Bl8ckr0uter's Security+ trek

knwminus wrote: »

Besides there are plenty of CCIE threads this length and longer.

I can excuse CCIE threads that are the size of books for the fact that it's the CCIE.

Security+...not so much. LOL.

Seriously though, good luck next Saturday. Trust me you're not going to fail.

earweed

Good luck next saturday dude. You'll probably get a near perfect score with the studying you've put in.
About the CCIE threads thyough, that test takes a god awful long time to prepare and the Sec+ I can honestly say I put in around 3 weeks. From the posts you made about what you were studying you were studying stuff for some higher level certs which is why this has been such a long trek

Psoasman

Good luck, I know you'll pass it!

Just did a practice test on comptias website found it easy walked it in 10 mins to be fair it seemed familiar ground some of the questions are the same as my measureup questions so that is why I seemed to do it so fast I got 80 percent pass so thats not bad should be able to do better in three weeks when I take the real thing
Date: 8/28/2010 10:41:24 AM

Elapsed: 10 minutes

Score: 80% (PASS)

Test Mode: Certification
Overall Score (All Objectives) 80% (24/30)

Passing Score 80% (24/30)

Three weeks....so far out (or maybe not, who knows).

Take a couple of days off in between. You'll need it to properly process the information and prevent information overload. Then keep reading/practice tests....then repeat until right before test day. The day before test day, just relax and chill.

You'll be fine, but I know what you're going through, so that's the best I can advise you on.

DoubleD wrote: »

Just did a practice test on comptias website found it easy walked it in 10 mins to be fair it seemed familiar ground some of the questions are the same as my measureup questions so that is why I seemed to do it so fast I got 80 percent pass so thats not bad should be able to do better in three weeks when I take the real thing
Date: 8/28/2010 10:41:24 AM

Elapsed: 10 minutes

Score: 80% (PASS)

Test Mode: Certification
Overall Score (All Objectives) 80% (24/30)

Passing Score 80% (24/30)

Scored an 85 this morning on a Self test review of objectives 1 and 2. I will work on my notes for those tonight and start reviewing for objective 3 and possibly 4.

earweed

You're ready already,dude. You've probably studied more for this exam than anyone in the history of taking the Sec+..lol

earweed wrote: »

You're ready already,dude. You've probably studied more for this exam than anyone in the history of taking the Sec+..lol

He's shooting for 900, dude. If he gets 890-895, he's going to consider that a fail.

erpadmin wrote: »

He's shooting for 900, dude. If he gets 890-895, he's going to consider that a fail.

Pretty much. I saw somethings on the self test that I have never seen before (retrovirus?) and a few design questions didn't make any sense (IMO). I think that I should be ok. I will need to go over some port numbers, raid levels, and (most importantly) control models. I actually care much less about the test now and I am more concern with increasing my infosec l33tness (I cannot believe it recognized l33tness as a word).

SSCP is in my not to distant future as is C|EH so I am just building my core security knowledge. The Network Security Bible has been way overkill for the S+ IMO but we will see on Saturday. I'd like a 900 but if I can get a 87X+ then I would be happy. My current company doesn't care about certs at all so I am doing this for me.

erpadmin wrote: »

He's shooting for 900, dude. If he gets 890-895, he's going to consider that a fail.

Nope, he wanted a 950

knwminus wrote: »

Pretty much. I saw somethings on the self test that I have never seen before (retrovirus?) and a few design questions didn't make any sense (IMO). I think that I should be ok. I will need to go over some port numbers, raid levels, and (most importantly) control models. I actually care much less about the test now and I am more concern with increasing my infosec l33tness (I cannot believe it recognized l33tness as a word).

SSCP is in my not to distant future as is C|EH so I am just building my core security knowledge. The Network Security Bible has been way overkill for the S+ IMO but we will see on Saturday. I'd like a 900 but if I can get a 87X+ then I would be happy. My current company doesn't care about certs at all so I am doing this for me.

