Product Reviews

Questions on the IIS Test

Consider it a study tool and IIS reference in one.

• By Jason Cattlett
• 01/01/2000

I passed the Implementing and Supporting Internet Information Server 4.0 exam without using InternetCert 4.0 from Transcender. Had I found this tool a little earlier and gone through its three standard tests and one adaptive exam, I'm convinced I could have tackled 70-087 with much less effort. I don't mean the common complaint by some, that passing this exam requires "reading too much extra junk" on TechNet, MSDN, or the Option Pack on-line help. As any experienced professional knows, some of the best gems are buried deepest in Microsoft's resources. Finding, understanding, and implementing them can provide that little extra knowledge that sets a great IIS administrator apart from a good one. However, searching for that elusive piece of information can sometimes be an exercise in futility.

InternetCert 4.0 provides excellent references to documentation and technical resources that provide budding IIS experts with the background to answer the how and the why (not just the what) of the questions on the IIS exam. These references can save certification candidates a great deal of time by letting them avoid wading through numerous off-target articles when it comes to explaining the right answer to a question.

One area of exam preparation where I feel the product really excels is in the simulation questions. A paper-based study guide may ask you to list the steps, in general, to perform a particular task, but that's not really how you'll be asked about it, (on the test or in real life). InternetCert 4.0 provides a range of simulation questions that cover most of the permutations you might see on the live exam. Setting IP address restrictions, creating and granting permissions on new sites and virtual directories, setting up various authentication schemes, and toggling bandwidth and connection limits are all covered in multiple, slightly different scenarios. Answering these questions correctly gives you confidence that your "book" knowledge is actually starting to gel into "real world" knowledge.

Another nice feature is the adaptive testing option. If you haven't taken an adaptive exam (and I haven't), this simulation is a must. I'm one of those test takers who quickly runs through and answers the questions of which I'm 100-percent confident and then returns to the other questions to more thoroughly think through the possible correct answers. This strategy isn't workable in an adaptive setting, where questions are gone forever once you click "Next." More than once during the adaptive exam, I frustrated myself by moving on to the next question out of habit without fully considering my answer.

One nice feature of Transcender's adaptive testing module is the graph in the score report window. With this you can see how you fared vs. the "pass line" as each question was answered.

I'm impressed with the product's ability to point out my weak areas, sure. But even more impressive is its ability to point me where I can learn what I need to in order to improve my knowledge. Not only will this simulation increase your preparedness for the test, it might also introduce you to some very useful Microsoft resources.