Training Daily Updates

albinotiger

Well training starts tomorrow. I will be daily writing my thoughts on the class every night on this post. I literally ordered a new laptop last week because to my surprise my macbook only had 320GB of hard drive which I've had since 2011and the requirement is 5000GB. So a bit more money out the pocket. I looked at the site to find I should have Windows 7 professional, enterprise, or ultimate and windows 7 home which I have will not work. That is my own fault I cant lie. Let me buy this windows 7 professional for 89.95 and cry myself to sleep. Class +new laptop+certification attempt+windows 7 professional =all out the pocket...yeah that is what you call determined!! see ya tomorrow!

cyberguypr

5000GB = 5 Terabyte!!! Nice typo.

Funny story. My work study in Chicago started today with setup from 9-12pm. My mind is so into the WGU MSISA and other things that I completely spaced it out and though it was tomorrow. My face when the SANS coordinator called me this morning asking if I was OK was priceless.

SephStorm

What training?

docrice

Based on his previous posts, likely SEC504. A fun class, although I took it OnDemand so I didn't have that team interaction.

tprice5

cyberguypr wrote: »

5000GB = 5 Terabyte!!! Nice typo.

Funny story. My work study in Chicago started today with setup from 9-12pm. My mind is so into the WGU MSISA and other things that I completely spaced it out and though it was tomorrow. My face when the SANS coordinator called me this morning asking if I was OK was priceless.

Ouch!! That's never a fun call to get.

albinotiger

Cyberguy that was funny! Lol
disclaimer: I am using my phone.
Ok, well Day 1 is over. Overall I had a great experience! Went to the Hilton picked up my badge and then books and went to class. The instructor seemed very knowledgeable I was impressed with his background and over 10 certifications through SANS training he previously took. Over the 9hrs he never missed a beat and kept our attention the entire time. I have taught classes before but 9hrs without people falling asleep is impressive on top of that out of all the slides I can't name one where he read the entire thing or half of it. That showed his expertise! Honestly the same slides we went through are exactly the same slides in the book Exactly..the instructor goes in detail which I like and I prefer that....but if you like reading/audio you could easily do the Ondemand option and get similiar results. Personally I loose concentration reading at times. Time flew! It was plenty of snacks and fruit and lots of Caffeine and water. The classes are taught for the advanced or entry level to still get something out of it. The labs are great! Honestly I think its a good "investment" especially from a financial standpoint down the line (I can't lie) I think the laptop requirements is BS. I seen a guy with a tablet+keyboard and a obviously govt. Computer that I recognized that I know damn well didnt have 500gb hard drive!I noticed the stickers. My only kinda gripe is the instructor did not wear a watch and no clock is in the conference room (besides for his computer) and another briefing was at 615pm and I finally left at 627pm. They are probably still in class now lol just playing

albinotiger

Yes it is the 504 training. I was doing the math. It is 23 people in my class. Lets say they all bought early around the time as me and paid 4700ish. That is over 100k just in my class being made. And 10 classes being taught and a FEW were packed (full) (way more than 23)...they are easily pulling in a cool million. Easily. No class only had a few people in it. Thats just my observation.. which means absolutely nothing

cyberguypr

Where are you taking this class?

albinotiger

Cyberguy it is along the lines of what I am already doing some similarities exist. Experience looks great but I want experience and a certification I prefer BOTH. People exaggerate resumes all the time to get positions I want something to back up what I said. I work with a guy right now who said he had Linux experience.....5months later I bet my check he couldnt add a user. Its a contract who gonna risk losing a contract or not getting a contract extension by not have the right #'s? Not a company I know. Yeah interviews this and that but to be honest alot of interviews ask similiar questions. I interviewed for "one of those agencies" a while back and I was like dam you got the questions off of a google search? To answer the question its "along the lines of what I am already doing"

albinotiger

Day 2 was great! Honestly I am getting and learning more than I thought I would. This class is like grabbing a cookie out of a bag and not stopping until you eat all the cookies then you want more cookies! Next year for sure if they are in the DC area I am going. I really look forward to the next day of class. Sans offers some new training I observed from the site. I see a Mac Forensics class and a bit of others...not sure if I feel that particular class would benefit me. But I have a few on my radar. I will say a very basic maybe a weeks worth of Linux commands might be beneficial. ..not saying you need to cert out on Linux but a few commands would speed up the process...especially when a good portion of the commands require root. Day 3 coming soon!

albinotiger

Day 3. Learning Learning Learning is all I can say. It is a huge amount to consume but it is not all foreign to me. We have 5 books'ish and 5 days of learning and on the 6th day is when the all day fun begins. So if you did the math we go through about a book a day not counting the 6th day. So if you have to potty hold it you might miss something! Only thing that I started to notice my weak area is when we discussed format strings...its better to no my weakness now BEFORE the exam. Its 207am here time to play with Metasploit! See ya for day 4!

