've read my friend's Todd Lammle book. I think this book is much better than Todd's. Todd's is written for passing the exam. For the ICND book, you actally learn the CCNA stuff in depth. I strongely recommend this book for everyone who want to pass the CCNA2.0 with FULLY understanding.

I pass ccna2.0 with 935/1000 today. All I have is this book and Boson exams. I've read my friend's Todd Lammle book. I think this book is much better than Todd's. Todd's is written for passing the exam. For the ICND book, you actally learn the CCNA stuff in depth. I strongely recommend this book for everyone who want to pass the CCNA2.0 with FULLY understanding.

I read ICND by Cisco Press before. I found this book used on Amazon and bought it just because it was cheap. Now I can not put it down. This book is far better than Cisco Press' ICND. It has about 100 more pages than Cisco's. To me it is worth every minute spent to read this book.
I passed CCNA in December. So, I don't have the exam pressure. I am reading this just for fun and enjoying it.
I strongly recommend it over Cisco's ICND if you intent to take CCNA test.

I just finished reading this book cover to cover and feel very confident about moving on to the next stage of my CCNA preparation, practice tests and simulation! I've been using the CCExam software from CCStudy.com as well as a few other practice tests and am amazed how easy a lot of the questions were after reading this book. Just an indication of how comprehensive this book is.

More important, in my opinion, is the book's "readability"! I'm sure there are numerous books that cover the exact same information as this book yet might not be written in a manner that is clear and simple to understand, especially for Cisco newbies like myself. This book is just a lot of fun to read.

Finally, I really enjoyed the "real world" tone of this title. It isn't written for someone who's bound for the testing center, but rather for someone who needs to apply the knowledge at work in the field. I'm certain that I'll constantly be using this book as a reference even after passing the exam. Very cool.

All in all, I'd like to recommend ICND to the Cisco neophyte who's looking for that great "First Book" to start off his or her Cisco library. I'm really glad I got this book and I'm sure you will be too.

Good luck on your CCNA!

I pass ccna2.0 with 935/1000 today. All I have is this book and Boson exams. I've read my friend's Todd Lammle book. I think this book is much better than Todd's. Todd's is written for passing the exam. For the ICND book, you actally learn the CCNA stuff in depth. I strongely recommend this book for everyone who want to pass the CCNA2.0 with FULLY understanding.

All needed I to become MCP and start getting benefits. Exam now questions 15 with adaptive format. Know the material here well and you pass first time out.

If you've ever seen a large sponge that someone has sucked all the water from and seen how small it can get and still be a sponge, then you understand the premise of what is here. All the other NT Workstation books have had the fluff sucked from them to make this book - what is left has no wasted space/thoughts/text.

I spent a lot of looking over the coverage of key topics in half-a-dozen Workstation books. This one covered them in as much or more detail than any other. The small size comes from the fact that the non-critical nonsense has been removed, which saves me from having to jump over a dozen pages here and there.

I found the book to be easy to read, easy to understand, and all that it was advertised to be, and then some.

After years of struggle, NT Workstation won the client war in my workplace and it was decided that 1000 users had to be changed over from every other thinkable operating system to NTW.

I knew some about the OS, but not much. I also knew that someone would have to become an MCP in order to convince corporate that IT knew what is was doing and to leave us alone. In order to accomplish those goals, I needed a quick solution, and the Fast Track seemed like it.

To make a long story short, I learned more about the OS from this book that I ever imagined, and passed the new adaptive exam (much less questions) with flying colors.

Not only is this an excellent book for certification study, but it is one of the best technical books I've ever read on NT Workstation. I typically buy three or four books on a topic when studying for an exam to avoid wasting time if I get a junk one. In this case, I read only the one and intend to buy only one now for any study topic the fast track is available for.

I always start with reading a MCSE for dummies when I am preparing for an exam. This one is the best so far and after taking the exam I can say that this book is all you need.
I used other materials as well because there were some objectives that I did not have experience with.
I scored 790 and that was more than I expected.

I found this book full of information without drowning it's readers in useless jargon. Some of the content was covered only briefly, but with some hands on learning and this book, passing the test was a breaze!

As a Microsoft Instructor, I recommend this book to all of my students. It cuts through the fluff and crud that Microsoft usually tacks on to the courses and gets to the meat and potatoes of what Active Directory is all about. Several students have used this besides my class and have blown the test away. Check out the author's exam tips to save yourself some headaches.

