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What do you use to keep your skills sharp - do you use a lab/virtual
software ?

I personally need to re-fresh my skills on 2003 AD - I want to perform
disaster recoveries -- I have 2 DC's, one is trashed, only 1 DC operable ---
now I must re-install re-configure AD on the failed server.

If I can get away with buying physical servers that would be good due to
space at home, anything virtual - no equipment would be ideal. I'm doing this
myself, company is not involved, unfortunately no lab on the job...

So just looking for some ideas on the best way I can have some hands on to
fail a device/reinstall --- and eventually I want to do the same with
exchange 2003

And ---- books/DVD's with hands on exercised/simulations...

I'm open to all suggestions to keep my stills sharp - with AD and Exchange
2003

Thanks,
Bob

Use TechNet and Microsoft Virtual Labs:
http://www.microsoft.com/events/vlabs/default.mspx

Also, check out Microsoft webcasts:
http://www.microsoft.com/events/webcasts/ondemand.mspx

My recommendation is to create a virtual lab on your computer using
Microsoft Virtual server or Hyper-V
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...erv-main.aspx). That
way you can install and play with all different technologies.

--
Santhosh Sivarajan | MCTS, MCSE (W2K3/W2K/NT4), MCSA (W2K3/W2K/MSG), CCNA
Houston, TX
http://blogcastrepository.com/blogs/santhosh/
http://www.sivarajan.com/publications.html


"Bob" <> wrote in message
news:1AF03466-FFE3-4E1B-B207-...
>
> What do you use to keep your skills sharp - do you use a lab/virtual
> software ?
>
> I personally need to re-fresh my skills on 2003 AD - I want to perform
> disaster recoveries -- I have 2 DC's, one is trashed, only 1 DC
> operable ---
> now I must re-install re-configure AD on the failed server.
>
> If I can get away with buying physical servers that would be good due to
> space at home, anything virtual - no equipment would be ideal. I'm doing
> this
> myself, company is not involved, unfortunately no lab on the job...
>
> So just looking for some ideas on the best way I can have some hands on
> to
> fail a device/reinstall --- and eventually I want to do the same with
> exchange 2003
>
> And ---- books/DVD's with hands on exercised/simulations...
>
> I'm open to all suggestions to keep my stills sharp - with AD and Exchange
> 2003
>
> Thanks,
> Bob
>

"Bob" <> wrote in message
news:1AF03466-FFE3-4E1B-B207-...
>
> What do you use to keep your skills sharp - do you use a lab/virtual
> software ?

Well. I'd like to think that I use real-world experience as my first choice.

> I personally need to re-fresh my skills on 2003 AD - I want to perform
> disaster recoveries -- I have 2 DC's, one is trashed, only 1 DC
> operable ---
> now I must re-install re-configure AD on the failed server.

Don't make it harder than it is -- and get a good book on Active Directory
basics.

To that point; if you have a good Domain Controller running, then the
procedure is simple, and well documented:

1. Ensure that the good Domain Controller has seized all roles from the dead
Domain Controller.

2. Strip and reinstall the OS on the dead Domain Controller.

3. Run 'dcpromo' on the newly installed machine to convert it to a DC.


> If I can get away with buying physical servers that would be good due to
> space at home, anything virtual - no equipment would be ideal. I'm doing
> this
> myself, company is not involved, unfortunately no lab on the job...

Virtual is the *only* way to go for training environments.

> And ---- books/DVD's with hands on exercised/simulations...

Typically the best place to start here (IMO) are the MCSA/MCSE and
MCTS/MCITP Training Kits from MSPress.


--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009)

MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pro...awrence.Garvin

One method is to get practice exams from "Measure Up" or "Self test" or
similar and resolve couple questions every day.

In your case 70-294, 70-291 would work and 2008 versions 70-640 / 70-642 also.
Actually i am getting ready for exam 294 with reading 70-640 book.. i just
skip parts that are new features. I use 294 practice exam with it though.. .
..


> What do you use to keep your skills sharp - do you use a lab/virtual
> software ?

"Savo Jr" wrote:

> One method is to get practice exams from "Measure Up" or "Self test" or
> similar and resolve couple questions every day.
>
> In your case 70-294, 70-291 would work and 2008 versions 70-640 / 70-642 also.
> Actually i am getting ready for exam 294 with reading 70-640 book.. i just
> skip parts that are new features. I use 294 practice exam with it though.. .
> .
>
>
> > What do you use to keep your skills sharp - do you use a lab/virtual
> > software ?
>


Thank you for the replies all ----- very helpful !!


Bob

[Acanit]

very helpful