SANS Index?

TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
Now I know by that title alone you guys would kill me for asking for an index. Well I'm not asking for an index!

I'm actually asking has anyone noticed that some of their courses have indexes provided by SANS?

I noticed mine has one, the instructor even pointed it out.

Have I missed something or is this a new thing they are doing?
These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/

Comments

  • kiki162kiki162 Member Posts: 635 ■■■■■□□□□□
    I'm taking a course currently, and have noticed the same thing. I took my last course a year ago, and they had an index in that one in the last book. I'll see if I can't get an answer from them on that this week.

    One other thing to mention, although the index can be useful, the index you create is going to be far more beneficial during the exam.
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I completely agree. Thought it was odd though since that's always has been the bread and butter of SANS. This year I've also soon:

    SANS books in PDF
    Videos provided in the course
    Ways to get back to course material after the class.

    What world am I in?
    kiki162 wrote: »
    I'm taking a course currently, and have noticed the same thing. I took my last course a year ago, and they had an index in that one in the last book. I'll see if I can't get an answer from them on that this week.

    One other thing to mention, although the index can be useful, the index you create is going to be far more beneficial during the exam.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • cyberguyprcyberguypr Mod Posts: 6,928 Mod
    When you say "SANS books in PDF" do you mean officially sanctioned by SANS or those scanned copies on shady forums?
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Official. I am currently sitting in a SANS conference. I will concede that so far the PDF is on instructor's machine. Compared to last year though where instructor had his own set of physical books, this is weird.

    cyberguypr wrote: »
    When you say "SANS books in PDF" do you mean officially sanctioned by SANS or those scanned copies on shady forums?
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    TacoRocket wrote: »
    I completely agree. Thought it was odd though since that's always has been the bread and butter of SANS. This year I've also soon:

    SANS books in PDF
    Videos provided in the course
    Ways to get back to course material after the class.

    What world am I in?
    Hopefully a more reasonable one.
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    609299a1128b20719e1ce667a0b10bd8bd11267167e1ab5fbe3af6fb74cd30f9.jpg
    Danielm7 wrote: »
    Hopefully a more reasonable one.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • bigdogzbigdogz Member Posts: 881 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Yes, I am taking a course as well and they give an index that is simple. The instructor stated that you can make changes as we wish.
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I agree. You should edit or still make an index. Its odd when I havent had an index provided for me.
    bigdogz wrote: »
    Yes, I am taking a course as well and they give an index that is simple. The instructor stated that you can make changes as we wish.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • iBrokeITiBrokeIT Member Posts: 1,318 ■■■■■■■■■□
    When I was doing work study, a number of people stated that they wanted the books in PDF form on their evals. I don't remember which SANS staff member told me, maybe it was Katherine, that SANS will never distribute them digitally (via PDF or PPT) because it was one of the many ways they controlled how their intellectual property didn't end up on every torrent site and internal company share.

    Videos are provided as part of the OnDemand bundle that you can purchase separately.

    You seemed have forgotten that SANS is a for profit training company that is more popular than ever. Until their bottom line is threaten by people going elsewhere due to those things there is little reason for them to change.
    2019: GPEN | GCFE | GXPN | GICSP | CySA+ 
    2020: GCIP | GCIA 
    2021: GRID | GDSA | Pentest+ 
    2022: GMON | GDAT
    2023: GREM  | GSE | GCFA

    WGU BS IT-NA | SANS Grad Cert: PT&EH | SANS Grad Cert: ICS Security | SANS Grad Cert: Cyber Defense Ops SANS Grad Cert: Incident Response
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I completely understand what you're saying. I'm telling you as someone who is sitting in the class right now. What I am seeing.

    Not complaining more shocked of the changes than anything else.
    iBrokeIT wrote: »
    When I was doing work study, a number of people stated that they wanted the books in PDF form on their evals. I don't remember which SANS staff member told me, maybe it was Katherine, that SANS will never distribute them digitally (via PDF or PPT) because it was one of the many ways they controlled how their intellectual property didn't end up on every torrent site and internal company share.

    Videos are provided as part of the OnDemand bundle that you can purchase separately.

    You seemed have forgotten that SANS is a for profit training company that is more popular than ever. Until their bottom line is threaten by people going elsewhere due to those things there is little reason for them to change.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • FillAwfulFillAwful Member Posts: 119 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I think they provide an "index" to show a sample of how you could design one. I don't think it comprehensive enough or a reason not to make an index yourself. Building an index for SANS is part of the whole experience for me and gives me another opportunity to go over the material.

    One thing you will need though, any "**** Sheets" they provide. Walking into a SANS test without those is suicide, particularly for some of the harder tests.
  • beadsbeads Member Posts: 1,531 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Let the challenge exams BEGIN! Couple of weeks of study/video/review and I could waltz these to a pass, no problem.

