After 6 months of self study and labbing I finally got my CCNA Security cert !
I did this during full time job in different field ( prepress ), but now, maybe is time to switch.
After CCNA:R&S a quickly decided which way to go. People says that i am scrupulous and yes indeed I fell so to be strict and principled and imo in infosec I could leverage my nature
Now, I consider to little bit leave the strict cisco path and lear Linux, Python, maybe MS stuff, I don't know yet.
During my cisco studies I builded some solid home lab including 10x cisco gear, 4x desktop, 2x laptop and more, so I would like continue to play with them.
For my
exam experience: first of all I expected more simulation questions, just like in 200-125 exam - that was really hard considering time management, if I corectlly remember I ended up with about 5min., and now 50min. remaining time ( i was given 30 min. extra for non english speakers ). Some q. was stupid easy but on some I didn't even know for what they are asking for
- then the given dictionary came very handy. Also a curious situation happened - imagine a typical pearsonvue testroom, in mine we were two test takers, quite - you can hear the fan from a pc next to your legs and then, at some point loud music started to play from ceiling speakers - lol. Not radio, but some heavy stuff. I was totally out of concentration. After a minute or so, it stopped, after a while again 2 times but not so loud. After the exam I asked them what was that, they told me something about fire testing in whole building. I right away used the notice field for current q. to record this event in failing case to support my objection. Thank god I did not need that. The other guy missed by 1% to pass his exam.
For my
exam preparation I used:
CBT Nuggets - 210-260, 640-554, some CCNP
INE - 210-260 video course
Patrick Gargano: 31 Days Before Your CCNA Security Exam book
Bob Vachon: CCNA Security Portable Command Guide book
cisco.com
labbing - i even replaced my home router with ASA5520
I also would like to thank you all you guys at TE for sharing your exam, work in the field and life experiences. I appreciate it.
