Passed!!!

Megadeth4168

Woohoo! It was close, I got a 790, but a pass is a pass!
Only 1 test to go until I have my MCSA

Anyway, I had a questions that ranged all across the board...
Really hard to give much insight honestly....

I think that hands on experience helped me a ton more than the book I had. The practice tests from here and mcmcse.com helped especially with the explainations.

I think for the 218 I will go with MS Press or Sybex, I did not care too much for the Syngress book I used for the exam but the book was free.

tibul

Congrats, and good luck on the 70-218 one you've passed the first 2 so this one shouldent be a problem for you.

Ill be sitting the security+ in the next few weeks which will make me an MCSA too how would you compare it to the MS exams? did it seem harder etc.

sprkymrk

Congrats mega! I don't think you'll have any problem with the 70-280.

@tibul - They are hard to compare, MS is a technical "how to perform this task" exam that is known for long scenario based questions. Sec+ is a "theory" and "what is" multiple choice exam rather than task oriented. In other words, MS asks you "how to", while Sec+ asks you "what is this" or "what does that" kind of stuff, if that makes sense. I am more of a "learn by doing" and not so good at "learn by reading" person, so I found the Sec+ a little tougher. Some people claim the Sec+ is easy, but it wasn't an easy one for me. I think I studied longer for that one than I did any of the MS exams I have taken.

tibul

Thanks for the info sprkymrk, i also prefer to learn by actual doing so with the security+ one im finding myself having to read things over to get it to stick especially with the parts on policy's i.e. use policys, security policy's etc the cryptography stuff sticks easier probably becouse its more interesting

sprkymrk

tibul wrote:

Thanks for the info sprkymrk, i also prefer to learn by actual doing so with the security+ one im finding myself having to read things over to get it to stick especially with the parts on policy's i.e. use policys, security policy's etc the cryptography stuff sticks easier probably becouse its more interesting

Oh man! I would be reading a chapter, get all the way through it, and then I'd realize I just read an entire chapter without absorbing a single piece of information. It was like the twighlight zone!
I honestly had times where I would read questions at the end of a chapter and think "they didn't even mention that!", but I'd turn back a couple of pages and see there was like a whole 2 pages on it.

janmike

Congrats on the pass!

tibul

sprkymrk wrote:

tibul wrote:

Thanks for the info sprkymrk, i also prefer to learn by actual doing so with the security+ one im finding myself having to read things over to get it to stick especially with the parts on policy's i.e. use policys, security policy's etc the cryptography stuff sticks easier probably becouse its more interesting

Oh man! I would be reading a chapter, get all the way through it, and then I'd realize I just read an entire chapter without absorbing a single piece of information. It was like the twighlight zone!
I honestly had times where I would read questions at the end of a chapter and think "they didn't even mention that!", but I'd turn back a couple of pages and see there was like a whole 2 pages on it.

yup exactly the same with me, i have just finished the sybex book and have just started on the syngress one so hopefully it will start to stick more.

after the sybex book i did a 100 question practice exam and scored 82%, does this seem an ok score from reading just one book and only studying 2 weeks so far? with only 2 weeks left before my exam i hope i can learn enough to pass

sprkymrk

tibul - that's close, but remember passing is something like 84% on the Sec+, and I think about half is encryption and cryptography. However, if that's your score only 2 weeks into your studies, you might be good to go given another 2 weeks. Best of luck to you.

Megadeth4168

Thanks for the grats everyone!

Tibul - With the Sybex and Syngress book (and of course notes from here and practice tests) you should have no problem with the Security+.

I found the actual exam to be much like the books... Half or more than half of it being on the more simple or common sense side and the rest being the more difficult material (the concepts and cryptography).

The plus side to the CompTIA tests is that they are shorter questions and straight to the point where as the MS as you know are long question that could be several paragraphs at times.

By the way... The Sybex and Mike Meyers Book (Questions on the CD) seem to be the best representation of what to expect on the real thing... The questions in the Syngress book are honestly ridiculous.

Good Luck on the Security+

Orion82698

Nicde job dude! I'll be studying for 215 very soon.