Study Material

Hello all. I really want to study hard for this cert, but I tend to prefer written material as opposed to video for my main study digest.
I'm currently studying by way of CBT nuggets, and while the videos are great, I miss the method which helped me pass the CCNA (OCG and labs).
It seems that the general consensus is that the book sucks.
What I want to know is, is there any good written material I can get a hold of? Or should I wait a bit and focus on CCNP track instead?

Thanks

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Comments

aderon

Unless you want to drop $1500 on the On Demand E-learning (https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/implementing-cisco-network-security-iins-v3-0-elt-iins-v3-0-019451), then I wouldn't bother taking this cert. And I also wouldn't recommend dropping $1500 on an entry level cert so.... yeah go with the CCNP

If this cert wasn't a mandatory requirement for me, there is absolutely no way I would take it, knowing what I know about its current state.

TechGuru80

When I passed I used CBT Nuggets and the OCG...of course with labbing. I took the previous version though.

pogue

Agree... I just passed this exam last week as a requirement for a military contract job in Germany..

To paraphrase my thoughts on the current state of the exam...

Hot, stinking, putrid pile of garbage.

It is pretty much impossible to pass this exam using the OCG. There is no Foundation Learning Guide out yet.

Grammar issues on multiple questions.

Exam is "easier" to pass if you have a lot of experience with all the technologies covered, i.e., ACS, Firepower, IPS, IPSec/AnyConnect VPN, etc...

That being said, WITH that experience, it allows you to make an educated guess on a number of questions not covered in the OCG, and possibly get them correct. ON THE OTHER HAND, knowing the technologies really well, it becomes apparent that the Cisco question writer for this exam was cherry picking questions directly from Cisco sources.. The issue with this is... Some questions have multiple correct answers when you understand the technology deeply. But only ONE answer allowed.

Example: ACS can query a Windows domain using two methods.... By the ACS appliance/VM being a direct member of the domain, and being able to use it's membership to query the Active Directory domain, or by using manually-configured LDAP connections, which require an account that has permissions to query the Windows domain..

Hypothetically, if a question were written that tests this knowledge, but the question is not written in a VERY SPECIFIC way, both of these methods would be correct.

Therefore, if the question writer is lazy in any way, you are creating a situation where a less knowledgeable test taker gets the question right, and the knowledgeable person gets it wrong.

To sum up... I have a ton of experience with pretty much all of the technologies on the CCNA:Security.. I failed it the first time.... On the second try, I felt I answered every question right, and got an 890, which is only a few questions past the minimum score.

A VERY poorly written exam. Don't take it unless it is absolutely required for a specific job or promotion. If it IS required, inquire with the powers that be if an alternate exam is acceptable.

Short Bus Russ

Jamm1n

Really discouraging to read... I am planning on taking it in August so hopefully some new stuff will come out. I know I am moving into the security sector so I need to get this cert.

NetworkNewb

aderon wrote: »

Unless you want to drop $1500 on the On Demand E-learning (https://learningnetworkstore.cisco.com/on-demand-e-learning/implementing-cisco-network-security-iins-v3-0-elt-iins-v3-0-019451), then I wouldn't bother taking this cert. And I also wouldn't recommend dropping $1500 on an entry level cert so.... yeah go with the CCNP

That price jump still sickens me... And almost makes me want to do the course since I paid $350 for it