For really learning and using MQ ( for admin and development )
you should study Introduction, System Administration, Programming Guide and InterCommunication. For the test specifcally, following would be useful ( listed in order of importance )
1. System Administration ( VVVVV IMP )
Chapter1-4,7,8,9-11,14,15,17 ( Should read and practice )
Remaining chapter other than Part7 ( Recommended to read once )
Part7 - Atleast skim through it..
2. InterCommunication
Chapter 1-6 ( 4 and 6 are most imp )
3. Security ( Part1 and Chapter6 are imp ) . Skim through other chapters
4. Z/OS Concept Guide ( Skim through ..)
5. Application Programming Guide ( chapter 2 and 4 ) - Not required, but recommended
I have very limited knowledge about OS390. If you are confident about Windows and Unix, you can easily pass the test.
90% of the questions would be platform neural but there would be some platform specific question, particularly about Z/OS.
Regarding hands on practice, you can do all the practice by creating two Queue Managers on one machine .
I hope this helps
------------------<br />Ahmed Faizabadi<br />SCJP,IBM 141(XML),486(OOAD),294, 296, 297 (Webspehere MQv5.3),095,290( MQSeries,MQSI)