ccsp pix

Question,

I'm considering following the ccsp track and looking over the tests I noticed the PIX and VPN concentrators in the lists of tests.

Is the PDM covered at all in the exams or do they expect command line like CCNA?

I work with t VPN 3005 concentrator and Pix 515e everday but rarely go to the CLI on either of them.

So how do the tests themselves handle it?

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Comments

JDMurray

I've never taken a CCSP exam, but I did take a CCSP PIX class using the Cisco CCSP Self-Study for PIX Firewall book. The emphasis in the class was definitely on the command line and the difference between IOS on Cisco routers and the PIX. PDM was part of the course, but to a much less degree. The Cisco PIX book only shows the PDM in one chapter, and command line examples are used throughout the book.

Ten9t6

You will need command line for the pix....but the VPN, you will need to be able to navigate the gui and command line.

elcaminoguy

Intereresting. But I guess a lot can be said for getting to guts of administering a cisco product. I know a few times I had to go to the
CLI on the PIX because the PDM didn't apply a setting correctly. But that was almost 2 years ago.

I'd rather do it the "ugly" way anyhow, it's more informative. That's the same reasoning I used when I got into UNIX. IP just didn't make sense to me when it was all "windowed" in NT. UNIX forced me to figure it all out.

Also, I'd rather study how to perform a process than memorize the correct menu option to select. I had that kind of question in my MS exams. Like anyone wants to memorize the fine points of a windows menu..lol

thx!

Webmaster

The exam objectives listed at the cisco site for the CSPFA exam clearly lists that PDM is part of the exam:

www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/current_exams/642-521.html
more importantly, it lists what you need to be able to do thru PDM:

Cisco PIX Device Manager
• PDM overview
• Prepare for PDM
• Using PDM to configure the PIX Firewall
• Using PDM to create a site-to-site VPN
• Using PDM to create a remote access VPN

lspahn

Also, the new version of the PIX IOS is very similiar to the router/switch look we are more familiar with. Im studying for CCSP too to build up for the big CCIE in a year or sow.