CCNA Security Progress Thread

Decided to make a progress thread while working towards the CCNA Security. I've done a few of these for my other certs and they seem to help with keeping me focused! If this against the rules of this particular subforum, just let me know.

I officially started studying on the 21st. I'm reading through the official guide book (I'm taking the 210-260) and have been writing notes throughout. My initial impression on the book wasn't great, but it's not the worst thing I've ever read, so there's that lol...

As of right now, the majority of the material has just been a rehash of Security+ topics, so I'd say if you already have that, this should be a logical next step. By the end of this upcoming week, I want to be done with the book and move onto labbing and note review. My overall goal is test probably around.... late November or early December.

Anyways, if anyone wants to comment their experiences here as well or offer words of wisdom, I'm all ears!

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Comments

cabrillo24

[h=1]Implementing Cisco Network Security (IINS) v3.0[/h]
So does this course from Cisco also offer labs for the ASA/Firewall? I'm very tempted to buy this instead of purchasing a lab off eBay.

greeneon

cabrillo24 wrote: »

Implementing Cisco Network Security (IINS) v3.0

So does this course from Cisco also offer labs for the ASA/Firewall? I'm very tempted to buy this instead of purchasing a lab off eBay.

Yes. Learning labs are included with the course.

aderon

I haven't gotten to that section, but there is a lab for firewalls and ASAs. I've attached a picture of all the names of the labs in the course below. A little blurry, but it should give you an idea of what you'll be able to mess around with.

Labs.jpg

LDhiker

I also bought the course. I am on module 3. Liking it so far, though it has just been theory to this point. I haven't dug into the labs yet.

aderon

LDhiker wrote: »

I also bought the course. I am on module 3. Liking it so far, though it has just been theory to this point. I haven't dug into the labs yet.

I think you'll like them. I've gone through about 5-6 by now and they're good. Very lengthy with lots of detail and explanations about what you're doing and why. Also, once you've configured everything they go over verifying configurations w/ the various show commands.

Also, they're not sims. It appears that they're just virtualized which is kind've nice. All the normal commands are still there and you don't feel "limited" when trying to do things.

sidninja

So today I passed the Sec Exam - I felt so nervous beforehand though!

as a parting gift and for all those who i want to benefit from it, i made a google doc with all of the bullet points and my own notes in each bar section 7 - i will leave it open for anyone to finish that section

now i will see if i can get started on another cert soon (if my company will let me

)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L__jESZuVN-9CUxe5qNOxCc9fDOkL6tevBH7Bizlv54/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HLIMAeTlMGN13k6FhrZANNw_er73eiFpbScd6AWGdO8/edit?usp=sharing

also if you go onto safaribooksonline - there is a LIFECHANGING BOOK called 30 days before you ccna security 210-260 (something like that)

it goes through EVERY BULLETPOINT IN DETAIL.

have fun

sidninja

Jamm1n wrote: »

Good luck sidninja!

thanks i passed today

aderon

Good job sidninja!! I've also just passed as of this morning!! So happy! That was my last class required for WGU graduation. Very excited

Thoughts on My Entire CCNA Security Experience:

I have to say I'm still very unimpressed with the exam. I will say they've made a few casual improvements to some of the more glaring issues particularly in the sims department. Other than that, there's still a lot of questions that are strangely worded, just flat out wrong, or require you to "guess" what the question creator "meant" when they created the question. Very subjective questions/answers.

I also feel like this exam is too wide and too deep for an associate level certification. I had to reference CCNP Security material many times throughout my studies to understand topics to the level that were required for the exam. This wasn't for 1-2 topics either. It was for almost every single topic that was covered.

My recommendation for anyone thinking of taking this exam would be to STOP! Had this not been a requirement, knowing what I know about this cert, I would NEVER have taken it. I don't feel that the certificate has a very good ROI and with all the issues regarding the study materials, the exam itself, etc, it just isn't worth it. Your money and effort can be spent better elsewhere.

Having said that, if you INSIST on taking the exam, or it is a requirement (such as it was for me), then I would highly recommend the Implementing Cisco Network Security (IINS) v3.0 On Demand E-learning. It's incredibly expensive, but I don't think for me personally I could have passed any other way. Also, the Boson practice questions are fairly beneficial as well and I would recommend them. Absolutely do not use the official course guide. It is almost entirely useless and will waste your time with irrelevant information while simultaneously not giving you enough information to pass. Can safely say that out of all the certifications exams I've taken, it is the worst certification book I've ever used.

Anyways, it's been a journey and I'm glad to finally be done. I'll be posting my experiences at WGU at some point this week in the IT Jobs/Degrees section if anyone is curious.

bharvey92

Congrats both! I'm sitting this exam on Saturday! Will check back I'm sure whether I pass/fail!

sidninja

it is too wide and deep - i had to look outside of lab materials to go and prep for this and use some practice questions and it was like "thats very deep of them to ask..."

true, after all of that, it kinda feels a bit hollow, especially for me as i did cos work needs it to maintain gold partnership with cisco and i need to do a further one that is a specialist cisco cert (another feather in the cap, so why not).

to add to aderon, DONT USE THE OCG - INSTEAD USE THE 31 DAYS TO SECURITY that i mentioned earlier - it saved me! and also use the portable command study guide and Chris Bryant's material - it is still based on the old exam, but as he says, it covers 70% of the CURRENT EXAM!

i dont bother with CBT nuggets now - love jeremy and keith, but the whole thing is very high level and not enough really except for revision - sort of.

SAFARIBOOKSONLINE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND - i use throwawaymail to get email addresses and just keep doing trials (so no paying at all for a week)

for the practical side, get the demo copy of asdm, cos you need to know how to use it in the exam! and get access to switches and routers as well - ie learncisconet let you use them for free

@aderon, what is your linkedin as i want to keep in contact with you

sidninja

God be with thee

bharvey92 wrote: »

Congrats both! I'm sitting this exam on Saturday! Will check back I'm sure whether I pass/fail!

bharvey92

sidninja wrote: »

God be with thee

Thanks - and thanks for the tip of using throwawaymail for Safari book trials!

JamesKurtovich

Safari Books Online is amazing. My exam is scheduled for next Wednesday, so I'm going to skim 31 Days Before Your CCNA Security Exam.

Hammer80

The Cisco Network Security (IINS) v3.0 that everybody recommends in here well Cisco jacked up the price to $1500 unless everybody is getting some special Gold Partner discount.

sidninja

Hammer80 wrote: »

The Cisco Network Security (IINS) v3.0 that everybody recommends in here well Cisco jacked up the price to $1500 unless everybody is getting some special Gold Partner discount.

Wow that is a lot! Some of us probably are if we work with a Gold Partner.. but eish...

CertifiedMonkey

sidninja wrote: »

Wow that is a lot! Some of us probably are if we work with a Gold Partner.. but eish...

A few of us were lucky enough to grab it while it was $350. I'm not sure what lead Cisco to hike up their prices so much. All of their courses have nearly doubled in price. I remember their CCNA courses for v2 were $499 each at one point in time. The v3 courses are now $1000 each! So looks like I'm going the book/video route.