All kidding aside, I can see, understand and respect where you are coming from. I thought the control models were a joke but for the exam, all you really need to know is what they are and when they are appropriate for use. Since you already had to know what an ACL is, that portion of the exam will be cake for you as well. When you sit for the exam, you're going to see how ridiculously easy it was.

I can't promise you'll get a 900, but I can safely bet you'll pass with a high score. Just let it happen instead of shooting for it.

RAID is easy. 0 stripes, 1 mirrors, 5 stripes with parity. 10 stripe o' mirrors.

There are numerous sites that explain it: here's one of them:

An Introduction to RAID - iBizDir.com

erpadmin wrote: »

All kidding aside, I can see, understand and respect where you are coming from. I thought the control models were a joke but for the exam, all you really need to know is what they are and when they are appropriate for use. Since you already had to know what an ACL is, that portion of the exam will be cake for you as well. When you sit for the exam, you're going to see how ridiculously easy it was.

I can't promise you'll get a 900, but I can safely bet you'll pass with a high score. Just let it happen instead of shooting for it.

RAID is easy. 0 stripes, 1 mirrors, 5 stripes with parity. 10 stripe o' mirrors.

There are numerous sites that explain it: here's one of them:

An Introduction to RAID - iBizDir.com

The way I would kind of remember it, is that the higher the number the better. 0 is bad. 1 is good. 5 is better, 6 is like 5 but adds the extra parity, and 10 is a combo between 0 and 1.

Also remember that using Raid 1, but having both drives on the same controller still presents a single point of failure. Using a second controller will add that extra protection and is called disk duplexing.

Devilsbane wrote: »

The way I would kind of remember it, is that the higher the number the better. 0 is bad. 1 is good. 5 is better, 6 is like 5 but adds the extra parity, and 10 is a combo between 0 and 1.

Also remember that using Raid 1, but having both drives on the same controller still presents a single point of failure. Using a second controller will add that extra protection and is called disk duplexing.

Oh yes, the disk duplexing is definitely worth the mention. For Security+, that is definitely important to note because it's definitely addressing the single point of failure. (the controller, if you only have one).

But since we're talking about bad, RAID 0 isn't really RAID at all. But it has to be mentioned so that you know why you wouldn't use 0 on mission-critical apps (when one disks goes, all your data goes...and God help you if you never backed up data on RAID 0....lol).

For databases, I most certainly use 10 because performance is essential as well as the level of redundancy.

erpadmin wrote: »

A

RAID is easy. 0 stripes, 1 mirrors, 5 stripes with parity. 10 stripe o' mirrors.
An Introduction to RAID - iBizDir.com

Good link. I know them pretty well but it is something that I could easily mess up (since when I take the test I will be coming off of a 12 hour shift). The same with the ports and access control levels. All other things I think I have in the bag.

knwminus wrote: »

Good link. I know them pretty well but it is something that I could easily mess up (since when I take the test I will be coming off of a 12 hour shift). The same with the ports and access control levels. All other things I think I have in the bag.

You could be drunk and high as well, and you'll still pass with a high score (of course, I don't recommend it....)

The RAID questions aren't that deep. The questions period aren't that deep. You are seriously putting too much into this.

You could take the thing right now and call it a day!

erpadmin wrote: »

You could be drunk and high as well, and you'll still pass with a high score (of course, I don't recommend it....)

The RAID questions aren't that deep. The questions period aren't that deep. You are seriously putting too much into this.

You could take the thing right now and call it a day!

Probably lol. I don't have time to go take it though. Oh well.

knwminus wrote: »

Probably lol. I don't have time to go take it though. Oh well.

You'll be fine, my dude. Just read every question and answer. As long as you do that, you won't get tripped up. Hell, you might even get that 1000...

I got the hardware in the mail last week. The certificate shrunk and I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a frame for it.

