Amazon.com Review\nA solid if not exceptional piece of training software, MCSE Windows 2000 Professional LabSim probably won't guarantee a pass by itself--but if you don't have a copy of Windows 2000 to fool around with, this could be the next best thing. 
Imagine, if you will, sitting in a class with a large projector where the instructor talks as she demonstrates common Windows 2000 functions for you. "Okay, here's why you'd want to deploy an application," she says, "And here's how you do it." And she then hands the PC over to you, and you do it. If you can conjure up that picture in your mind, you pretty much have the whole idea of how this software works. (And if you can't, you're probably going to have some serious issues with passing anyway.) 
It's not all wine and roses, however: the audio narration is okay, and gives a fair amount of detail, but it's fairly basic stuff and doesn't really get into the nitty-gritty underpinnings of Win2K. You'll understand the rudiments quite thoroughly, but a surprise question or two could still throw you--particularly in complex areas like group policies and security configurations. (And the audio narration may or may not be troublesome. On one of the two test PCs we installed it on, the audio voice-overs simply refused to work despite massive tweaking.) 
For another thing, the "do it yourself" labs, which are the real selling point of the package, are task-oriented. They don't allow for adjustment or real-world feedback, where you screw something up drastically and then attempt to fix it. Instead, essentially, you're given a task (or set of tasks) to accomplish, and a simulation of a Windows 2000 interface. Only the "active" menu items do something when you click on them; the other items do nothing. So, if you're supposed to defrag a disk and you click on the Control Panel, nothing happens. This is an acceptable compromise, but since some of the tasks are fairly elaborate, it might be nice to have a "hint" function to remind you where to go next. As it stands, all you can do is reload the tutorials and take better notes for next time. 
The selection of topics is pretty decent and should get you through the exam, as the LabSim touches on the major topics. (Other LabSims cover some of the issues in a fairly shallow way.) Most of the tutorials have an associated LabSim, although some of them--like security policies and tracking performance with Event Viewer--have absolutely nothing, which could cause problems later on down the road. 
Unfortunately, the book that accompanies the software is just plain useless. If you're looking for two-sentence overviews of each lesson and a regurgitation of the goals for each LabSim--which, incidentally, are given when you start the exercise--this works fine. But it would have been a much better value to include a book that gave information you could actually find aside from the software. (Can we ask for a bundled Exam Cram?) 
If you're looking to use this product in a large-scale training environment, it has a logon function--but only for a password. If your password matches up with an account, you're logged on automatically; if not, you're given a user name. This could lead to potential problems if two students mistakenly choose the same password. 
In short, this isn't the greatest software, but it'll get you far enough into the course to pass with an additional book or two to fill in the more technical details. --William Steinmetz\nThe MCSE Windows 2000 Professional LabSim is a highly effective training tool for candidates preparing for the MCSE Windows 2000 Professional exam (70-210). Nothing beats the realism of LabSim simulation software from TestOut! Corporation. The software covers key exam topics such as installation and configuration of Windows 2000 Professional, Web integration with Internet Explorer5, network security, wireless networking, and the integration of Windows 2000 Professional with other operating systems such as U

MCSE Windows 2000 Professional LabSim (Exam: 70-210)

Computers & Technology

Out!, Test

Certification

Coriolis Group

The software is decent; the book, unfortunately, is a total throw-on and doesn't really add anything to the software, relegating the book to an add-on for test preparation--not the one-stop shop it could have been. 
 The LabSim itself is an application that runs under Netscape Navigator, and the concept is a relatively simple one: using audio voice-overs to explain what's being done and why it's necessary, the LabSim shows an animated screen shot of a Windows 2000 computer as the instructor points, clicks, and types her way through the task at hand. Then, you're encouraged to repeat the task, this time using a simulator to give you the experience of Windows 2000. 
 The voice-overs and animated tutorials are all right, and read in a pleasant enough female voice, though they don't necessarily give the depth of information that you could find from a book. They generally give a fairly simple explanation of what's going on and why you'd need to do this task, walking you through it step by step--which could lead to some problems later on, since the segmented nature of the program may detract from a whole understanding of Win2K. What they do teach is clear and easily learned, but be warned: The audio may or may not be glitchy. On one of the two test PCs we installed it on, the audio voice-overs simply refused to work despite massive tweaking.
 And you need the voice-overs, mainly because the comb-bound book that comes with the LabSim is little more than a short regurgitation of the narration, giving a one or two-sentence overview of the concept and then telling you the objectives of the accompanying simulation--which are also, incidentally, given onscreen. So, the book's basically useless. For a software piece of this price, you'd either expect no book at all (which, though it wouldn't have hurt the usability in the least, might have dropped the price slightly) or a bundled copy of an Exam Cram or some other low-cost, helpful book.
 The laboratory simulations are task-oriented and fairly simple but effective; all of the menu items are active and selectable, giving you the illusion of a Windows 2000 Server. They do nothing if they're not related to the task at hand, but this isn't necessarily bad since if you stick to the task at hand it is a fairly effective tool for training and should suffice for those not familiar with Win2K activities. 
 There are some problems with the simulations, though: for one thing, although most sections are backed with an appropriate LabSim, there are some baffling omissions. There are many LabSims for installing and configuring network protocols, as there should be--but the Remote Access Configuration section lacks even a single simulation, as does the Terminal Services. You're allowed to encrypt files, but not to muck around with Security Templates. Strange. And, unfortunately, the LabSims lack a "hint" section, so if you forget which option you need to select, you may have to listen to all of one of the audio narrations again to refresh your memory.
 This might be appropriate for schools and corporations that need widescale training, but one of the strange things is the logon screen--it only asks you for a password. If your password matches up with an account, you're logged on automatically; if not, you're given a user name. This could lead to potential problems if two students mistakenly choose the same password.
 In short, this software package is a fairly shallow suite that might have worked on the older MCSE exams, but probably won't cut the mustard by itself on the newer and tougher Win2K tests. Although it's a fine adjunct to a serious study course, this by itself won't guarantee a pass. --William Steinmetz

MCSE Windows 2000 Server LabSim (Exam: 70-215)

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MCSE Windows 2000 Directory Services LabSim (Exam: 70-217)

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