Reddit reviews Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-640): Configuring Windows Server 2008 Active Directory (Microsoft Press Training Kit)

Buy the Microsoft Press books.

70-640:
http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Kit-Exam-70-640/dp/0735651930/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377721524&sr=1-10&keywords=server+2008

70-642:
http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Exam-70-642-Infrastructure/dp/0735651604/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y

70-646:
http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Exam-70-646-Administrator/dp/073564909X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_z

Get the MS-Press 70-640 book. It's 17 chapters that cover all the high points of DCs, ADUC, DNS, sites, domains, trusts, certificates, auditing, roles etc. It has 2-4 exercises in each chapter so you do what it just described.
It's certainly not in depth and doesn't cover PowerShell or all the command line options that are necessary in more than a topical manner, but it'll do. If you plan on using this book to pass exam, definitely go beyond the labs with hands on practice. Also, get a second book, like Sybex to bone up on what practice tests say you lack.

You need to stop messing with production right now.
Get this book or one similar and read the chapter on Group Policy. http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Configuring-Directory-Microsoft/dp/0735651930/

Then do it in test, then move that to production.

No all GPOs should not be linked to the DC OU.

As an IT guy myself, look into industry certs. My field is mostly server-related sysadmin stuff, so I'm not sure it works in your field though.

For example, for my field, you could just order a book like this for $40, and when you've read it, done examples/excercises on VMs to the point where you're confident enough, just go take the exam for $150.

After that $200, you can be a Microsoft Certified Professional.

In terms of knowledge, these certs aren't walks-in-the-park, that's why they're valuable on a CV, but if they're in a field that you're already knowledgeable about, then just getting that already-present knowledge certified shouldn't be too difficult.

And they are great for CVs, because that one line on the CV mentioning the cert, it summarizes an approximate amount of skills and knowledge that you have, and suggest a minimum amount of intelligence and trainability. In that sense, it's similar to a degree.

I just started working toward getting certified for server 2008 by starting to work through this book. http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Kit-Exam-70-640/dp/0735651930/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348581912&sr=1-1&keywords=978-0-7356-5193-7

I got half way through the book and noticed you will be unable to earn the MCITP certification for Server 2008 on July 31, 2013.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mcitp.aspx#tab2

I doubt what I have learned so far will be deemed "out of date" so no harm done but what should I do now? Should I work on getting my MSE for Server 2012. It looks like the certificate was just released and training material is sparse. I have yet to find the Server 2012 Training Kit from Microsoft Press yet. Should I go ahead and work the 2008 training kit books (most of the knowledge should transfer) then when the training kit is released for 2012 is released I can work those books and take the Exam's for 2012?

My apologies if it seems like I was jumping down your throat about these things - I do think that you should spend some time with AD in a testing environment, and studing the specifics of AD (Try the 70-640 study material if you are going 2008 http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Configuring-Directory-Microsoft/dp/0735651930/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422558588&sr=8-1&keywords=70-640).

It is definitely an important topic for you to learn about - just be aware that this is an intermediate to advanced topic that needs to be handled appropriately and not in a "learn as you go" sort of way.

That's why I just pre-ordered the 2nd Edition of the 70-640 Microsoft Press book http://www.amazon.com/MCTS-Self-Paced-Training-Exam-70-640/dp/0735651930/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1310011109&sr=8-12

It's updated with R2 content. Have to wait until July 15 for its release though.

It sounds like your company isn't that big, so when you do break everybody's machine by futzing around with group policy the recovery should be quick. If you'd like to avoid that (valuable) learning experience, I suggest reading this book: http://www.amazon.com/Self-Paced-Training-Kit-Exam-70-640/dp/0735651930

If you're in a hurry you can skip to the sections on group policy processing.