I am quite impressed with the new cards. Rather than being a piece of stiff paper, they are an actual plastic card.

just got Score: 80% on the comptia websites questions
82 percent on the trancenders exams
and read daryls book twice took the 100 questions exam at the back got 77-100
not bad now Ive jst got 20 days to prep till the real exam

DoubleD wrote: »

just got Score: 80% on the comptia websites questions
82 percent on the trancenders exams
and read daryls book twice took the 100 questions exam at the back got 77-100
not bad now Ive jst got 20 days to prep till the real exam

You should seriously consider bumping that date up for two reasons.

1. You are ready for it now. Get it done and move on to bigger and better things. (Or just spend the extra time relaxing.)
2. If you decide you are content with your knowledge and spend less time studying, by the time 20 days roll around, you will have likely have forgotten some of the information that you know today.

You are clearly ready to take this exam.

rogue2shadow

Devilsbane wrote: »

You should seriously consider bumping that date up for two reasons.

1. You are ready for it now. Get it done and move on to bigger and better things. (Or just spend the extra time relaxing.)
2. If you decide you are content with your knowledge and spend less time studying, by the time 20 days roll around, you will have likely have forgotten some of the information that you know today.

You are clearly ready to take this exam.

Agreed. Its go time!!!

thanks guys for you encouragement
I still think I will need the 20 days im expecting the real exam to be more diffcult than daryls book exams but thanks for you advice ive got my own notes to keep refering back over. im giving it my all for the final push

Seriously, I want to know who was the guy that made Security+ feel like you were going for some doctorate-level exam?

Like DoubleD, I always had a bit of anxiety about taking this exam because I heard this exam was rough. But when I sat for it, it really wasn't that bad. Mind you I was still nervous about hitting "End Exam", but not that much.

By all means, I'm not saying folks are morons for failing it or anything like that... FAR FROM THAT!

But what I am asking if you have made proper preparations for the exam, you'd expect to pass, right?

DoubleD wrote: »

thanks guys for you encouragement
I still think I will need the 20 days im expecting the real exam to be more diffcult than daryls book exams but thanks for you advice ive got my own notes to keep refering back over. im giving it my all for the final push

I say this with all due respect.

You couldn't be ANY MORE WRONG!!!

DoubleD wrote: »

thanks guys for you encouragement
I still think I will need the 20 days im expecting the real exam to be more diffcult than daryls book exams but thanks for you advice ive got my own notes to keep refering back over. im giving it my all for the final push

It isn't. If you can score even 80% on Darril's final test you would have a decent shot on the real thing.

rogue2shadow

Devilsbane wrote: »

It isn't. If you can score even 80% on Darril's final test you would have a decent shot on the real thing.

My Security+ journey is nested in this very thread and at first I was the same as you, DoubleD. Its true no one should ever underestimate a test but after going through it with Darill's book and CBT Nuggets, I definitely feel it is doable even after one run with Darill's. The scores you are getting do indicate you have a good chance at passing the test. In the end it comes down to you and the computer and what you choose to input into it during the examination. If a higher mark on practice tests is what works for you before taking exams by all means keep pace. In interviews, they're not going to ask you what score you got on Security+ only if you truly have it (if you list it).

I think the concern is that if you read Darill's book twice, and you ran through the 375 questions twice, you've done not only more than enough to pass the exam, but you've set yourself a great foundation for security as a whole. In terms of taking the exam, if you let the stuff simmer for too long, some of it will fade as this is natural with all knowledge. IMO another 20 days isn't going to change the result drastically if you've studied this much already. You definitely do not want to overstudy for this or any exam.

If this comes off wrong in any way I do apologize.

Didn't come out wrong to me. +1 on that!

dynamik

erpadmin wrote: »

Didn't come out wrong to me.

That's what she said?

Oh, and if you want to see something funny, check this out: SECURITY+ - TechExams.net IT Certification Forums