Yes, another book thread. AIO vs OIG

SFormwalt

Good evening!!

Just needing a little book "help." This is my 3rd attempt at studying for the CISSP. I currently have the Shon Harris AIO, ICS OIG and the Eric Conrad study guide (1st edition). My primary study guide has been the Shon Harris AIO and use the others for reference. The Eric Conrad is great but there just isn't enough meat in the book for me to feel I am getting all I need. I have 4th, 5th and 6th editions of the AIO. Every single time I study for this test I give up because her writing style completely loses me. I will read certain sections over and over and forget as soon as I turn the page. The OIG is great, I can easily read it and feel it might be a better choice. My worry is that the Shon Harris book is so highly recommended that I fear I will miss some important info by not using it as my primary book. My mind thinks, "she wrote all that because it's important."

I want one book to read completely and wonder if the OIG would be ok for that? Use the Eric Conrad and Shon Harris books as references?

My background. I have my B.S. in Info Systems Security, SEC+ and CIW Web Security Specialist. I have over 12 years of IT experience and I am currently a System Admin. I feel I need the larger, more in depth book because I have the belief that if you don't use it, you lose it.

For my situation, which book would be ok? Should I just tough out the AIO and power through or give the OIG a try?

Thanks!
Sarah

wes allen

I think you will be fine using the Conrad book as your primary source, then reference the others if you really feel the need to get more in depth. With your IT background and your time already invested into studying, you should be fine with Conrad as the main book.

Also, really work on distilling all the info down as you study. Big book to smaller book to notes to study guide pdf. And the cccure.org tests in learning mode are also really helpful - answer, then read why you were right or wrong, and why the wrong answers were wrong. 250 questions at a time. And if you haven't watched the SANS webcast on the test, you should do that a couple times as well.

SFormwalt

Thanks Wes.

I am not quite confident in my knowledge or abilities so I want to use the Eric Conrad book for reference. I really want to use the AIO or OIG for my primary. Just afraid if I use the OIG I will be missing something that was in the AIO. Make sense?

wes allen

I totally understand what you are saying. i have no experience with the OIG, but I just had such a hard time trying to read the AIO - it basically just put me to sleep and I didn't retain anything really. Sounds a little bit like what you are experiencing with it as well. So, for me, the Conrad guide was perfect - enough depth to learn what I needed without any fluff. I guess the OIG is somewhere in between? Maybe mix and match - stuff you know pretty well already, use the Conrad guide, stuff you want to go more in depth with, OIG and the AIO for even more depth?

PedroPete3

Why not try listening to Shon's audio files? Each area has several hours of audio, and it works out to be a concise version of her book. Plus I find that listening to the material helps reinforce what you have read.

webgeek

AIO has a lot of info and a good source...still would choose Conrad over Harris IMHO

rscrt

Anyone has any experience with the Sybex Study Guide? Sybex's review guides are awesome (used the one for CCNA and now for Sec+).. What scares me is that it has more than 900 (!) pages. I think Darril contributed to the book..

ssehg

Shon Harris AIO I would recommend. You can look for online nuggets to supplement.

swild

I passed my CISSP on the first try with Conrad as my primary and CCCure.org practice questions and Google as my secondary. I only had about 50 months of IT generalist experience, but have always been security minded. I purchased the AIO and a 1st ed OIG. The old OIG was a complete waste and I really can't stand Harris's writing style, so neither could really be listed as a secondary for me. Conrad was concise and the CCCure test bank was much harder than the real thing in my opinion. I was only getting about 70% of those practice questions right.

raybfree

SFORMWALT, I would highly encourage the CBTs or at least hear the audio from Shon Harris. I think her book his really awesome and she is right on target. Plus, how can you go wrong... CBTS or audios all day, read your books at night, test prep on the weekends... Just go into a bootcamp format and be relentless. The CISSP is an 80lb hamburger... Ever try to eat one of those? 3 years ago I was almost ready to plunge into it but right when I was about to start simulating the test with a few modules to go, I had to make a major job move. So all that studying went out the door. Anyways, you can do it.