Failed CCNA Security/ changing gears and vendors

Failed the 640-554 today. I scored 794 and needed an 804 to pass. Surprisingly, I'm not really bummed about it. I studied for 3 weeks and I almost passed it. I am disappointed with the exam having GUI based exam questions since most configs are done from cli. I've done firewalls, Nat's, even some vpn. I don't want to waste my time going through the ccnp security gauntlet if I'm already doing some of the work. Plus were bringing in Juniper into our office. It's time to put ccnp security on the back burner and bite into juniper and checkpoint. Here's my map of this year's goals.

JNCIA--have junospere and cook books
JNCIS-FWW
CCSA--have materials already
CCNP R/S---I think this is more valuable. But will get later on

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

RouteMyPacket

Honestly, if I were you I would give it one more shot next week. You just barely missed it and now having sat the exam, you know now exactly what to expect as far as these GUI based questions.

I really think you should resit it

QHalo

Failed it my first time as well. Don't be like me and wait an entire year to re-take it. Finish strong.

YuckTheFankees

I would try one more time because you are so close!

wintermute000

Your logic doesn't make sense. What if you fail your Juniper or Checkpoint exams? See it through! Best of luck.

YuckTheFankees

Is your company going to be using Juniper devices with ScreenOS or Junos? JNCIS-FWV (ScreenOS) and JNCIA-Sec (Junos)

Nutsy

You location is, "Where ever the money is." The money is located when you have quantifiable experience backed up with certifications. Future employers will pay for that even if after today you don't touch another piece of Cisco gear because you guys have a **** truck upgrade to Juniper.

flt0nujr

Logic not making sense?? Well, let's see. Maybe I didn't full lay out the entire platform of my company. Currently we utilize Cisco ASA's, Brocade, and F5 within our managed hosting team. However, were currently pulling in Junos tier 2 engineers and were overhauling all of our border's to Juniper. Now, cisco is not being completely dumped within my company, but it is being scaled back within all of our other IT departments. In this line of work one needs to stay abreast and current of upcoming technologies. Since my desire is to become a Network Security Engineer, I would need to multidimensional in perhaps all three. Maybe, I'm still a little PO'd at the score because I was so sure I knew the questions, but I dont want to run the CCNP Security gauntlet if my current company is slowly moving towards Junos.

YuckTheFankees

I'm a little confused, when you say Junos..are you referring to Juniper the company or Junos the OS? Because I have heard of Juniper engineers not Junos engineers, so I didnt know if you were confusing the two. If you are moving towards Juniper firewalls that have Junos, you wouldnt want to get JNCIS-FWV because it deals with ScreenOS and not Junos. And there is a big difference between the two.

flt0nujr

Perhaps I should change my location to wherever the job's are. I'm not crossing Cisco off my list, but I'm having 2nd thoughts on CCNP Security and thinking that CCNP R/S would be more beneficial than Cisco ASA's. I'm looking at many of job openings at my current company and other's and they seem to point to Check Point, Juniper SRX, and Cisco Firewall. Nutsy, you know the old IT saying, if you don't use it you lose it. Maybe I'll take a few days off and clear my head on this and make a better decision on whether or not to walk down the Cisco Security path.

YuckTheFankees

SRX = Junos...If you decide the Juniper route, I would suggest JNCIA -> JNCIS-Sec and so on.

flt0nujr

Ok, I've slept on it and, thought about it. I'm going to re-sit for the CCNA Security exam again. I've dedicated to much time and money to get the CCNA Security and learn all ASA, VPN, configs at my current job. However, I'm still Leary on the CCNP Security gauntlet of 4 exams at $250.00 a pop. There needs to be some salary increase or something to lay down that type of cheddar and not mention the study time to get all of the exams.I'll probably get to the Firewall and VPN and just stop, or stop at the CCNA security and jump on either Juniper SRX, Checkpoint, or CCNP route path. It seems no matter what I do I cant get away from routing through BGP, MPLS, and some OSPF within an cloud from one area to another or outside of the cloud to end users. Thanks for the advice everyone. I was a PO'd about the test and wanted to kick Cisco in the nads!!!

Master Of Puppets

I was about to say that I think you should take it again soon. Good luck, its yours this time!

wintermute000

A good network security engineer understands routing. One who doesn't is just a firewall config guy.

I'd finish what you started. If you don't want to go down CCNP Sec then that's your choice. It sounds like you've made up your mind anyway. Personally If I was going to do Firewall and VPN I'd just finish the lot to get those digits properly. The Juniper path is also a no-lose proposition (except for ScreenOS which is going to be depreciated AFAIK).

CCNP R&S will get you jobs anywhere. I've been hired for security heavy jobs without any security certs before, a lot of employers assume network guy = firewall guy.

