Subject: NetEssentials Braindump for your site
Networking Essentials Exam Information
Questions I was asked:
*User level vs. Share-level security - these were the first two questions: What can a network with 10 Windows NT Workstations implement to share/protect files? What can a network with 10 Windows 95 clients implement to share/protect files?
*What resides at or just above the Transport Layer and can translate different protocols?
*A similar question about what would you use to translate e-mails from dissimilar LANs?
*Standard 10BaseT question: Segment length will be 300 meters. What do you need to make this possible? Repeater.
*You have two subnetworks that you want to connect. The protocols your network uses are TCP/IP and NetBEUI. What connectivity device would you use? Brouter.
*3 questions where a client computer has been installed on a network, but cannot communicate with some/all resources on a network. Software appears to have been installed correctly. What's wrong?
*What protocols are not routable? NetBEUI and LAT were only ones listed.
*Know that ISDN will replace standard analog phone lines.
*Which server provides clients with processing power- file/print or application? I chose application server. A lot of people on the Saluki list have been worrying about which to choose, or to choose both. Here is what Sybex Study guide says:
*File server - offers services that allow network users to share files.File services are network applications that store, retrieve, and move data.
*Application server - allow client PCs to access and use extra computing power and expensive software applications that reside on a shared computer.
As I see it, with file servers the processing power resides and remains on the server. With application servers, however, the processing power resides on the server, but can be accessed by and provided to the client PC.
*A couple of IRQ-related questions. You are trying to install a NIC on a client computer that has the following setup:
Device IRQ Settings EGA/VGA video card Default settings IDE device Default settings Local Printer (LPT1) Default settings COM1 Default settings COM2 Default settings Floppy disk drive Default settings
If you try to install the NIC to IRQ3, which device would cause a conflict? COM2
*Here's a shocker: I had a couple of the 3 Cities-WAN-T1 Lines scenario
questions! I love these questions, because almost every NetEssential braindump
has mentioned having them.
Your company has three locations: Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. You
would like to set up a wide-area network (WAN) solution to enable communication
between all offices.
Required results: Transfer speeds of at least 1 MBPS and assurance
that communication between the three locations will not suffer if one link
fails.
Optional Results: (can't remember any - not important to question)
Proposed Solution: Install two T1 lines; One between Chicago and
Atlanta, and one between Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Answer: The proposed solution does not meet the required result. Following question was exactly identical, except this time the proposed solution involved setting up 3 T1 lines, connecting Chicago-Atlanta, Atlanta-Los Angeles, and Los Angeles-Chicago.Answer: The proposed solution meets both the required results and the optional results.
* These 3 Cities-WAN-T1 lines questions are really gifts. They come gift-wrapped with every $100 purchase of a seat at a Sylvan Prometric testing center. <grin> Actually, I don't know if they are on every test, but it seems like it. I remember and understood it this way: Draw the three cities in the shape of a triangle. If you only install two T1 lines, draw them. Now, looking at your diagram, what will happen if one of those lines suffers a disconnection? If you install three lines connecting the triangle, you can still get home if one of the lines fails.
*At least three questions which involved network troubleshooting/monitoring with protocol analyzers. Know your network troubleshooting tools, i.e. protocol analyzers, time-domain reflectometers (TDRs), oscilloscopes, DVM, etc.
*A pair of scenario questions that really drove me insane involved NetBIOS naming schemes for a network that would soon be incorporated into a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). I think these were the specs:
*The questions asked if you could implement a 15 hexadecimal naming scheme to your local network that would incorporate easily into a future MAN with a NetBIOS naming scheme. Since I really took blind guesses at these questions I wont try to remember and relive the horror of them, but just be prepared to understand how NetBIOS naming scheme works. ***
However, someone (valhealey?) on the [email protected] mailing list was kind enough to post these links to NetBIOS naming schemes:
* http://ntdwwaad.compuserve.com/Homepages/Gavin_Winston/NETBIOS1.HTM *
http://www.winntmag.com/issues/1997/Mar/NetBios.html
*However, no questions on LMHOSTS, HOSTS, DNS, WINS.
*2 questions on ATM - what can be used to transport data at 100 MBPS and higher? ATM was the only possible choice on both questions.
*No frame relay, X.25, packet-switching questions.
*A few ODI and NDIS questions. As someone on the list (I think it was Allie!) mentioned, the wording of the questions pertaining to ODI and NDIS were nothing like what the sample tests asked. For example, the questions I got were not as straightforward as "Which two things items were created to allow multiple network drivers to be bound to multiple transports?"
