Introduction
Microsoft SharePoint is one of the great tools being used by
.NET developers to build custom Intranet and Extranet applications. As the
demand for SharePoint developers grows rapidly, companies demand the services
of certified professionals. Therefore, Microsoft created a certification exam
named Configuring Microsoft SharePoint 2010 which, when passed, provides one
with the title of Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist. Prospective
developers, however face a severe shortage of learning materials which they can
make use of to learn and practice before facing the exam.
Inside the Book
Configuring Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is a Self-Paced
Training Kit authored by Dan Holme and Alistair Matthews. The book focuses
solely on the important concepts relevant to the exam with the help of detailed
explanations and exercises. The book is divided into 12 chapters which are
further divided into several lessons.
The first chapter examines the steps required to create an
Intranet using SharePoint 2010 and it provides detailed information of the
basic software requirements and configuration of SharePoint Server.
While the second chapter examines the steps required to
administer and automate SharePoint, the third chapter enables one to manage web
applications created with SharePoint 2010. The lessons in this chapter examine
IIS Configuration, Authentication, Access Mappings and much more.
The fourth chapter helps you to administer and secure
SharePoint content. The fifth chapter examines service applications and the use
of managed metadata service. The sixth chapter examines the configuration of
user profiles and social media, while the seventh chapter examines the steps
required to administer SharePoint search.
The eighth chapter looks into the implementation of
enterprise service applications. The ninth chapter provides detailed
information of deployment of SharePoint 2010. One can also learn how to upgrade
from previous versions of SharePoint to SharePoint 2010.
The tenth chapter helps one to learn the different ways to
customize SharePoint 2010. The final chapters examine the implementation of
business continuity as well as the various ways by which you can monitor and
optimize performance of a SharePoint application.
Each chapter includes several lessons followed by the review
and summary of each chapter. Moreover, the companion media (CD) includes a practice
exam, which I hope will not only help one to judge the knowledge one has gained
from the book but will also enable one to face the real exam with confidence.
The CD contains an exam simulator similar to what you will see while taking the
real exam.
The author provide detailed coverage of each concepts
followed by the relevant steps in list format. Moreover, information is also
presented in tabular format in addition to links to useful resources under the
heading More Info.
I would suggest the authors to provide multiple choice
questions similar to that of the real exam at the end of each lesson so that
readers can straight away test drive the knowledge they have gained by reading
the book.
Conclusion
From my point of view, Configuring Microsoft SharePoint 2010
Self-Paced Training Kit is an excellent training material for those preparing
to take Microsoft Exam 70-667. The book provides in depth and comprehensive
coverage of all the concepts related to SharePoint 2010 and content relevant to
the exam.
About the Reviewer
Anand Narayanaswamy is the author of Community Server Quickly.
He works as a freelance writer based in Trivandrum, India and runs http://www.technoenclave.com, which
provides reviews of Windows based freeware tools, articles related to Windows 7
and other technology/blogging related articles.
About the Book