As for cost, its not cheap, but 1000 bucks for a CCNP is money very well spent. To refuse to certify due to spending 1k (over a year or whatever mind you not in one hit) would appear to be penny wise and pound foolish (unless its a totally irrelevant cert of course).

flt0nujr

I agree with you wintermute000 100%. A Network Security Engineer needs to be at least proficient in routing. Most of the jobs I see all require some knowledge of BGP and MPLS. Security is just an extra job function for the engineer. Unfortunately routing and switching is not a part of my current job function and their really trying to make me a "Jack of all Trades" system engineer. This exposes you to many technologies but it hurts you in the long run in your career.

flt0nujr

Well a month and 1/2 ago I sat for the CCNA Security Exam and failed the exam by 5 points. I was considering either resitting for the exam a second time or shifting gears and going for the Juniper exam. We'll I was going to resit the CCNA Security exam until a few of the Network Senior Engineers noticed that I just passed my CCNA a month and 1/2 ago and wondered why I hadn't applied for the Network Engineer slot. Now it seems the IP Tier 1 and 2 group has been really lobbying for me to come over and take this spot. Within this group I would be doing the following:

Troubleshooting IP Circuits
Installs (configuring routers)
DNS configurations
Learning BGP, MPLS, OSPF, EIGRP
Begin working with Juniper

So, I applied for the spot and I got the job. Now, I've been given 2 Juniper vouchers for any certification I want. I'm now paired up with a JNCIP Senior Engineer whose been making me his "Padiwan" learner for the last couple of weeks. So, today I passed the JNCIA exam and now I'm going to more Junos training within two weeks and now I'm being groomed for a Tier2 spot. I'm not drinking the koolaid about the Tier2 spot, but now I'm getting neck deep in routing protocols and soon to come Juniper.

Security +
CCNA
JNCIA
JNCIS-Sec (2013)
CEH (2013)

LinuxRacr

Congrats! I failed with an 894 myself a week ago. I will sit the exam again this Wednesday since it isn't costing me any extra money to do so through WGU.

GreenLantern

congrats on the new job, I've always been interested in Juniper. unfortunately the only juniper equipment on my network are a pair of ssg-500's. The last time I touched them was when I installed them. I would definitely look at taking the ccna security again, I bet you would pass it the second time around. anyways good luck with you Juniper path.

RouteMyPacket

flt0nujr wrote: »

Well a month and 1/2 ago I sat for the CCNA Security Exam and failed the exam by 5 points. I was considering either resitting for the exam a second time or shifting gears and going for the Juniper exam. We'll I was going to resit the CCNA Security exam until a few of the Network Senior Engineers noticed that I just passed my CCNA a month and 1/2 ago and wondered why I hadn't applied for the Network Engineer slot. Now it seems the IP Tier 1 and 2 group has been really lobbying for me to come over and take this spot. Within this group I would be doing the following:

Troubleshooting IP Circuits
Installs (configuring routers)
DNS configurations
Learning BGP, MPLS, OSPF, EIGRP
Begin working with Juniper

So, I applied for the spot and I got the job. Now, I've been given 2 Juniper vouchers for any certification I want. I'm now paired up with a JNCIP Senior Engineer whose been making me his "Padiwan" learner for the last couple of weeks. So, today I passed the JNCIA exam and now I'm going to more Junos training within two weeks and now I'm being groomed for a Tier2 spot. I'm not drinking the koolaid about the Tier2 spot, but now I'm getting neck deep in routing protocols and soon to come Juniper.

Security +
CCNA
JNCIA
JNCIS-Sec (2013)
CEH (2013)

I'm still disappointed to read that you didn't sit it again. That's unfortunate, would have been cake since you barely missed it first time out.

Remove CCENT from your cert profile. You're a CCNA, no need to state CCENT anywhere. lol

flt0nujr

...HAHAHA, your so right "Route My Packet". I'm taking that CCENT off my list. I'm reading over the CCNA Security and JNCIS-Sec pdf's and will take these before the September. After that it's all about the CISSP and graduating with my MSIS in 2014.

NetworkVeteran

flt0nujr wrote: »

a few of the Network Senior Engineers noticed that I just passed my CCNA a month and 1/2 ago and wondered why I hadn't applied for the Network Engineer slot. Now it seems the IP Tier 1 and 2 group has been really lobbying for me to come over and take this spot. So, I applied for the spot and I got the job.

Congratulations. For-profit companies are happy to put new skills to work, and practice keeps you from forgetting.

LinuxRacr

Congrats on the transition! Good job. Glad to hear you will be re-attempting the IINS. I missed it by 10 points the first time also (as stated above), and the next week I took it again and passed. You will add this notch to your credentials.

flt0nujr

News update everyone. I've been on the Noc Engineer job for about a 4 months and I'm not that impressed with the position. So, I went back and studied for the CCNA Security exam for 2 months and just passed the exam today.

Cyanic

Congrats!

I had a NOC engineer position once. After a year I said to hell with this and landed a less stressful job making more dinero

coffeeluvr

Congratulations on the pass!!

LinuxRacr

So glad you went back for the pass! Congrats.

gadav478

Congrats on the bounce back. If I may ask, what about the NOC engineer job did you not like? What did it entail? (Just curious)

SephStorm

glad to hear it!

cmitchell_00

Congrats on pass.