Do you read / review / do labs when you renew your GIAC certification?

So you just parted with $400 of your hard earned $, GIAC renews your certification for another four year and sends you updated books plus labs on a USB. What do you do with them? Toss them into a box with all your other SANS books? Extra paper material for starting fires on the charcoal grill or fireplace? Sell them on Ebay? Or do you review the material and labs to keep up with changing developments in the certification you currently hold?

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Comments

Jasiono

Well well well. They send you the updated books and a USB with the material? Very nice to know!

I haven't updated my cert yet (just got my first one in March, but already have 36CEUs waiting to be used since I just finished up the GWAPT course)

Knowing this, I will definitely digest the books and do the labs at least once to keep up with changing developments. Our industry is dynamic, and to be successful, you have to keep up!

TechGromit

My first one is due to for renewal next year. I plan on reading the material, possibly looking at some of the labs, but not to the level of studying for another cert.

quogue66

I think it depends on the cert and how often I use the material in my day to day. There are some certs that I would go through all the material pretty thoroughly and others that I would probably just glance at.

stephens316

I renewed for FOR500/408, I took the old 408 material. I got a high enough percentage to teach 408 i figure that carries over as well. So I do review the material. I have books on hand at home and sometimes carry them to the office. I'm creating some step by step documents from the lab as job aids in the forensics lab. I have come away with a few new ways of doing things which i want to implement but have not had the time. I feel its great value to review the material even if you think you know it.

TechGuru80

Why wouldn't you review the material and labs again? Remember, SANS courses contain a large portion of the core skills you need in the industry so reviewing the material does nothing but keep you up to date. I could see just skimming through the material if it is for a certification in the area you have a lot of experience in, but keep those less touched skills relevant.

cyberguypr

I don't review a thing. Just have too much going on and don't have the time to go through the books/labs. The value I would get does not justify the time investment.

JoJoCal19

cyberguypr wrote: »

I don't review a thing. Just have too much going on and don't have the time to go through the books/labs. The value I would get does not justify the time investment.

Yea I kind of get that. I'm definitely going to keep my GIAC certs up, but in my current position I'm not using the skills so doing a huge time investment in a lump sum doesn't make sense. I will however read them over time so I can keep the knowledge from going completely out the door.

sb97

Depends on the class/cert:
I ran through the labs again when I renewed my GCIA
If/when I renew my GICSP, I probably wont do more than page through looking to see if anything major changed.

LonerVamp

Do you have to re-take the exam at all?

I'd personally probably go through it again if there were dramatic changes, but that's a bit rough to compete with anything else I have going on, learning-wise.

E Double U

My GCIH will expire in 2019 and at the moment I have no plans on renewing it, but we'll see. If I do renew (which I will do if my employer pays), I don't see myself going through the material because I've been doing less incident response lately.

JoJoCal19

E Double U wrote: »

My GCIH will expire in 2019 and at the moment I have no plans on renewing it, but we'll see. If I do renew (which I will do if my employer pays), I don't see myself going through the material because I've been doing less incident response lately.

I dunno man, I feel the GCIH is one of the "must renew" GIAC certs. It's just an overall highly regarded and sought after one. Out of the three you have, I'd say GCIH > GPEN > GCIA. GCIA is a very narrow skillset, the GCIH is broader. Just my opinion tho.

E Double U

@ JoJoCal - I definitely agree with you. My decision to keep or not to keep will depend on my function as that expiration date approaches. My current role is moving in a direction that will not require those skills, but we'll see. I could always use my personal development budget for something like that, but I prefer to use that for new certs. I might do some more ISACA stuff next year.

TechGromit

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

I dunno man, I feel the GCIH is one of the "must renew" GIAC certs. It's just an overall highly regarded and sought after one. Out of the three you have, I'd say GCIH > GPEN > GCIA. GCIA is a very narrow skillset, the GCIH is broader. Just my opinion tho.

I'll have to agree. I could see letting a GSEC expire if you have higher level certifications. But then again, the number of jobs I see asking for a GSEC or/and GCIH is high, as you get into more specialized certs, the number of hits drop off significantly. Face it GIAC are expensive to obtain, if you spend 6 or 7 grand to get, what's saving $400 not renewing really saving you anyway?

al88

I'm just glad that i have the ones I want to keep within a two years period .. that way i get the 50% discount