*Two questions on SLIP - the first also involved PPP - I was asked which protocols allow computers to use dial-up connections? I was asked to pick all that apply - PPP and SLIP were the only two choices listed!
*Second question on SLIP - Barbara is using a modem from 5 years ago. This protocol connection will not provide compression. Which protocol is Barbara's PC using? SLIP
*One question asking about routing information protocols (RIP). It was
a straightforward answer as long as you knew what measured hops between
routers to determine the best paths between locations on a network.
There was about 12 choices - unbelievable! But obviously it was RIP!
*One scenario question on network utilization - How to make a 10Base2 network more efficient in the most economical way. The only answer that made sense to me was replace Ethernet concentrators with Ethernet switches. Others involved upgrading everything to 100 MBPS, which is nice, but it costs a ton since you have to replace everything from the cable to the hubs to the NICs.
*A couple of tricky scenario questions regarding disaster recovery/file backups. I, also, was given the strangely phrased question "protecting servers from hardware failure and keeping it to a minimum of 2 hours downtime". Maybe it's just strange to me but if you look at it too quickly you may think that they are talking about power failures (hence installing UPS as a possible answer). However, protecting servers from hardware failure, upon closer examination, would have to involve some level of RAID and daily backups. This was one answer I changed upon review.
What it was like to take this test:
This test was a nerve-wracking, gut-wrenching, nail-biting experience, and since I passed, I loved every minute of it!!! :-)
I followed the advice of someone's braindump and used the Tutorial time to write down as much useful information as I could remember. I wrote down the IEEE 802 Categories, the OSI Layer (as well as writing down the protocols next to the corresponding layers), the IRQ table - this saved me a tremendous amount of time on the two or three IRQ questions I had.
I also quickly wrote down a little bit about cable types, but I already had those down to a science.
I was expecting a lot more sophisticated setup for the exam. It has been a while since I used Win 3.1, so I was struggling for a while trying to figure out exactly which question I was on! (the title bar tells you what question you are on).
The test center is about 15 minutes from my house, but I left about an hour and a half early. This was a good thing because the road where the testing center is located was blocked off due to a terrible accident. So, my test was at 10:00 AM, I left my house at 8:30 AM, and I was still nowhere near the exam at 9:30 AM! Luckily, I was directed to a shortcut by someone. Of course, that shortcut was blocked off as well. Ultimately, I had to park my car about 3/4 mile from the testing center and ended up sprinting to the test! Thankfully, I wasn't late.
You are given one hour and fifteen minutes. I finished the test and did a quick review in an hour and thirteen minutes! When I was done, I also had to click through about 6 different screens to get to the score. When I finally got there, I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I saw these green and blue lines, which were very unfamiliar to me. I was used to seeing the red "you failed" lines when I took the sample tests. I had to get up out of my chair, and take a look at my screen from another angle.
The screen said "Congratulations!", but I couldn't believe it. I needed the score printout that you are given to convince me. I went outside to the receptionist, who asked if I passed. I told her I wasn't sure. I was in shock!!! When she printed out the test results, then I knew it for sure. Hours and hours of studying and learning the material had paid off. It was a great experience.
How I studied for the test:
About two months ago, my girlfriend bought me the Sybex MCSE Core Requirements set as a gift. I picked up the Networking Essentials volume and started to read it, little by little. Finally, I decided that I needed a date to set my studying sights on, like finals in college or something. Around the end of September, I signed up to take the test for October 20th.
>From the end of September to today, October 20th, I studied as much as possible. I used mailing lists such as Saluki's, the Sybex book, braindumps, and as much information as I could get my hands on. I read for a few hours a night, 4 or 5 nights a week plus weekends. When I was almost done with the Sybex book I went out and bought the Microsoft Press Self Study Kit for Networking Essentials. I read that book cover to cover in a week or so, using the CD-ROM and doing all of the Labs. I also ordered NetCert 2.5 from Transcender, but I didn't use them till the last two days before my exam. I found them semi-helpful for two reasons:
1) They gave me the feeling for a simulated computer exam, which I had never previously taken, and
2) The answers to the tests gave excellent descriptions.
However, the Transcenders did not turn out to be very indicative of how I would fare on the test. I failed all 4 of the practice exams, and I got an 896 on the real thing. I know this was possible only because I really tried to learn the materials, not just memorize answers from practice tests or braindumps.
Studying hard for this test, and then passing, has really been a rewarding experience. This experience inspires me to work even harder on the rest of the tests.
Well, this is all I have for now. I will post the links to braindumps that I followed shortly. Thanks to everyone for their help, and good luck to all those planning on taking this exam.