    True dat!

    -b/eads
  • sb97sb97 Member Posts: 109
    They gave us an index in For408. In fact, they even asked for feedback to make it better. I still did my own and found it was much more helpful. I don't think I would rely solely on an index that someone else put together for these exams.
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    The index they provide was around 20 pages. Real detailed "sample" index.
    FillAwful wrote: »
    I think they provide an "index" to show a sample of how you could design one. I don't think it comprehensive enough or a reason not to make an index yourself. Building an index for SANS is part of the whole experience for me and gives me another opportunity to go over the material.

    One thing you will need though, any "**** Sheets" they provide. Walking into a SANS test without those is suicide, particularly for some of the harder tests.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Not complaining. Found it odd. Still plan on making my own index as well. Because it just helps digesting the material.
    sb97 wrote: »
    They gave us an index in For408. In fact, they even asked for feedback to make it better. I still did my own and found it was much more helpful. I don't think I would rely solely on an index that someone else put together for these exams.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • TechGromitTechGromit Member Posts: 2,156 ■■■■■■■■■□
    TacoRocket wrote: »
    I'm actually asking has anyone noticed that some of their courses have indexes provided by SANS?

    I've seen a coworkers old SANS 401 books that were several years old, they had a glossary in the back of one of the books. I tired using it for one of my practice exams, but it was next to useless. I would suspect the index they provide would be pretty useless for the exam well, the questions probably purposely avoid anything that part of the SANS provided index.
    Still searching for the corner in a round room.
  • TechGromitTechGromit Member Posts: 2,156 ■■■■■■■■■□
    TacoRocket wrote: »
    Official. I am currently sitting in a SANS conference. I will concede that so far the PDF is on instructor's machine. Compared to last year though where instructor had his own set of physical books, this is weird.



    It was my understanding that PDF copies of the material on instructors laptops is strictly controlled. Just because the instructor has a PDF copy isn't an indication SANS plans to issue PDF documentation to students in the future. It's sort of like the teachers answer text book when you were in high school, where the students text books did not have answers.
    Still searching for the corner in a round room.
  • TacoRocketTacoRocket Member Posts: 497 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I agree, I'm basing this from the last class I took where the instructor had physical books just like the students.
    TechGromit wrote: »
    It was my understanding that PDF copies of the material on instructors laptops is strictly controlled. Just because the instructor has a PDF copy isn't an indication SANS plans to issue PDF documentation to students in the future. It's sort of like the teachers answer text book when you were in high school, where the students text books did not have answers.
    These articles and posts are my own opinion and do not reflect the view of my employer.

    Website gave me error for signature, check out what I've done here: https://pwningroot.com/
  • JoJoCal19JoJoCal19 Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
    Maybe it's a ploy to try and convert some more of the SANS class takers into GIAC exam takers by removing one of the barriers to entry so to speak.
    Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
    Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
    Next Up:​ OSCP
    Studying:​ Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework
  • bigdogzbigdogz Member Posts: 881 ■■■■■■■■□□
    The current SEC 504 I am taking the instructor has PDF's as well. They probably have no need to carry all of those books home with them or to their next training conference.
  • Erik1Erik1 Registered Users Posts: 3 ■□□□□□□□□□
    You pay 6000 for a class I think you should get physical books.
  • BillHooBillHoo Member Posts: 207 ■■■□□□□□□□
    In my Sans classes, I usually ask for a sample index and the instructors will usually provide one from a previous (albit out of date) class. You know, previous course material where the page numbers are no longer valid.

    It was up to you to go through (meaning read) the course material and update the index to what you need as you go along.

    As for PDF courseware. I can see that happening as they may have the tech to serial number or watermark each page with a unique serial number to trace back to the student. That is actually better than the hardcopy manuals that people can photocopy and put up on eBay.

    That way, you get your courseware. Try to copy and put it out for sale on a torrent site, they can trace it back to you and you'll hear from their lawyers and lose your cert!
  • sb97sb97 Member Posts: 109
    TacoRocket wrote: »
    Not complaining. Found it odd. Still plan on making my own index as well. Because it just helps digesting the material.
    Agreed. I did refer to the provided Index to see if I missed anything important while I was still organizing my notes.
  • kiki162kiki162 Member Posts: 635 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Here's one important thing to mention. Even IF you had the index in the back of the book, there will always be some questions that are NOT referenced in the index. Also, every time a specific topic comes up within the books, you'll find it in really obscure places across multiple books. Which if you think about it will take more of your time away from the exam. Having the information all in 1 spot makes the difference. Personally, I find it more gratifying to create your own rather than using the index in the back of the book.
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