September 11, 2007 at 9:41 am
I haven't actually taken the test yet, but I've finished the MS Press book for 70-431 and am now reading the Sybex text for it. And I've already found several things in the Sybex book that aren't in the MS Press book and vice versa.
I heartily recommend that if you're new to cert testing or new to SQL Server, looking over multiple sources before you take your exam. It may be overkill, but better to be comfortable with knowing too much information about SQL than not to know enough. @=)
BTW, the Sybex book rocks! It's a much easier read than the MS Press book. It actually manages to explain things without including the obligatory MS technobabble lovefest. @=)
September 12, 2007 at 9:27 am
I agree 100% with your assessment. I studied nightly using the official MS course books for the 70-431. I have been using SQL Server regularly since 2003. I felt very comfortable taking the exam only to fail on my first attempt. This was my first cert exam so I didn't really know what to expect. I did great on the questions but the simulation portion of the exam threw me off. There is obviously a few different ways to accomplish a task in Management Studio (GUI, T-SQL, etc..). The simulations only allow one way so I would advise learning the GUI methods for most things. Without giving out too much information, the simulation wouldn't allow me to open a query window for say changing object ownership. I'm still studying for the re-take. I'll take a look at the Sybex text.
September 12, 2007 at 8:48 pm
More sources probably help, but keep in mind that the official books tend to be written early on, so as the exam develops, sometimes they're missing information.
You definitely need to know the GUI, as David mentioned. The simulation SSMS isn't the whole product, it's a flash or similar type of representation of only part of SSMS.
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