This book does a fantastic job preparing you for the exam 70-217. I am currently an NT 4.0 MCSE aspiring to be a Windows 2000 MCSE and wouldn't of been able to pass this exam with out this book. The author did an wonderful job helping me understand the complex features of Active Directory like group policies and remote install services. Which by the way are hit hard on the exam. I recommend this book to everyone looking to get certified in Windows 2000.

I passed 70-217 today using this book. I scored an 800 and something. This book did a great job of covering the material that MS tests about.

70-640 is a breeze after using this book just finished all of my certifications and this book made the 70-640 exam easy. I would recommend this book to my co-workers, friends and strangers alike. If you are prepping for the 70-640, this is all you will need to understand the content and pass the exam. The authors of this book knew how to gear the content to make it easier for you to understand and pass the exam.

This book is absolutely outstanding! They way the authors break down each section and give real world scenarios make this book unique. Given the changes in Server 2008 this book is a must have if you wish to pass the 70-640. After reading this book and using the CD I have passed the test and I know it was because of this outstanding book! I highly recommend this book if your goal is to pass the 70-640 while still obtaining a firm grasp on each concept.

The writing and delivery styles of Will Panek will grab and hold your attention throughout this book. Windows Server 2008 introduced numerous changes over 2003 and the author does a fantastic job of using real world scenarios and examples to teach them to you. Mr. Panek inserts humor in appropriate situations to keep your attention and make a point. If you complete this book you will pass the exam. I look forward to more from this great author.

Just completed my MCSE 2K3 W/2K8 Upgrade, and can honestly say that it would not have been possible without this book! Easy read with great insight!! Dave Morrisette

I just passed the 70-640 exam using this book. The authors went to great lengths to make sure that everything was covered. This book is the way to go if you are thinking about passing this test.

I am very impressed with this book and I recommended highly!

Exams 70-063 and 70-064 are being retired at the end of the year and you want to take them before then. You need a great set of resources in order to make sure you pass the exams and now Microsoft Press has delivered it to deluxe style.

The two volume set of over 1100 pages, gives you 26 chapters of information covering the two exams. There are review questions, practice examples, hands-on exercises and so much more included in each chapter. The chapters are broken down into timed segments and you can skip around to customize the learning process.

The first of two cds included is a self paced learning cd from Microsoft the will enhance what the books and give you additional information. The setup and installation was simple easy to follow and I was learning in a matter of minutes.

The other cd is NETg, National Education Training Group, and this cd is multimedia based learning, which can be used independently is you desired. While the price tag may seem hefty, the value outweighs the cost in so may ways. Microsoft is the first name in applications and certification and Microsoft Press makes the learning easier.

For many, this would be the single most helpful tool to prepare for the 70-064 certification exam. Although highly informative, I find all the Microsoft Press study materials boring. The saving grace are the entertaining CD-ROMs that round out the package. However, my opinion is based on my style of preparation so I gave this study tool a high rating because the material will satisfy the needs of the masses.

I used this kit along with the Sam's Windows 95 in 14 days to pass exam 70-064 and achieve my MCP!! Microsoft Press did a great job on this kit!! Write me if you like for more in-depth details!

The CD was especially helpful in my studies to pass the MCSE Win 95 exam, which was very challenging. You still need to know a lot about NT server that isn't covered in this book thoroughly, so I recommend taking that test first if you're going for your MCSE. I think this is one of the better MS Press offerings.

This is a spendy purchase but worth it. The CD-ROMs are great too. Everything you need for 70-063 is in there. Two volumes crammed with everything you ever wanted to know about 95. A bit fluffy but the info is there to be learned. You'll be that much better am MCP when you are done anyway.

I just passed the NetWare 5 Administration test #50-639. This is by far the best book I read in preparing for the test. Simple, straight forward, and easy to understand. No superfluous BS, just what you need to know to understand NetWare 5 and pass the test. Definitely well worth the money!

