Struggling to Figure Out What This Exam Covers...

What the title says.

I've taken a CCNA Security class, used the official exam books, watched the CBT videos, practiced with Transcender, gone over the exam objectives, and took the exam once a few months ago (65%). I still feel like I have zero idea of what this exam actually covers.

I'm running questions on Transcender again, pulling about a 30% with every question I get seeming to be completely out of left field. I just had a question that seemed like it was geared towards the 5505 Pix-style ASA, and then the next question is about Cisco Ironport, and then one about ROMMON.

Does anybody have an idea of how to get a handle on this?

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

hurricane1091

When I took the exam, it was all about using CCP with a ROUTER!

LOL.

PCTechLinc

The 210-260 is definitely a bear...

When you say "CBT Videos" do you mean CBTNuggets? If so, did you watch ALL the homework videos Keith Barker assigned (CCNP stuff), and read the Parka document? Going through all that gave me what I needed to pass.

Additionally, the Boson practice exams were very similar in content to what I found on the exam. It is $100, but definitely worth it. Go through EVERY question, and read ALL the explanations.

Yarrr

PCTechLinc wrote: »

did you watch ALL the homework videos Keith Barker assigned

Sounds helpful, but I'm not sure what that is.

PCTechLinc

If you were referring to the CBT Nuggets videos, Keith Barker references a ton of CCNP-level videos to watch with your subscription, that go more in-depth with certain technologies. If you weren't referring to CBT Nuggets, then nevermind.

Yarrr

Yarrr wrote: »

Sounds helpful, but I'm not sure what that is.

Gotcha. Yes, I've watched those, some multiple times.

Phileeeeeeep651

Did you get the CD with the OCG? I found that the practice exams that came with the test were pretty good for understanding what they were going to ask. Feel like that would be a better start as the Transcender questions you've given examples of seem really off the board.

Boson's practice exams were also helpful for me and like PCTechLinc said, go through every question and read all the explanations. There is a ton of extra reading material that Boson links to that was really helpful for me.

doctore

This is what the exam covers: https://learningcontent.cisco.com/cln_storage/text/cln/marketing/exam-topics/210-260-iins.pdf

Not sure why you are wasting money on videos and tests? Are you trying to be a better test taker?

If you didn't buy used ASA 5505 - you are doing it wrong

Get one from eBay, put it on your network and start playing. If you are familiar and comfortable with the ASA/ASDM - you've covered 80% of the exam topics.

bhcs2014

doctore wrote: »

This is what the exam covers: https://learningcontent.cisco.com/cln_storage/text/cln/marketing/exam-topics/210-260-iins.pdf

Not sure why you are wasting money on videos and tests? Are you trying to be a better test taker?
If you didn't buy used ASA 5505 - you are doing it wrong Get one from eBay, put it on your network and start playing. If you are familiar and comfortable with the ASA/ASDM - you've covered 80% of the exam topics.

ASA is 35% of the exam at the most (see link above). The rest is IPS, content/email security, switch/router security, and security concepts.

OP, I recommend the 5506x ASA if you can afford. It's the newer version of the 5505 and includes the firepower module (IPS) which is covered on the exam. Would also be perfect if you plan to do CCNP security. It's bout 350 new and if you can find a used one for probably less.

You should also lab cisco router/switch ios security stuff (see blueprint). Lab ISE and firepower if possible, if not know the concepts.

doctore

bhcs2014 wrote: »

ASA is 35% of the exam at the most (see link above). The rest is IPS, content/email security, switch/router security, and security concepts.

OP, I recommend the 5506x ASA if you can afford. It's the newer version of the 5505 and includes the firepower module (IPS) which is covered on the exam. Would also be perfect if you plan to do CCNP security. It's bout 350 new and if you can find a used one for probably less.

You should also lab cisco router/switch ios security stuff (see blueprint). Lab ISE and firepower if possible, if not know the concepts.

My point was that if you learn the ASA in-and-out, you'd cover 80% of the topics on the exam - VPNs, Crypto, Firewalls, VLAN security, NAT, zones, Security concepts, SNMP, NetFlow, TACACS+, RADIUS, etc.

All it's left is Layer 2 and IPS, all of which are of the "describe" type, i.e. no equipment required. You want to lab Layer 2 - lab on Packet Tracer.

No need to lab IPS, even if you get a job, no one in their right mind will let you (with CCNA Security) configure IPS on a production network

You want to get good with the IPS concepts just to further your knowledge? Get Snort and spend exactly $0

robo78

bhcs2014 wrote: »

OP, I recommend the 5506x ASA if you can afford. It's the newer version of the 5505 and includes the firepower module (IPS) which is covered on the exam. Would also be perfect if you plan to do CCNP security. It's bout 350 new and if you can find a used one for probably less.

I saw this pricing on another thread as well, and it is not seems to be achievable imo.
I would very like to obtain an 5506 for such a price. Could you, or someone provide link, please.

doctore

robo78 wrote: »

I saw this pricing on another thread as well, and it is not seems to be achievable imo. I would very like to obtain an 5506 for such a price. Could you, or someone provide link, please.

asa 5506 | eBay

robo78

doctore wrote: »

asa 5506 | eBay

oh, ebay or amazaon are watched by me.
At this time, theres none for less than 350, and of course with shiping even more.
Those cheapest ones a very likely have some lack, like no power adapter or statements about no to know functionality and other. It's seems $500 is more realistic price, at least from my point of view and my location.
I thought you know about some other sites. Anyway, thank you.

Yarrr

Took this exam again today after three months of studying and upgrading my home lab to include a 5505 with the advanced security license and 2800 series routers with IOS 15 advanced security images.

78%.

Many of the questions are still major curveballs. One of the sims was working incorrectly, with values being placed into different fields than I was entering them and then fields randomly disappearing or changing.

Bombed the "Security Concepts" portion. I used the OCG, the OCG's sim test, th OCG supplemental material, CBT, Transcender, and went back through the materials from the instructor-led Netacad course that I took, and still got hit with questions about things I had never heard of in the Security Concepts section.

Spent most of my time studying ASA and Secure Routing/Switching. Did poorly on both sections.

I don't know what else I'm supposed to do to pass this exam. The questions I've seen through two sittings are a hundred miles wide and a hundred miles deep.

huntert

https://www.udemy.com/ccnasecuritypreview/

free course on udemy for vpns

robo78

@Yarrr
sorry to hear about a second fail, but you are close to pass so don't give up !

albinorhino187

It was a bear. The hardest one that I've taken so far. I think what helped me the most were the Boson practice exams which WGU provided. The questions weren't quite as left field as Cisco, more like left-center, but it still made me realize the scope of the test was probably exceeding all of the study materials I'd used so far. So the Boson test started that level of exposure, and then it would also provide answer explanations and links to Cisco documentation for further reading.

huntert

if you were to join networklessons.com most of the material is about routing and switching but there is a course on there for asa firewall.

McElhinney

What works for me is to download the exam breakdown PDF from the below link and highlight the different concepts that I feel comfortable with. If you are honest with yourself it can help to point out your weak areas. I find that it also helps keep your studying relevant as this is the official exam guidelines.

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/security_ccna/iins-v3/exam-topics