CCNP:S completed.

Kreken

I started with CCNA Security in June and finished with SECURE this morning. I think I am done with Cisco certs for a while as I am on the brink of burn out. I had to reschedule SECURE exam three times. First due to Sandy, then the vacation and the last realizing I am still not ready. If it wasn't the last exam for the complete certification, I would probably delay this it sometime next year.

I think I will do something different now and take a python class from securetube; finish reading "Cisco Firewalls" book (highly recommend it) and try to remember what social life is.

Ivanjam

Congratulations @Kreken - awesome achievement!

Roguetadhg

Wow you took a month to study for each test, about?

Kreken

Thank you. Well, CCNA Security took me about two weeks. The only thing new to me was ZBF setup on the routers. I work with firewalls, IPS and VPNs on the daily basis for the past few years so I already knew a lot of stuff. Some topics overlap with CCNP R&S too, like routing. The longest it took me to study was for SECURE for a couple of reasons. The official guide is fail so I had to look up topics on Google. I don't have much experience with VPN setup on the routers. I did have experience setting up site to site and remote access but that's it. So I had to do a lot of labbing specially on GET VPN and DMVPN in GNS3.

Another thing which really helped me was, don't laugh, ginkgo biloba. I tried a couple of different brain focus supplements but ginkgo biloba worked the best. Since I usually start studying around 9PM after I put my kid to bed, it helped me to stay focused and retain more information.

Maced129

Awesome job

RouteMyPacket

Major accomplishment, looking to have this myself someday.

jovan88

congrats

docrice

I'm curious - between the different exams, which did you find the most difficult and / or challenging? I may take the FIREWALL, VPN, and SECURE exams some day, but I have no intention of completing the CCNP: Security route as I don't want to have to deal with IPS (unless I end up in a position where I have to work with Cisco IPS).

bryguy

Congrats on your recent accomplishment... CCIE security in the cards for you?

spiderjericho

One of my 2013 certification goals is CCNP Security but the IPS element would hold me back. I know GNS3 does IPS 6, but there are a lot of issues and complications to running it.

Kreken

Thank you.

@docrice
I think the most difficult exam was IPS. Not necessarily because the material is hard but because I found the questions on the exam to be borderline nitpicking. The next one in difficulty for me was SECURE but this is probably because I don't work much with routers.

@bryguy
Yes but before I start on that road, I want to do something different for a change - python class and then most likely CISSP. It all might change though; I am about to start looking for a new job and I am willing to tailor my certificates to better benefit the new environment.

bryguy

spiderjericho wrote: »

One of my 2013 certification goals is CCNP Security but the IPS element would hold me back. I know GNS3 does IPS 6, but there are a lot of issues and complications to running it.

Cisco does offer an IME demo for IPS products that I found very helpful in my IPS studies. Although, not really a substitute for the real thing, it does provide an accurate simulation of an IPS. The Cisco Press book is also very well written and organized. I haven't come across a Cisco IPS in production yet, but I was curious how they worked and thought since I work in the security field now, it might make for a fun way to re-certify my CCNP RS cert. I take the exam in a few weeks.