I found this to be an excellant summary - good for reviewing and consolidating study done elsewhere - NB this is a study NOTE book - if you haven't done the CNA course or worked through some self-paced material then do that first. Also - this book is for exam 50-645 (nw 5.0) which was fine for me but be aware that it's on the retirement track now so you should probably go for NW5.1. I'm definitly going to search out "Clarke" material for further CNE papers

This book covers all the topics covered on the test and gives hints of which main topics to memorized and know. Most indispensible for preparing to take the test.

This book does just as the author claims. It chisels down all necessary knowledge of NetWare 5 CNA without allot of wasted words like most THICK Technical books, which I despise. I have worked with NetWare since version 3.11 and this book is accurate to the T. I also recommend using Big Red self test exam software to compliment this book for the serious CNA exam prep.

All exam points were covered in 235 pages. 2 weeks after purchasing I passed the CNA exam. Keep up the good work David Clarke.

As all colleges do, we offer adult evening classes on programs which our advisory board recommends. This semester, we offered our first evening SolidWorks CSWA Certification program. To my surprise, the class was filled in four days with 20 students, some from industry, and some from our engineering program.

I use the SolidWorks CSWA Certification Guide in class. The book is a comprehensive review and practice package for the certification. Every chapter focuses your study and tests your knowledge of the subject through specially designed assessment exercises. What is especially great about this book is that it includes self study sections with the initial and final models.

For anybody starting to prepare for the CSWA exam, this is the book you should be looking at.

Very imformative I learnt something the first time I opened the book, recommend to all.

I enjoy the modeling techniques presented in the book which I did not encounter in my Solidworks training; it is always a good practice to learn for any software from different prospective. So this book does not only prepare you to the exam it also teaches you the most effective and smartest modeling techniques.

I pass the exam with 80% mark, but be careful guys, the parts in the exam was NOT easy.

I've been using Engineering Design with SolidWorks by Planchard and Planchard in my classroom for the past few years. In my opinion, this is one of the finest SolidWorks books on the market today. As an instructor, I can appreciate when an author/s writes a brilliant user friendly book with clear step by step procedures and illustrations to educate the student. This makes my life in the classroom a lot easier....

This fall, my students requested to take the CSWA Certification exam. I had my students purchase this book which we used for the exam preparation. The students enjoyed the book immensely. The book is focused on the exam, by key categories with many examples and exercises. I would not recommend this book for anyone who does not have at least six to eight months of SolidWorks knowledge. The CSWA exam is not an easy exam, but like any industry certification, it provides a tangible measurement to the skill sets of the student in 3D CAD. Well done.

This is a great book for SolidWorks users. I learned many new techniques going though the exersizes. In spite of four years of industrial exprience using SolidWorks, I would have failed the CSWA exam without this book, becasue many of the modleing methods on the test are not used in my industry.

This book is perfect for a first six sigma book.
There are no negative points.

It is amazing book for study six sigma. Good explanations and practical examples in combination with Minitab software. For those who are dedicated in learning six sigma, this book can offer enough information and practice.

I was surprised by the well balanced and complete coverage of the Six Sigma methodology from DMAIC, including managerial steps, all the way to statistics up through Design of Experiments. The all inclusive topics seem to parallel full Black Belt training. I would expect green belts to be offered selections from the book in a standard course. I would say no other book has this "textbooky" look and feel (that is not meant as a criticism). At the end of chapters find Minitab instructions including screen shots. The material is well written, hence understandable, hence I think this is one of the best overall introductions to the subject without slamming the reader with high levels of mathematical theory.

I think this book is an excellent resource for experienced Six Sima managers. However, if you want to buy this book as a study guide for the SSGB certification test, or as an introduction to Six Sigma, it isn't going to help you out much. I guess my lowered rating is due to the fact that the book didn't meet my expectations as it was described on the Amazon site.

This book was well worth my time and money! Being a Six Sigma beginer, I found this book to be easy to follow and comprehend.

Explained is the DMAIC process model, Voice of Customer (VOC), Voice of Process (VOP)and Design of Experements (DOE) in clarifying detail. Best of all, it includes step-by-step explanations of project experiments and the statistical analyses from the expereiments using Minitab 14!

Whether you want to learn the basics of the Six Sigma process (Chapters 1-8) and / or basic Six Sigma statistical tools and methods (Chapters 9-15), I highly recommend this book!

Note: Minitab 14 (Statistical software)is free for 30 days and the associated minitab-formatted excercise worksheets are down-loadable from the publisher's website.