CISSP right for me and how much study time?

relegated

I am currently a senior systems administrator and have held a system admin type position for about 10 years. I currently have my security+, MCSA, VCP DV, and A+ as well as a bachelor's degree from a technical school. I would like to move into a full time security role, although what specifically I'm not sure. I do know that I don't want to go into management nor be in a less technical role. The CISSP seems to be the blanket security role though more towards management while other certifications seem to be focused on specific areas of security. My work is willing to pay for the exam and some materials.

I think I meet the 4-5 year experience requirements and know a CISSP who said they should be able to vouch for me if I pass. I wanted to get some feedback and see if the CISSP sounded right for me and what kind of timeline I would be looking at study wise. I have looked at some other posts and they were talking months of study.

LionelTeo

About 6 months of casual studying for me. 1.5k pages of Official Book and 600 pages of Conrad Books. I personally feel I wasted too much time on Official and could probably nail it in 3 months if I focus on conrad path, but its a relatively new certs for me so it would take longer. I think it should take around the same time for you as well, usually for such milestone cert we will get on toes and ensure we know everything before going for the exam, end up feelings its a piece of cake and found out we could have finish it earlier upon completion

relegated

My goal would be to get it by the end of the year as I have a work bonus attached to getting it (or something else). Whatever it is I will be a casual studier. Are the Conrad books better than the Harris ones? I also have access to CBT nuggets and they just redid their CISSP series they also have Transcender practice tests.

Would it be worth while to buy the cccure stuff?

yeah yeah

IMO, Conrad is an easier read with real world examples. Easier to relate. I feel Harris is more reference material than anything. I feel Conrad talks to you, as Harris talks over you.

CyberfiSecurity

It depends on your life situation, it took me 2.5 years on and off and multiple attempts. I did not blame on me for failing because I have a family 1, 2, and 3 years old, and full-time student, and full-time job. If you don't have family problem, then focus on 3 months solid.
- 1 month reading Official Study Guide and Eric Conrad
- 1 month taking video training (there are paid and free)
- 1 month review and practice exam.

Plan2succeed

I took 3 months of hard study for completing this. I studied for about 6 hrs daily, every day and more on some days. I have read almost ll the books that are there -

CISSP Training Kit-David R Miller - MS Press - Good
Eleventh Hour CISSP® Study Guide-Eric Conrad - Studied partially as it is ok.
Shon Harris - CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, 6th Edition - 2013 - Studied more than once and Excellent
Wiley.The.CISSP.Prep.Guide.Gold.Edition - Ronald L. Krutz - This is ok.
CISSP Study Guide - Seth Misenar & Joshua Feldman & Eric Conrad - Not very good
CISSP Study Guide 6E Sybex- James Stewart, Mike Chapple & Darril Gibson - Good (Very concise)
Official (ISC)2 Guide to the CISSP CBK - Hernandez, Steven - Excellent (kept checking this paralelly with Shon Harris)
I read CBK one chapter and complete the tests at the end then immediately go to AIO and read the same chapter and complete the tests. Then go thru the other books (just a quick overview but would complete all the tests). Some of the chapters like Telecom and cryprtography, I have read some topics paralelly in both the CBK and Shon Harris.

I completed the exam in 2.5 hrs (one break). I was not confident that I would pass at all. All the questions were conceptual none of them were straight questions. They were very cleverly framed.

I would recommend CBK and Shon Harris definitely. Unless you are lucky, Eric Conrad will not help you.

Hope this helps..