albinotiger

Nothing new to report for day 4 just a continuous learning process. I will say as on the site be careful what is on your computer I personally brought with me a brand new laptop but if you decide to bring a laptop from home I would backup everything on it pics and etc etc. This isnt high school computer class and alot of the individuals in this clsss I woildnt want having pii from a compromised system. Take my word....just because you see 24 computers open trust me not everyone is doing class labs!

albinotiger

Sorry about not posting for day 5. Day 6 is a all day lab or until someone finishes the capture the flag event. Its basically 4 flags you have to locate by compromising 4 computers windows/linux. Once you have access...then its the hard part. Its not just sniffing gaining access and cracking passwords and BAM you have the first flag. I will put emphasis again that having 0 linux knowledge will put you at a disadvantage for the class BUT we do go over commands and you can also takr 15min searching through one of 5-6 books looking for it. From my class all do respect the Linux "guru" was the "very older gentleman" or the guy who you look at who has the hacker stickers all over his computer that guy is the one who has all the extra tools and programs to do just about anything. The team that lost (had problems finding 1 flag)had the guys in it that asked all the questions and seemed like a know it all. This was just my class and speaking for my class only.Back to the story, If the company is paying take any and every class you can! If you are paying out your pocket in my opinion I would NOT take the class that enables you to test GSEC and dog-on sure wouldn't recommend the GISF certification for anyone! Thats my opinion. GISF gets 35 hits on indeed. You read between the lines. I would suggest obtaining the GSEC IF and only IF the company is paying. Another advantage to GCIH certificatiom is the IAT level 3. I had a blast will take a month or more to study and build a good solid index. Any questions send me a message or post and ill respond. Now back to going in hiding and reading comments of others !

albinotiger

Over this labor day weekend I have indexed the first book already. I know its more than one way to do it. My instructor suggested finding something that looks like it may be on the exam and (Excel) write it, the book number, and page number since he has like 12 GIAC certifications and is well known I am trying his technique. If it was recommended or suggested in the forms (wind/Linux **** sheets, port numbers) believe me I have it to. If a tools was mentioned I have a separate page for that. Commands also have a page. But I think If I have the page # of the command its the same as writing the command. I really probably only did book 1 already because its a weekend no kids no wife and wherever I work we were off today. When I get back to work doing 60+hrs a week it might be December before I finish book 2. Lol keep you posted

albinotiger

P.S. after I have indexed all the books I will go back through a third time and read page by page. I don't wanna spend 4hrs flipping through pages on the exam. Its some things I understood more going through the second time. I want to take the exam in less than 2 months while its still fresh in my head and I really would hate to pay 599 bucks again. I read a post where someone said it was a topic they hadn't indexed..so I am doing just about every page..literally. even the labs for the commands.

docrice

While indexing is important, I think some people over-do it. Personally, I rely on the index very little on the actual exam and go straight to the books. The reasoning here is that my index is a short-hand representation of me combing through the books as a second-pass of the course and soaking up the ideas on each page some more (perhaps noting specifics in my index which I think are important) ... but absorbing the overall material is the priority. During the first run-through of the class either via OnDemand or in the actual live instruction, I never flip through the books while the class is taking place. There's too much information flowing downstream to be distracted by paging along in the books.

As long as my books are tabbed well enough (which usually isn't more than just the general sections) and assuming I'm sufficiently familiar with the material, when in doubt on the live exam I can quickly scan through the courseware. This has generally served me well.

Everyone learns and takes tests differently, so your mileage may vary, of course.

albinotiger

I agree with you 100%. At times during class sometimes I felt it was hard to keep up with the instructor teaching/explaining then the random guy asks a question that has absolutely nothing to do with what the instructor is presently talking about. I wanted to ask the instructor to slow down once or twice but I didnt want to be that guy. I sat in the back(strategically) and when you see people on facebook, searching the web, and doing scans looking for a computer in class to hack you kinda figure they lost the instructor 10mins prior also. Honestly the tab idea is great. I should of thought about it. A few of the repeat sans students did it. I think Ill try it on book 3. Since I am already on Book 2 page 52 Web Based Recon & Attack Sites. ( my 3day weekend involved books how exciting).I do/did see myself hitting these books with overkill! The tabs will keep me from trying to find Insider Threats on an excel document of a guess 400+ lines. Not like I could hold Control+F and search for it on a printed copy. Thanks. Change is coming.

cyberguypr

I tried the tabs approach but it got convoluted quick. Hope it works for you. I also started with a separate "tools" sheet but ended integrating it in the Excel file. Searching for me was a breeze as everything was sorted alphabetically. It worked beautiful because since I included a "description" column I barely had to open the books. That column answered most of the stuff I wasn't sure about.

My index format in case it helps: http://www.techexams.net/forums/sans-institute-giac-certifications/98047-passed-gcih.html

JDMurray

Making your own index has the side effect of forcing the indexer to become more familiar with the study material. I saw quite a bit of information in my SANS books that I would missed had I not been very through with building my index. Although I didn't use my index as much as I thought I might, creating it did help with my learning the exam material.