GCIH Renewed Successfully by using GWAPT passed to submit CPE

LionelTeo

As there is so little information on it and I am not very clear despite the information provided by on GIAC site regarding earning CPE for renewal, after renewing my first GIAC cert successfully via the CPE earn options, I had decided to write a short topic about it for anyone who is also interested or seeking more information about renewing GIAC certs via the CPE route.

Previously, I had passed my GWAPT, so I had wrote to sans cert-renewal@sans.org to ask if GWAPT is eligible to renew GCIH, GPEN or even GCIA (even the topics don't really match). SANS responded that I am eligible to renew one of any of the cert that I had asked for, even GCIA.

After much consideration, I decided to submit GWAPT passed as my 36 CPE earn for GCIH, as I have pass GCIH without GCIH courseware by selfstudy/challenge, I wasn't sure if I am eligible for the new books.

During the renewal, I only had "Attended SANS course" as the only choice in the drop down box that is closest to my self study for GWAPT passed, which is weird as I am expecting an option like "36 CPE -> Pass a relevant exam" option instead. After reading GIAC site again, it appears that this is the only option if an candidate would like to submit another exam passed for the CPE earned.

I select the option and write a short description on how relevant was it to the cert that I intend to renew for, and attached my GWAPT exam score.

Next, I was then prompted if I would like to have the new GCIH books, of course I would like to have them since I had passed them via challenge and do not have the official course ware. In the end I paid about 600 USD for the renewal + books shipping fees. The new books arrived at my home yesterday and I am very happy and thankful that GIAC is generous enough to give those books for us to keep our skills up to date.

The courseware included a USB thumbdrive, 2 IH **** sheets, some brochures and the 5 SANS books that I could never pay for them if I will to go via the course route.

My friend also contacted cert renewal and it appears that you do not have to use a certification that you earn exactly two years apart to renew a certification. Only the years difference is counted, not the date difference. For example, an exam passed on Jan 2015 would earn you 36 CPE for a certification that you had obtain in Dec 2013, even though that is only 1 year and 1 month difference.

For more information, I would suggest you to contact cert renewal for clarification before attempting to register for the CPE options to renew the certification.

veritas_libertas

Interesting topic. I've got a little while before I have to worry, but wanted to post a link from the SANS web site:

[h=3]Certification Maintenance Guidelines & Requirements[/h]How to Renew Your GIAC Security Certification

docrice

This is how I've renewed my GSEC, GCFW (now GPPA), GCIA, and GCIH over the last couple of years. Since I take at least one SANS course and the corresponding GIAC exam each year, this becomes sort of a short-cut to expand my horizons while at the same time maintaining my alphabet soup.

A more courageous path is to pass the GSE, but that's another story.

LionelTeo

Does taking a SANS Course entitled you to gain 36 CPE as well? And after passing the exam included, does that means you are able to gain another 36 CPE? I am not sure but it seems that it is stated somewhere that taking courses allows a candidate to earn some CPE, but I am not sure how it was counted if someone take the course and passed the exam associated with the course.

docrice

Taking a typical 6-day SANS course is 36 CPEs (some might be more, like SEC560). Passing a GIAC exam is another 36 CPEs.