Product Description

Provides information on analyzing business requirements in real-world scenarios and defining solution architectures to optimize results. Also covers developing the design for an application, developing a logical data model, designing a user interface and user services, and deriving the physical design. Contains exclusive tear-out Cram Sheet with tips, acronyms, and memory joggers (mnemonics) to improve recall immediately before the exam.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1558280 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Donald Brandt's MSCD Architectures Exam Cram provides a useful quick-start to designing and building enterprise applications using the "official" Microsoft Solution Framework (MSF). This test preparation guide (for MCSD Exam 70-100) gives you all the information you'll need to pass while gaining an understanding of multi-tiered architectures and tools for the Windows platform.

Even if you've programmed with Microsoft tools like Visual Basic or Visual C++, you'll need the "theory" behind the practice in order to do well on the MCSD Architectures exam. And even if you have a background in software engineering, the specific terms and philosophy of the MSF for building software are somewhat unique.

Besides a general introduction to taking certification exams (along with practice questions), this book provides a fast-moving tour of essential concepts for creating software the Microsoft way. The text starts off with a look at the different "models" used in this software process. Subsequent chapters look at determining business requirements. Then it's on to designing user, data, and presentation services, with coverage of essential Microsoft technologies and tools like MTS and DCOM. The author also covers database essentials (such as tables and normalisation). Generally, this title is briskly written and jargon-free, and it makes good use of charts and short case studies to illustrate key concepts effectively. A final practice test lets you measure your knowledge with questions similar to those on the real exam.

MSCD Architectures Exam Cram shows you how to think like a software engineer when designing with Microsoft tools in order to deliver scaleable web-based applications. It thoroughly explains enterprise software created for Windows. It's a concise source of up-to-date information and an essential resource that should help you ace the important certification exam. --Richard Dragan, Amazon.com

Topics covered: Overview of the Microsoft Certified Software Developer (MCSD) program, MCSD Exam 70-100 test preparation guide, fixed-length and adaptive test strategies, history of information systems, the Microsoft Solution Framework (MSF) overview, MSF team, process, application and solution models, business requirements, security, performance, scaleability, multi-tiered systems, data storage options, relational database basics, normalisation, conceptual and logical designs, designing user interfaces, user services, prototypes, iterative software development process, internationalisation tips, physical designs, practice questions and sample test.

Customer Reviews

Worth reading for a bit of confidence building
This book will probably help you with the 20% of the exam which requires computing knowledge, and is worthwhile as it's fairly quick to read and may cover a few things which you weren't aware of. Unfortunately the exam is largely a badly written primary school comprehension test where you get to read a case study and then answer what may be as little as 2 questions, one of which won't seem to have any good answers and may seem to be more about how well you can read rather than anything to do with development. Make sure you try Microsoft's demo first as otherwise the tatty software of the test will come as a bit of a shock, and try not to be put off my some of the stupidity in the case studies. And don't be too upset if you fail - I passed but I don't think that had anything to do with my development skills. The book has some good example questions and these are useful but sadly of better quality than the real ones.

Combine this book with Transcenders to pass the Exam.
This book presents a very concise layout of the areas you need to cover for the 70-100 Exam. I scored 856 (passing score 730) in my first and only attempt. Combining this book with the Transcender tests will make anyone fly high through the 70-100 exam. I recommend this book to every MSCD candidate who wants to sail through this exam at first attempt.

Use this with Transcender and you'll pass no bother.
This book explains all the key concepts you'll need to be familiar with in order to pass the 70-100 exam. It is all relevent to the exam questions except for Chapter 3 which does not appear in the exam in any shape or form. Very well written with very little waffle thrown in. If you understand this and can pass the Transcender practice tests you should kill the real exam. It got me 85% anyway!